Recklessly Royal(73)

“Those are the ones. Great for putting a person to sleep.”

“Your Highness, are you well?” Mark stepped forward, his eyes running over my body in a quick check. “Should I call for a doctor or one of the nurses?”

“I’m just feeling under the weather. I’ll be fine.” I nodded my head and didn’t bother to force a smile. It would be wasted on him anyways. He had known me for so long that he could tell when I was being sincere.

“If you have need of me, please let me know.” He nodded his head in a quick bow before walking ahead of us to open the door of the house.

“Thank you.” I nodded my head to him while David and I walked past.

“Where’s the kitchen? Why don’t I make us a snack?” David leaned down to whisper in my ear.

“The cook should still be up, you could ask her.” I stepped out of my shoes and bent over to pick them up. “I’d love a hot cup of tea.”

“Okay, I’ll go see what I can do.” David led me over to the armchair closest to the fireplace. “Have a seat and I’ll be back.”

I curled up in the chair and propped my chin in one hand. It felt odd to be taken care of, but I was so tired and worn out from the panic attack I didn’t have the energy to argue. I could feel that anxiety dancing just on the edge of my consciousness, waiting for me to fall into its dark pit of fear. Instead I watched the flames of the small fire dance across the logs and let my mind blank. Any time my brain started to even touch upon the idea of pictures . . . No, I couldn’t go there. I just focused on the flames.

“Well, I found a cook and a maid.” David walked back into the room with a cup of hot tea on a saucer. “And Jeanine, the maid, said she would bring us some board games.”

“Thank you.” I took the cup from him.

“Oh, I didn’t make it. The cook wouldn’t let me even open a cabinet.” He cleared a spot on the table in the center of the sitting area when Jeanine brought out several boxes and a pack of cards. “What will it be? Monopoly?”

“No!” I laughed at his surprised face. “Alex has ruined Monopoly for me. Take my advice and never play with him.”

“Good to know.” He looked at the other boxes. “It looks like the rest all require more players, so how about a card game?”

“That sounds good.” I set my cup down. “How about Go Fish?”

“Go Fish?” David blinked in surprise. “If that’s what you really want to play—”

I burst out laughing. “I’m joking. I can’t believe you fell for that.”

“That’s it. Your choice has been revoked.” He shuffled the cards before starting to deal them out. “Crazy Eights. Do you know how to play?”

“I do.” I slid out of my chair so that I was sitting on the floor next to the table. “Are you any good?”

“It’s a game of luck. I’m as good as anyone else.” He shrugged out of his jacket and undid his tie before joining me on the floor.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” I raised an eyebrow in challenge. If there was anything I had picked up from my brothers, it was their competitiveness. My nerves were still shot, but just being next to David seemed to help. He had a way of making everything important seem unimportant. He put things into perspective, and right now, Crazy Eights was much more important than anything lying photographers could make up.

Though there was one thing that bothered me and I couldn’t shake it. Where had the photos come from and just how bad were they? And why? Why had someone taken pictures of such an intimate moment? It had to be for the money they got when they sold the photographs to the magazines.

After I beat David three times in a row, he conceded defeat and packed up the cards. Sitting on the couch, he patted the spot next to him and I took the seat. With a comfortable ease, he tucked me against him.

“I loved hearing your laugh.”

“I loved seeing you lose.” I giggled when he mock-groaned.

“I just wanted you to be happy.” He smiled at me.

“Riiiight.” I shook my head, but scooted close against him. “Whatever you have to tell yourself.”

“That’s how it’s going to be, huh?” In a swift movement he had lain back on the sofa and shifted me so that I lay on his chest.

My ear rested just above his heart and I closed my eyes to listen. There was something soothing in the rhythm combined with his steady breaths. The fire crackled and popped as it slowly faded from existence and I found it hard to keep my eyes open.

“Will you stay?” I tucked one of my hands under my cheek. I felt safe in his arms, and even if those photos made an appearance in the morning, it wouldn’t feel so bad with him here to keep me calm.