Page 79 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

It was as if he’d finally woken her from a life where she’d been sleepwalking. She hadn’t known how exhausting the constant tension had been, always being on edge. What Aston had done for her fuelled an anger that her parents could have done something too, had they wanted to. But she didn’t have time to think about a family who hadn’t thought much about her.

Although thinking of family... It hadn’t taken long for Aston’s parents to extend an invitation to the château and tonight she’d be meeting them for the first time.

‘Not quite ready yet, I see.’

He gave her a wry and knowing grin. Her heart fluttered. Aston might be handsome all of the time, but when he smiled it was as if a supernova had exploded in the room. She looked at the bed, the clothing on it. This was an important night, and she had no idea what to wear.

‘It’s easy for you. A suit’s like a uniform.’

‘It should be easy for you too. You’ll be magnificent in whatever you choose.’

‘How about you choose for me?’

His smile softened. ‘It would be my pleasure.’

He moved to the bed to sift through the clothes, where only last night they’d made love and she’d come so many times she’d begged him to stop. Yet even though they’d plunged into an exhausted and replete slumber, he’d still risen at four and worked out for two hours.

‘This.’

He held up a dress in fabric of gleaming duchess satin with a boat neck that his secretary and the woman in the boutique had begged her to try on and buy, so she had. It had three-quarter sleeves. Sleek and impeccably fitted. Its styling was reminiscent of fifties elegance yet carried a flirty edge, with a little bow belt.

It was blood-red, the same colour as Aston’s tie. The only other time she’d worn a little red dress... Her breath caught, her heart rate kicking up. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, remember. Instead, she focussed on Aston, and her heart-rate settled.

‘You’ll look magnificent in red,ma déesse.’

My goddess.

The emotion welled inside her, a sensation that she could do anything. Around Aston, her fears seemed to fade. It was as if he sawher, the woman, not the ‘perfect princess’ on her shaky pedestal. It was a position she’d never wanted but had been given regardless by the press, the public and her own family. Ana had come to realise the night of the accident wasn’t her fault. She’d done nothing wrong. She and her friend had been victims of circumstance; she wasn’t being punished by the universe. She’d wanted to wear a red dress once. Why couldn’t she wear one tonight, on this important night, meeting her future parents-in-law?

‘Would you help me do up the zip?’

‘I’ll help you dress...and undress later.’

A glorious wave of desire washed over her, her nipples beading in her bra, a warmth blooming at her core as Aston carefully removed the dress from the hanger and undid the zip. He handed it to her. She stepped into it and turned her back to him. He lifted her hair and goose bumps sparkled over her skin. As Aston began slowly doing up the zip, his lips dropped to the base of her neck, drifting over her skin in feather-light kisses. Her eyes fluttered shut.

‘Are you trying to convince both of us to stay home?’

‘It’s just a taste of what’s to come,’ he murmured against her overheating flesh.

‘Promises, promises.’

‘They’re something I always keep. Rest assured, I will deliver.’

She smiled as he inched the zip slowly upwards, tooth by tooth.

‘Is that a promise or a threat, Mr Lane?’

Aston chuckled, the sound dark and throaty as he finished with the zip, hooking the dress at the top. ‘It can be anything you want, Princess.’

In that moment, she couldn’t answer. It was hard to breathe, with the effect he had on her. Instead, she turned round and smoothed her hands down the perfect, heavy silk, doing up the belt. ‘What do you think of your choice?’

‘Parfaite,’he said.

If a look could set her on fire, Aston’s could burn down the house. He stalked to the dresser, as if he somehow needed to get away from her, picking up her ring which she’d placed in a small bowl whilst she looked for something to wear. He made his way back to her and gently took her left hand, sliding the magnificent gemstone onto her finger. It twinkled in the soft light.

‘However, I’m coming realise a terrible omission. I neveraskedyou to marry me.’

He was right; those words had never been said. Now they felt important. So much had changed. When she’d first left the palace all she’d wanted was to flee. He’d taken her away, given her space and time, and since then everything had been assumed. She couldn’t imagine her life without Aston in it.

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