Page 66 of Royal Academy

Benedict cleared his throat, “I don’t understand.”

Sally looked up at him, “You don’t understand what?”

“Why are you coming with us?” he practically stumbled over the words.

Sally suddenly looked uncertain, “Lia invited me to come and see Meron where she and Nick will live. She said that there were women there who might like the chance to learn more about creating and owning their own business.”

“My sister said that?” Benedict sounded incredulous.

Sally bristled a little, “Princess Lia is a good woman. She will be the queen of Meron one day and is wise to want to help her people.”

Benedict held up his arms, “No, I am not arguing with you. I just, I guess I sometimes forget that she’s grown up.”

Sally didn’t look impressed, “Or you sometimes look at her through your father’s eyes.”

He stopped abruptly. Was he doing that?

Benedict watched as Sally walked away from him. The sassy curve of her hips making his jeans feel a bit tighter. She wasn’t like the women that he had known and dated. There was a bite to Sally as well as a country sweetness that made her into an intoxicating woman.

“Stop looking at my ass,” Sally called out from over her shoulder and Benedict cursed beneath his breath. With a sigh, he began to follow her toward the rental SUV.

The trip back to the airport was rather uneventful. They were able to turn the rental car over and board the private plane with relative ease.

Sally laughed when she saw that there really was a small sleeping space, a bedroom of sorts on the plane.

“I suppose this would make the mile high club a whole lot easier to join,” she teased.

Lia laughed along, “I would think it might be tricky in those tiny airplane bathrooms.”

Sally shuddered, “I can’t even imagine the germs you would encounter.”

They took their seats and the stewardess alerted them that take off would be in a few minutes. Benedict had been rather quiet ever since they left the cabin. He thought long and hard about what Sally had said. Knowing perfectly well that it echoed much of their conversation from that first night.

Had he become desensitized to things? Was he becoming like his father? And if he was, what could he do to stop it?

About halfway through the trip, Lia moved to sit next to Benedict and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Is everything alright?”

Benedict’s hands were clenched, “You know that I think you are incredible, right?”

Lia pulled back, worry in her eyes, “Of course, I feel the same about you.”

Benedict shook his head, “No, Lia. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I have been selfish and self-absorbed. But I don’t want to be that way. I am so proud of the woman you have become.”

Lia swallowed, “Thank you, but what has brought this on?”

Benedict refused to look over to where Sally was sitting and more than likely listening in. He wasn’t doing this for her, he was doing this for himself. “It doesn’t matter, I just, Lia, you are going to be an amazing wife. I know that the people of Meron will be blessed to have you.”

Nick leaned forward and extended his hand to Lia, “He is right you know. Not only will my life be better, but you will do so much for our people. I love you, my family loves you, and soon my country will love you.”

Lia’s eyes glittered with tears, “I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but thank you.”

She kissed her brother’s cheek and he pretended to wipe it away before she went over and kissed Nick softly on the mouth.

“I love you, back.”

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