Suddenly Royal
Page 44
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“Um, yeah.” I turned my back to him. The zipper started low and I was highly aware of the fact that he could see the lace panties and bra I was wearing. His warm fingers grazed my skin as he unhurriedly pulled the zipper over the top of my butt and up my back.
“Lift your hair.” He leaned down and whispered in my ear.
Slowly I reached up and gathered my hair in my hands. He slid the zipper into place before reaching down and sliding his hands around my waist. He pressed his chest against my back while he looked over my shoulder. Deftly, he pulled the belt through the loops and fastened it in the front. It was painfully erotic to know that he was taking his time dressing me and my breathing was matching the excitement of my thoughts. When he pulled back, I let my hair fall and turned to face him without stepping out of his hold.
He was already wearing a tux, the bowtie hanging open, and no shoes. It was a look that worked for him. He looked down at me with hungry eyes. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” His hands were still on my waist and I was having flashbacks to our kiss.
“This is going to be difficult.” He leaned back a little so he could run his eyes over my body. “Very difficult.”
“All good things are worth the work.” I didn’t have to ask him what he was talking about because I was thinking the same thing. Being friends with Alex would be one of the hardest things I’d ever done.
“It would be difficult either way.” Alex’s voice was serious. “I’m not sure I can keep my hands off you, but I swore off women in the public eye. You make me want to take that back.”
“Anyone in a relationship with you would be in the spotlight.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “I don’t want to be in the spotlight; I just don’t think I could handle it.”
He leaned forward and whispered something in Lilarian.
“What does that mean?”
“Consider it your first lesson to find out.” With a small smile, he turned away and left the curtained area. I stood there, trying to catch my breath before going back out. After a minute I grabbed my shoes and carry-on. I went to the bathroom to put on makeup before twisting my hair into a messy knot at the base of my head, then put on diamond stud earrings that had been my mother’s before going back to my seat.
“Perfect, dear. You look absolutely perfect.” Rose touched the dress gently.
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready?” Rose sat down. “When we land, the authorities will board the plane to check passports and then we will be taken to cars that will deliver us to the palace.”
“I would suspect there will be a bit of fanfare for our arrival. Bringing back one of the royal families is an important occasion.” Alex was sitting across from me and his voice took on a hard edge. “There will be a great deal of media no matter what. Don’t do or say anything you think you might regret.”
“I understand. People will try to hurt me just to make a few dollars.” He caught the undertone in my voice and regarded me with sad eyes.
“Yes.” He looked out the window at the lights of the city below. “There are those people.”
“Do not forget there are also people worth trusting. Those who will love you for you and nothing else.” Rose looked at Alex sadly. “Who will love you in spite of your title and money. They are out there.”
Her eyes darted to me before looking at the paperwork on the desk. Was she warning me? Or was she worried I would hurt Alex? I turned back to my window and watched as we circled the airport.
When we touched down, my anxiety rocketed. I was here, I was doing it. And I was so nervous I wanted to puke.
“How do I greet Queen Felecia?” I scrubbed my hands together.
“When you’re introduced, you’ll curtsy once just inside the door and then again a few steps into the room. Go straight to her and introduce yourself. She will shake your hand and welcome you to the country. After that, you’ll be introduced to several other people.” Rose waved her hand in the air as if she was explaining how to get to a class in a new building. “A few of the nobles that are in town will be there, as will a few key members of parliament. They always love a good reason to come to the palace. After the initial introduction, it will be less formal. This isn’t the official ceremony for your reinstatement.”
“Okay. Curtsy, walk, and curtsy again. Shake her hand.” I took a deep breath. “Monopoly. Why did we play a board game when there is so much I need to know?”
“You needed to relax.” Alex grinned devilishly. “It was one of the only ways I could come up with to help.”
One of the ways. I could imagine the other ways he could have done to help me relax. Shaking my head, I pushed aside the thought and frowned. “And what do I call her? Your Majesty?”
“That’s appropriate the first time you meet her. Then you can switch to something simpler. Ma’am is the most common.” Rose smiled at me. “You’re going to be fine. No one is going to expect you to know everything tonight.”
“The staff is used to walking people through first meetings. Don’t worry,” Alex said.
