Page 42 of Princess Bride Swap

Unless it was...the lack of intimacy that troubled her. But she’d said she understood that. She’dapologizedfor not initially understanding.

They needed to have a conversation. There was no getting around it. Hadn’t he complained of her books avoiding them? Well, he was not a coward. He would ask. She would tell him. He would fix it.

The end.

He strode up to their rooms. She was not in the sitting room or the bedroom, but before he could call out for her, she stepped out of the bathroom.

When she saw him, she smiled, but he could tell she had been crying. He was almost certain of it. Her eyes were red and puffy. He’d never seen her in such a state. His entire being simply...bottomed out.

He strode forward, some horrible feeling gripping him. Like if she wasn’t okay, nothing would be. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, all in all.” She tried to keep the smile, but it faltered. “I am... I am not pregnant. Not a tragedy, of course. Just...”

“Ah.” It was the most insipid thing to say, but he had no words for this. He wanted to hug her close and take that pain she was trying to hide away, but he couldn’t allow himself that.

Itwasn’ta tragedy, she was right, but she clearly was saddened by it, and he wanted to fix it. But there was no...fixing. Not in the moment.

He should be disappointed as well. But for a soaring, blinding moment all he could think was that he would be able to touch her again. He would have the opportunity to stop this deep, rending pain at keeping his distance and have her in his arms. It would be his royal duty once more.

He had been hoping for an heir, or so he told himself. But in this moment he realized what he’d really wanted was the excuse to touch her again.

Because deep down he was selfish. He was a product of the men who’d come before. Driven by only his own wants.

“I have read up on the subject,” she continued, moving slightly away from him. “And it’s quite commonplace for it to take up to a year even if both parties are perfectly healthy. Particularly for the first child.” She peered out the window as if something of great interest existed out there beyond the mountains that always lurked in the distance.

“Yes, that makes sense.” Why did he sound so damn stiff?

“In happy news, Zia has had her twins.” Her smile was genuine, maybe, but it trembled at the edges. “I should like to plan my visit.”

She had told him of Zia’s marriage to Cristhian Sterling a few days ago, and that Zia was expecting to have her children any day, and that Beau would need to visit and meet her niece and nephew.

“Of course. I’m afraid we’ll need to make it through the parliamentary dinner before you can go, though.”

She nodded. “That’s all right. I’m sure Zia would like a few days to settle in with her new family.”

“We shall visit together,” he said, wanting to offer some kind of...something. He didn’t have the words, but maybe an action would get across what he was feeling.

“You could get away from Divio?” she asked. Almost like she didn’t believe him. But at the same time, he saw something in her expression he hadn’t seen in a while. A kind of openness. Maybe even...hope.

“I may not be able to do it right away, but I’ll find a few days. It will be a good look for us. Proof that there are no hard feelings.”

Something in her expression shuttered. That blank that was seeping into his bones like worry and fear. An old anxiety that had him loosening his tie in spite of himself.

“Are there no hard feelings?” she asked at length, not meeting his gaze.

He blinked. He had not thought of Zia in ages. Why would he think of her when there was Beau? She occupied nearly all of his thoughts whether he wanted her to or not. “None.”

Beau let out a great sigh, her gaze back on the window, making her eyes fairly glow green. Her voice was rough when she spoke. “She would have made you a better wife.”

He heard the anguish in that, saw it in her slumped shoulders. He did not understand where any of this had come from, but he could hardly...stand it. He moved over to her, and carefully, lightly touched her chin, nudging it gently up so she would have to look at him.

“You are the best wife I could ask for.” Which was just the most basic truth. She tested him, yes, but in all other ways she was better than he could have imagined. She handled the staff perfectly. She didn’t wither under his mother’s ridiculous commentary. She understood him, and it was...different than everyone else.

His mother understood him, but she depended on him. To uphold the name, the kingdom, her bloodline. Beau understood him to...support him. She had acknowledged his place could be difficult. She...

Didn’t she understand that? Apparently not because her eyebrows drew together and she studied him with eyes still shiny from her earlier tears.

He hoped they were her earlier tears.

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