Page 57 of Some Like It Royal

Tell her the truth.

He would tell her the truth—right after he told that fucking poacher to get his hands off her.

He barely saw the rest of the room as he strode over. He took the man by the arm and pulled him off of Alyx, the fingers of his left hand curling into a fist. Then he slammed it into the man’s chiseled, elegant jaw.

“Daniel!” Alyx let out a little cry, but he pinned the fallen fellow. Somewhere in the back of his brain, he recognized his face and his features. But in this moment, he couldn’t quite see past the haze of anger to acknowledge that recognition.

“She’s taken. Learn to keep your hands to yourself.” He turned to catch Alyx’s arm and spun her toward the door, marching her out of the room with as much dignity as he could muster while her attention focused behind them.

Martin’s stunned face among the crowd of gawkers barely penetrated his periphery. The music hiccupped as everyone stared, but someone must have said something, because it began again.

Outside the ballroom, Daniel steered Alyx away from the security and other onlookers until he crowded her into a private nook. Once there, he let out a breath and stared at her. She was dressed in the most basic black, a pair of diamond studs glittered in her ears and the only other jewelry the royal crest necklace the grand duke sent her. A pair of artfully placed clips in her hair gave the illusion of a tiara and the overall effect was absolutely stunning.

“You’re beautiful.” That wasn’t exactly how he planned to start the conversation, but it definitely bore repeating. “Absolutely beautiful.”

She jerked her arm out of his grasp.

“Why on earth did you hit him?” She stared at him with traces of sadness that echoed his own upset in her wide eyes.

“Because he was touching you. And I don’t care who he is, you’re not available.”

“Oh really?” Her chin came up and she put a hand on her hip. “I’m not?”

“No.” He slid an arm around her and pulled her close. “You’re not.” He slanted his mouth over hers and poured all of his frustration and want into that kiss. She caught hold of his jacket, hanging on to him. At first he thought she’d push him away, but she tugged him closer and for the first time since walking out of the shower to the empty cabin, the shackles on his heart snapped.

“You’re taken, Miss Dagmar,” he murmured against her lips. “One hundred and ten percent.”

She sighed beneath his kiss and bit down on his lip when he would have taken it further. He blinked at the sharp nip of pain and lifted his head to look at her. “I know what our contract said?—”

“To hell with our contract.” He interrupted her. “In fact, we can burn it together when we get home. I don’t care about what you agreed to or what I offered—I want to negotiate new terms.”

She blinked slowly. “Dare I ask what those terms might be?”

“Well, the first is that you agree to go out with me on a real date—one where we don’t worry about photo opportunities or elegance. Just fun.”

“I see.” The hesitation in her face robbed him of breath.

Rushing on, he held her hands up between them. “The second part is you let me put a real ring on this finger. Not for show, not for a deal and not for any other reason than that I asked you to marry me.”

Her pupils dilated and he heard the quick catch in her breath.

“Daniel, we—we barely know each other.”

“You like ice cream in the middle of the night. You adore British science fiction shows. You refuse to put value on things because you’re always worried they’re going to be taken away. You love having a home, but you aren’t sure you actually belong in one. You’re a princess who doesn’t believe she is one. You’re a woman with a big heart and a love for make-believe.”

“I know you too. You’re a dreamer and fixer.” Her lower lip trembled, but her voice was steady. “You like to build things and solve puzzles and you’re way too generous for your own good, but sometimes you miss the really big things right in front of you. I know because—because I miss them too.”

Tell her the truth.

He took a deep breath and flung it out there, facing off with the dragon with no real assurance that he would be successful.

He dropped to one knee.

“I don’t need a business deal to be happy or to write anything more than basic code. You’re the woman I love, Alyx, and I don’t care what title you want to put on that as long as it means you’re with me for the rest of my life.”

She swallowed and tears glossed over her eyes. One tremulous drop slid down her cheek and she held his heart in her keeping. He gazed up at her and tried to infuse everything he was feeling into his gaze.Believe me.

“If it has any bearing on your decision at all, cousin, I approve.” A deep, masculine voice with a European accent interrupted. Daniel ignored it, staring up at her. The pressure on his chest eased when she didn’t look away either.

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