Page 13 of Forbidden Prince
The stress Marco placed on the word yes was all Renee needed to understand. If Kristin was happy with Antonio, that was all that mattered. However, she needed to warn herfriend.
Renee recognized the blue hall. "I'd like to check on Kristin and I don't want to meet your mother in your clothes." She tugged at his shorts. "Can you find me after you seethem?"
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Marco stared at her, as if searching for thetruth.
Resilient, she nodded. "Of course. I want to see myfriend."
"I'll bring you to Kristin’s door. Dress for dinner tonight. My mother is formal and she'll have heard where we werefound."
Renee's face felt hot. If pictures leaked online, her mother would know too. She'd be the gossip of her mother's circle, again. The last time had been when she'd been stood up for prom, and she'd never lived itdown.
Butterflies fluttered in her chest at the thought of being ridiculed and talked down to, again. Her summer fling might be public knowledge now so she'd have to learn to live withit.
They neared Kristin's door. Marco stopped and released her hand. "After dinner, Renee, I'd like to see youalone."
"Yes." She answered fast. If everyone thought the worst of her, she might as well enjoy every moment. She stood on her tiptoes and kissedhim.
His lips were better than the finestwine.
The kiss ended and she turned and went inside her friend'sroom.
Tonight, she had a date. Smiling, Renee looked over two racks of clothes to see her friend who stood near a selection of ball gowns. Marco wasn't kidding that his mother enjoyedformality.
Kristin met her gaze, dropped the dress she held and rushed across the room to hugher.
There was so much she'd not say. Kristin let her go. "Renee, how areyou?"
"Fine." Renee followed Kristin closer to the dresses. Tonight, they both had their reasons for looking fabulous. "You were so lucky you weren't in the palace when this happened. Where isSophia?"
"Who?"
Great—her friend had no idea. Renee needed to let her know she had competition. She tugged on her ear and began with a small white lie. "I met her when you went to lunch." She looked through a rack of the dresses. Thankfully she and Kristin were the same size. "Did Antonio not mentionher?"
Kristin stood next to her and picked out a ruby red dress. "She must be a nice older lady, maybe an aunt? I know Antonio sent troops to retrieveher."
Renee turned toward her friend. It was best if Kristin was prepared. "She's not old. She's a beautiful woman. You know the queen wants Antonio to marry,quickly."
"I said yes." Kristin’s cheeks blushed prettyrose.
A huge sigh of relief escaped her lips. Her friend had made a good choice. Renee nodded, keeping her tone confidential. "Be on guard is all. Sophia made it clear that she wanted to marryAntonio."
Kristin's eyes widened. "She saidthat?"
"Not to me, but she clearly only cared about Antonio." Renee lifted a green floor-length gown from the selection. Green was always her color as it made her skin glow. She held it higher. "What do youthink?"
Kristin nodded and then picked up a pair of gray fitted trousers and a white blouse with intricate gray piping and handed them to her. "Maybe for your date this afternoon then." Renee felt her face grow hot and realized she was still in Marco's shirt and shorts. She turned and quickly dressed in the brand new clothes Kristin offered. Kristin asked, "You never told me how it was withMarco?"
Because of Marco’s position in the palace, Renee needed to keep much of what happened a secret. This wasn't something that she'd talk about, even with her best friend. She deflected as best she could, though she tugged on her ear. "How it was? How did youknow?"
Kristin took the red dress she’d chosen and the green dress from Renee's hand and hung them next to the vanity while she asked, "Knowwhat?"
"Nothing." Renee turned toward a rack and curled her hands to her sides, hoping the piles of clothes hid herface.
"You're bright red." Kristin must have the gaze of a hawk. Renee let Kristin guide her toward the seats near the vanity. "Did you have a good time? Antonio said Marco was going to show you thecountryside."
Marco had mentioned the maze, but she’d chosen his bedroom instead. Renee kept her focus on the fire alarm in Kristin's ceiling. "So the rebels came at the wrong moment." Renee bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She'd tell Kristin what the soldiers saw. "We were naked. Inbed."
Kristin leaned closer, like she would hug her. "Those horrible men strippedyou?"
