Page 25 of His Runaway Princess

A man had been on the ferry and the dock. He wanted to get to her for some reason. That could have gone very, very badly if not for Ryker.

At least she knew why he seemed so observant and why he hadn’t asked about her lack of funds.

“You can go back to Pagosa with us,” Yvette told her gently. “Otherwise, we’ll have to tell them where you are. We can’t justify keeping it to ourselves if there’s not a valid reason beyond just needing some time away.”

Amalia nodded. “I know. I’ll go back with you. Just give me a little bit of time to wake up and get dressed?”

Yvette stood. “Of course. Nicky and I didn’t say anything to our teams either. I doubt they realize you’re here, so they can’t say anything. But I won’t put them in a position to compromise their integrity either.”

“I won’t ask you to. Where would you like us to meet you?” It barely registered that she’d included Ryker in the statement.

A minute later, Yvette left and Ryker started to follow her out the door.

“Ryker?” The thought that he would leave too never crossed her mind.

He turned back. “Yes, ma’am?” Was that sadness around his eyes?

“You will go with me, won’t you?” She always knew she’d have to face the music at some point, but now the thought of doing it alone scared her.

Ryker hesitated for a second then nodded. “Of course, ma’am.”

He started out the door again, but Amalia stopped him once more.

“Can’t things stay the same? At least a little while longer. Can’t I just be Amalia until we actually get where we’re going? Can’twejust be Amalia and Ryker? None of thisma’amnonsense.”

This time his hesitation lasted even longer. “I’ll do my best. I’ll be waiting outside.”

He didn’t give her a chance to call him back, to ask him to eat breakfast with her at the little table. To...

To what?

Ask him to hold her again? She did remember waking up in his arms at least once overnight.

Ask him to kiss her again? Wasn’t that what she’d wanted when she woke up feeling safer than she ever had before?

With a sigh, she managed to get herself out of the bed to shower and dress. After drawing it out as long as she thought she could get away with, she packed her few belongings, including the hat that was likely the only reason she hadn’t been identified before getting on the yacht, and headed for the door.

Ryker waited on the small porch, leaning against the railing with his forearms holding his weight as he stared into the distance.

“I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” she told him.

He nodded. “If you’ll wait on the cart, I’ll get our luggage secured, and we can go.”

As he disappeared through the door, Amalia stared after him at the place where, for a brief period of time, she’d felt more like herself than she ever had before.

With a sigh, she started down the stairs.

Time to face reality.

9

The way the interactions between himself and Princess Amalia changed saddened Ryker, though he’d known all along it would have to happen sooner rather than later.

Neither of them spoke on the drive to the main building. Ryker could tell he held himself differently, more formally, than he had before. The princess also seemed to be more... princess-like.

He slowed to a stop near the front door of the building. Princess Yvette and Prince Nicklaus waited outside for them.

Princess Amalia took the prince’s hand as he offered it to help her out of the electric cart. The wave of jealousy that swept over Ryker felt unfamiliar and disconcerting.

---