Page 7 of The King's Secret Baby

“Shall we get going, then?” I ask, offering her my arm in an exaggerated royal gesture.

Hailey laughs and takes my arm. “Let’s do this.”

I feel lighter already as we walk down the hallway together. A day spent with a lovely lady and no one managing my every move? Sign me up.

We round the corner, arm in arm and chatting easily, and I spot a group of suited royal guards headed our way.

Crap. If they see me trying to sneak out, they’ll drag me right back to my father.

Without thinking, I grab Hailey’s hand and yank open the nearest door, pulling us both inside. It’s a storage closet, tiny and cramped with shelves and boxes.

Hailey stumbles into me with a little “oh!” and I catch her around the waist. We stand frozen like that, chest to chest in the dark closet. I’m very aware of her body pressed against mine, soft and warm. She smells really nice too, like vanilla and jasmine.

My heart is pounding wildly, but I don’t know why. I’ve been this close to many women, many times, and yet… there’s something different about right now.

My arms are still around her and I can’t seem to make them let go. Hailey looks up at me with those big doe eyes, surprise and something else in her expression.

The sound of footsteps fades past the closet. The guards are gone, but we remain locked in this intimate embrace. The air feels electric. Hailey’s lips part slightly as her breathing quickens. Without thinking, I start to lean in…

No. What am I doing? I release her abruptly and turn away. “Uh, we—we should go. Coast is clear now.”

I open the closet door and step out, feeling dazed. Hailey follows behind me, straightening her clothes.

She gives me a tentative smile and nods down the hall. “This way. Come on. I know a back route we can take. It’s where they let the press in for conferences.”

I let her lead, trying to shake off the intoxicating effect being so close to her caused. It’s odd. I barely know this girl.

But still… I sneak a glance at her as we slip out of the hotel, appreciating her confident walk and her soft profile. Maybe I’d like to get to know her better after all.

CHAPTER 4

HAILEY

My heart is still racing as we emerge onto the busy Manhattan street. I can’t believe I almost kissed Prince Luca! What came over me in that closet?

Sure, he’s handsome and charming, but this is a professional assignment. I need to keep things strictly business between us.

Still, when his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close in the dark, it felt… right. Natural, even. And the way he looked at me after, his eyes searching mine…

I force the thoughts from my mind as I hail a cab. Luca slides in beside me, his thigh brushing mine, and my pulse quickens again.

“Where are we headed?” he asks with that lilting accent.

“Best pizza in the city,” I reply, trying to sound casual. “You can’t visit New York without trying our famous thin crust.”

Luca grins. “I’m famished.”

As the cab speeds downtown, he watches the city flash by with childlike awe. I study his profile — his regal nose, his sharp jawline dusted with stubble. I have an urge to reach out and touch it, feel its texture under my fingertips…

Instead, I clench my hands in my lap. This assignment will be over soon. Luca will return to his kingdom, become king. And I’ll likely never see him again.

I try to ignore the pang in my chest at the thought. It would be nice, spending some time with him beyond today, but I need to remember my place. Luca and I are from completely different worlds.

The cab pulls up outside John’s Pizzeria, a hole-in-the-wall joint with the best slices in the city. Luca insists on paying, despite my protests that it should go on my company card.

Holding thin paper plates that threaten to buckle under the weight of the huge slices, we grab a small table by the window. The scent of hot cheese and yeasty dough fills the air, making my mouth water.

Luca takes the first bite, the cheese stretching deliciously. His eyes widen.

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