Page 11 of The Duke

“So, tell me about your meetings. Where did you go?”

She swallowed. He could tell it was too soon. She winced to get past the big piece of bread. “Just some connections. I went into town where they met me.”

“Who? Are they people we should pull in for our deliberations?” He was always looking for expert sources to consult.

“Uh-uh.” She waved a finger at him.

“What?” Confused, he waited.

“I can’t divulge my source.”

He grunted. “Huh.” If they couldn’t talk about her day, and his day was confidential as well, what could they discuss? “The ribbon cutting!”

She swallowed her water. “What about it?”

“I meant to ask you. I would be honored if you would be my date for the event.” He leaned across the table on one arm.

“The press will talk.” Her eyes squinted in concern.

He remembered all too clearly the last time they mentioned he and Seraphina together. “Let them. I want everyone to know my intentions toward you.”

Her eyes widened. “You do? And what are your intentions toward me?” A slow smile grew across her mouth.

“To spend as much time with you as I can.”

She laced her fingers through his and held onto his hand. “I’ve liked it so far.” She searched his face. “I hope it continues.”

“Me too. Phina, that’s the plan.” He rubbed his thumb over the tops of her knuckles. “Barring some national emergency, my spare time is yours.” He frowned. “And if we had a national emergency I would just have to bring you in close with us so I didn’t have to worry about you.”

She swallowed, and he could see the concern flicker across her face almost before it did. She didn’t trust him or his intentions. He didn’t blame her. But some of his unpredictability was way beyond his control. The Crown came first. But she had to understand that at least a little. She was raised a royal and had kept him waiting today.

Then she laughed. “Why are you frowning?” She reached forward to run a finger along his forehead. “You can never hide your feelings. It’s one thing I love about you.” She stood, pulling him back inside toward the couch. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

More than happy to move to the couch, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his side while they walked. “I was just thinking about how complicated it is for us royals.”

“The press?”

He waved his hand. “You press don’t bother me. It’s an expected part of the job.”

“I guess I wasn’t putting myself in that group.”

“I know. But you are, aren’t you?”

She nodded and shrugged. The discomfort in her expression started to bother Trane.

“You know you aren’t going to find any horrible thing to have to report about us.” He pulled her beside him onto the couch.

She twisted to look at his face. “I hope not.” The concern lines deepened.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. Let’s keep my job and your job out of this.”

“Well, they are not out of this. Neither of us can separate who we are and what we do from our relationship. That’s one of the nice things about you. You are already in my world. You fit and you understand.”

“But I have a job to do, and I love my job. I have goals. And Trane I care about the ocean.”

He remembered her first announcement to the press. “And you’re worried you might find something nefarious to disclose.” He kept the smile off his face. He would never want to seem patronizing to her. But she just wouldn’t find anything. For decades they had led the industry, led the other Mediterranean nations in care of their water.

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