The plane was taxied to an open area and I was shocked at the amount of people. A blue rug was rolled out to the plane and a line of cars pulled up. There was a military honor guard in place and a sea of flashing cameras. The door to the plane was opened and an official in a suit stepped up to the entrance.
“Lift your hair.” He leaned down and whispered in my ear.
Slowly I reached up and gathered my hair in my hands. He slid the zipper into place before reaching down and sliding his hands around my waist. He pressed his chest against my back while he looked over my shoulder. Deftly, he pulled the belt through the loops and fastened it in the front. It was painfully erotic to know that he was taking his time dressing me and my breathing was matching the excitement of my thoughts. When he pulled back, I let my hair fall and turned to face him without stepping out of his hold.
He was already wearing a tux, the bowtie hanging open, and no shoes. It was a look that worked for him. He looked down at me with hungry eyes. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” His hands were still on my waist and I was having flashbacks to our kiss.
“This is going to be difficult.” He leaned back a little so he could run his eyes over my body. “Very difficult.”
“All good things are worth the work.” I didn’t have to ask him what he was talking about because I was thinking the same thing. Being friends with Alex would be one of the hardest things I’d ever done.
“It would be difficult either way.” Alex’s voice was serious. “I’m not sure I can keep my hands off you, but I swore off women in the public eye. You make me want to take that back.”
“Anyone in a relationship with you would be in the spotlight.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “I don’t want to be in the spotlight; I just don’t think I could handle it.”
He leaned forward and whispered something in Lilarian.
“What does that mean?”
“Consider it your first lesson to find out.” With a small smile, he turned away and left the curtained area. I stood there, trying to catch my breath before going back out. After a minute I grabbed my shoes and carry-on. I went to the bathroom to put on makeup before twisting my hair into a messy knot at the base of my head, then put on diamond stud earrings that had been my mother’s before going back to my seat.
“Perfect, dear. You look absolutely perfect.” Rose touched the dress gently.
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready?” Rose sat down. “When we land, the authorities will board the plane to check passports and then we will be taken to cars that will deliver us to the palace.”
“I would suspect there will be a bit of fanfare for our arrival. Bringing back one of the royal families is an important occasion.” Alex was sitting across from me and his voice took on a hard edge. “There will be a great deal of media no matter what. Don’t do or say anything you think you might regret.”
“I understand. People will try to hurt me just to make a few dollars.” He caught the undertone in my voice and regarded me with sad eyes.
“Yes.” He looked out the window at the lights of the city below. “There are those people.”
“Do not forget there are also people worth trusting. Those who will love you for you and nothing else.” Rose looked at Alex sadly. “Who will love you in spite of your title and money. They are out there.”
Her eyes darted to me before looking at the paperwork on the desk. Was she warning me? Or was she worried I would hurt Alex? I turned back to my window and watched as we circled the airport.
When we touched down, my anxiety rocketed. I was here, I was doing it. And I was so nervous I wanted to puke.
“How do I greet Queen Felecia?” I scrubbed my hands together.
“When you’re introduced, you’ll curtsy once just inside the door and then again a few steps into the room. Go straight to her and introduce yourself. She will shake your hand and welcome you to the country. After that, you’ll be introduced to several other people.” Rose waved her hand in the air as if she was explaining how to get to a class in a new building. “A few of the nobles that are in town will be there, as will a few key members of parliament. They always love a good reason to come to the palace. After the initial introduction, it will be less formal. This isn’t the official ceremony for your reinstatement.”
“Okay. Curtsy, walk, and curtsy again. Shake her hand.” I took a deep breath. “Monopoly. Why did we play a board game when there is so much I need to know?”
“You needed to relax.” Alex grinned devilishly. “It was one of the only ways I could come up with to help.”
One of the ways. I could imagine the other ways he could have done to help me relax. Shaking my head, I pushed aside the thought and frowned. “And what do I call her? Your Majesty?”
“That’s appropriate the first time you meet her. Then you can switch to something simpler. Ma’am is the most common.” Rose smiled at me. “You’re going to be fine. No one is going to expect you to know everything tonight.”
“The staff is used to walking people through first meetings. Don’t worry,” Alex said.
The plane was taxied to an open area and I was shocked at the amount of people. A blue rug was rolled out to the plane and a line of cars pulled up. There was a military honor guard in place and a sea of flashing cameras. The door to the plane was opened and an official in a suit stepped up to the entrance.
