Page 2 of The Duke

“Well, besides that.”

Trane rested a hand on his shoulder. “Being next in line isn’t always a sail around the Mediterranean. No one calls me the Duke. They call me—”

“The King’s brother.” Nico smirked.

Tripp held up a hand. “I’m not complaining. I’ve never wanted to be the Duke.” His grin, wide and easy, showed just how happy he was to do his own thing right in the middle of a group of powerful men.

She finished as the DJ announced one last song.

Nico stood, eyes for only his wife.

Suddenly shy, Seraphina looked down at the floor and then at the wall. All her days at middle school dances rushed back to haunt her. You would think all those years of finishing school, gala training, royal governesses, and she would be able to shake the scars of middle school.

Franco nudged her “Should we leave? I think we’ve got everything here. Might be able to get a good position to watch their car drive away.”

Her eyes flew to Trane’s. “Oh sure.” Was she really going to stand there, stalling, hoping he asked her to dance?

Then his eyes sparkled and he straightened. “Seraphina, someone’s got to show Nico he’s not all that. Would you care to dance?” His outstretched hand beckoned, promising to hold her close, to move about the floor. A flush of warmth spread through her.

“I’d love to. Someone has to put them in their place.” She amended. “Though I love Jo. She’s great right where she is.”

He winked. “Everyone loves Jo. Best thing to happen to my brother.”

As soon as her hand rested in his, she forgot everything else. A repeated tugging at her arm pulled her from her faraway place of bliss to hand the camera equipment off to Franco. Then she followed Trane out onto the floor.

Truth told, she would follow him anywhere. He had always been her weakness and she had spent much of her late teen years, pining away for him, jumping every time he dropped a bit of attention her way. She knew he liked her, but he just never had time for a relationship and she was left feeling needy and demanding. So she had allowed some space between them and that space had grown until they rarely saw each other now and he never called.

But here he was. He pulled her into his arms, closer than was necessary. She fit so comfortably in them. He held her. His hands weren’t merely resting on the small of her back or holding her other hand. His dance was an embrace and she felt wrapped in the security of his strength.

His eyes sparkled warmly. “This is nice. I like you right here.”

The honey baritone voice washed over her. But she couldn’t let herself get used to his attention. She knew it was-out of sight, out of mind-with him, and the thought brought a sigh.

“Why the sigh?” Trane raised his eyebrow. His eyes still holding that look of fascination, that complete attention to her every detail. She knew if she swallowed he took note.

She hedged. “Oh, I don’t know. Just tired I guess.” Maybe this dance was a bad idea.

He waited. “I know you better than that.”

She allowed a bit of her anguish to show. “Do you?” She looked down. It wasn’t really the time to get into such a conversation. “Cause you haven’t called in months.” She bit her tongue right after she said it, but she couldn’t keep the words from flowing out. They showed the hurt she had been burying when she realized that if she didn’t put herself in front of him, he didn’t think of her.

She straightened. It was time to return from the few moments of fantasy in his arms and face life as she knew it. She and Trane could never be.

“Seraphina, you know what’s been going on around here.” His head indicated Nico and Jo who danced near them. “We’ve got to get Nico fully transitioned and then things should calm down enough. But then there’s the work with the summit—”

She shook her head. “I know Trane. It’s always the same. I’m fine, really. It’s just when I see you, I can’t help but wish there was time for us.”

The guilty expression on his face reminded her why she had put distance between them. Here she was again, the needy person in his life who he never made time for. She stopped their dance. “You know what, it’s fine. Trane. You are married to the crown.” Even though, ironically, he would never wear it. She knew Torren was everything to him. She backed up and felt the lonely coldness of her life surround her. “Perhaps I’ll see you at the new ocean facility ribbon cutting?”

He nodded. But his pained expression cut to her center. “Stay, Phina. Come to the palace. Just for tonight.” He took her hand back in his own. And she almost couldn’t concentrate. “Like old times. We’re swimming, movies, music…”

“Trane, I can’t. As good as it sounds right now, it will only make tomorrow harder.” She shook her head and backed away from him. Franco came up behind her. “Everything ok, boss?”

She turned to him, gratefully. His kind brown eyes comforting. He held up her equipment. “The front walk?”

She wiped one lone rebellious tear off her cheek, took a last look at Trane and then hurried from the room, with Franco following after.

Chapter 2

---