Page 25 of The King's Secret Baby

I blink, scrambling to recall what he just said. “Ah, yes. Let’s keep it small. Close family and friends only.”

He nods, making a note. “Very good, sir,” he says, although what I’ve just proposed is highly unconventional. Typically, hundreds if not thousands are invited to coronations.

The meeting continues, but I find it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Hailey’s presence is like a physical weight pressing down on me. I’m hyperaware of her every movement, every breath.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the meeting ends. I stand, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. Hailey rises as well, her movements graceful and fluid.

“Shall we?” I gesture towards the door, trying to keep my voice steady.

She nods, falling into step beside me as we exit the room. Our hands brush accidentally, and I feel a jolt of electricity at the contact. I jerk away, but not before I see the flash of something in her eyes. Longing, perhaps. Or regret.

I quicken my pace, putting some distance between us. What was I thinking, walking so close to her? Of course we would end up touching. Then again, maybe that’s what I wanted…

As I stride down the hall, I can feel her eyes on me, burning into my back. And I know that no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to escape the memories of our night together. They’ll haunt me, just as she does.

We reach my office, and I hold the door open for Hailey. She brushes past me, her scent enveloping me for a brief moment. Vanilla and jasmine, just like I remember.

I follow her inside, closing the door behind us. The room suddenly feels too small, too intimate. I move to my desk, putting it between us like a barrier.

“So,” I say, shuffling some papers, “next is a meeting with the finance minister at eleven, followed by a luncheon with the ambassador from France. Then in the afternoon, there’s a session with the parliament to discuss the budget.”

“The finance minister?” She tilts her head. She asks something else — I’m sure she does — but I’m too distracted by the wave of hair falling across her cheek.

I nod, pretending to listen. My mind is still on the feel of her hand against mine, the way her eyes met mine in that brief, charged moment.

“Luca?” Her voice pulls me back to the present. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” I say, perhaps a bit too brusquely. “Just a lot on my mind, what with the coronation coming up.”

She stares at me, her gaze penetrating. For a moment, I’m afraid she’s going to push, to ask what’s really bothering me. But she just nods, closing her notebook.

“Of course. I understand.”

But does she? Can she possibly understand the weight that rests on my shoulders, the duty that I am bound to? I don’t know. I’m sure she’s been through her own challenges, as different from my own as they might be.

“Is there any time in the day for fun?” She asks. “Relaxation.”

That makes me laugh. “No.”

“That’s a shame.” Her sly smile tugs at something forbidden within me.

Clearing my throat, I nod at the door. “Shall we?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” It’s not meant to be seductive, I know that, but the way her voice drops has me thinking anything but noble thoughts.

She goes through the door first, leaving me to bite my lip in frustration. It’s our first day with her shadowing me, and I already know I’ll be counting down the days until she leaves, while at the same time wishing she could stay by my side forever.

CHAPTER 14

HAILEY

Icollapse onto the plush four-poster bed, my body sinking into the lavish silk comforter. It’s only been one day since I arrived in Werdenfeld to shadow Luca, but the exhaustion seeps into my bones. The opulent palace bedroom surrounds me — crystal chandeliers, rich tapestries, gilded furniture — yet it does nothing to lighten my mood.

I feel utterly alone.

Pain claws at my chest as I think of Millie and Mom back home. I wish I could call them, hear their comforting voices. But it’s mid-afternoon in New York, and they’re both at work.

Restless, I pad over to the window overlooking the sprawling palace grounds. Perfectly manicured hedges and sparkling fountains stretch out below, illuminated by the glow of wrought-iron lamps. It’s like a scene from a fairy tale.

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