Page 40 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

She clicked her tongue. “I said art, not beautiful things.”

“You are art,” he said as he snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

She shook her head at him. “What do you think of this painting?”

“It’s lovely.”

“Really?”

He flicked his gaze to it and shrugged. “Yeah. It’s nice.”

“I think she looks grumpy.”

He burst into laughter. “She does.”

“Why does she look so dour? What happened to her? Perhaps her dog died.”

“Or she lost her cat.”

“Or the man she loves married another.”

“Ouch,” Nate said, “yeah, that could be.”

“Let’s find another painting,” she said. They spent an hour wandering through the gallery, critiquing paintings in only a way that they could.

As they passed another exhibit hall, Nathan tugged on her hand. “Wait, you’re missing this one.”

“There aren’t any paintings in there,” she answered.

“No, it’s a special exhibit.” Nate read the placard at the door. “The Crown Jewels of Eldoria. Let’s check it out.”

“Crown Jewels? It’s boring, let’s go.”

“No, Ellie, come on. Let’s look.”

She frowned and slumped her shoulders. “All right, fine. But let’s not dally. I’m certain they are quite boring.”

He slid his arm around her shoulders as they stepped into the room. His eyes fell on the large display case showing a scepter, a crown, and a tiara.

Ellie seemed to tense next to him.

He glanced down at her. “Are you okay?”

“Sorry, just cold. It’s chilly in here. Let’s go somewhere warmer.”

He slipped his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. “Better?”

She offered him a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you.”

He returned his focus to the display. “It’s kind of weird to think there are still people who are royalty.”

“Oh? Why?” she asked.

He shot her a questioning glance. “It just is. I mean…people who are kings and queens. Princes and princesses? And people still bow to them and all that stuff.”

“That’s the American in you,” she answered.

“Oh, right,” he said with a knowing expression, “you’re a Brit. You still believe in all this nonsense.”

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