Page 12 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

“Oh, uh, nothing very interesting. I’m…a lab tech at GenoTech.”

“GenoTech…that’s the biotech company, right?”

He flicked his gaze to her, his posture stiffening. “You know it?”

“I’ve heard of it. It’s…quite a large company. I imagine they employ many people here.”

He smiled, seeming to relax again. “Yes, they do. Wait, you don’t work there, too, do you?”

She shook her head. “No. Definitely not.”

“So, then what does an average girl…oh, I don’t have your last name, either.”

She bit her lower lip as her eyes searched for inspiration. “Greenfield.”

“Ellie Greenfield. What does Ellie Greenfield do?”

She swallowed hard as her mind raced. Someone passed by on their cell phone, and she drew inspiration from their conversation snippet. “I’m an editor. Freelance at the moment, but I can make my own hours.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.”

“Not really. It’s all missing commas and pesky typos. Very uninteresting.”

He chuckled at her. “You are really determined to make me think you’re boring, but I can’t stop thinking you’re not.”

“I really am,” she said as they rounded a bend.

Twilight transformed the park into a realm of shadow and light. The warm glow of the streetlights cast dancing shadows across the cobblestone paths.

In the distance, Sterling City's skyline flickered like an urban oasis amidst the park's natural serenity. Music drifted through the air, accompanied by glowing lights that pierced through the gathering darkness. Elena’s eyes went wide asshe stared ahead, a grin spreading across her features. “A carousel!”

“Yep,” he said with a nod.

“Oh, can we ride it? Will you ride it with me? I love carousels. I have–”Her voice cut off as she realized she couldn’t tell him she had her own carousel at her country estate. “I have such a love of carousels.”

She twisted to face him, in search of his response, finding him smiling down at her. “What?” she asked.

“You,” he answered, his eyes lingering on her again with a slight grin. After a second, he bobbed his head. “Yes, we can ride the carousel. It’d be a pretty awful first date if I didn’t take you on the carousel after you asked.”

She couldn’t erase the smile from her lips as she wrapped a hand around his arm while he purchased their tickets. She tugged him forward toward the merry-go-round, and they snaked through the stanchions. The lights of the carousel blinked like a beacon of childhood joy. The whimsical music blasted through the night air.

After Nathan handed the tickets to the attendant, she pulled him toward the platform with a giddy laugh. Her heart skipped a beat as she wound through the maze of painted horses and gilded chariots.

He struggled to keep up with her as she dragged him around the carousel in search of the perfect horse.

“This one!” she exclaimed as she found a jet-black horse caught mid-run. She mounted it and clung to the brass pole with a giggle while he climbed onto the horse next to her.

The calliope belted out music as they waited for the ride to begin. It soon began its slow spin around and their horses rose and fell. Elena giggled, flicking a glance to Nathan who studied her with a smile.

She reached a hand toward him, her hairblowing as the carousel picked up speed. With a grin, he grabbed hold of it, and they sailed around in circles together.

The ride came to a stop after a few minutes, and they climbed from their horses, still laughing. While they left the ride behind, she slid her hand into his, her laughter still strong as they stepped under the canopy of darkness. “Oh, that was delightful. Thank you so much for riding with me.”

“Of course,” he said, grinning at her.

She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her skin as a chill shook her. “Oh, it’s gotten chillier than I expected.”

He slid his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

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