Page 4 of Forbidden Prince
She rushed up the stairs and back inside the apartment. Antonio said, "Remember, the royal palace has everything you might possiblyneed."
Renee gave the thumbs up sign. "I'll be back in ten. I've never ridden in a private jet toEurope."
What would she pack? She was about to meet her celebrity crush. She found her bag and slipped in all her sexy underwear. Just in case. If Marco couldn’t be tempted, then she'd see the countryside, take pictures and do something completely unplanned: she wouldn’t think about her parents, or their expectations. This summer, she'd stay in a palace, encourage Kristin to be happy and build up a store of memories to keep her warm on a far off cold night as she lay next to some anonymous man likeGreg.
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Renee’snew strappy sandals sank into the plush thick blue carpet as she stepped inside the jet. Her bohemian skirt swirled around her ankles and her ivory peasant top was layered in lace. Decadent. The small windows along the side were the only things in common with the flight she'd taken commercially to Paris. There were no rows of seats. Instead it seemed like a living room in thesky.
Kristin followed in her sneakers and jeans, her face pale. She must be nervous, poor thing. She had to decide if she wanted to marry the prince. Renee understood this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her, and she'd encourage her to seize the moment. She offered a hugegrin.
Kristin sighed. "This jet is nicer than ourapartment."
"Shh." Renee dropped her hobo purse next to a seat by a window. A life like this would be a world away from everything she wanted, but it was great for Kristin, who had no ties. Renee settled into her chair and read the buttons. "If you marry the prince, he'll expect you to go in things like this all thetime."
Kristin looked down at her shoes. "I'mnot..."
"I saw you kissing him," Renee interrupted and hit a button in her seat that made it lean back. "You havechemistry."
Kristin folded her hands together and closed her eyes. "I never knew a kiss could be sopotent."
Now that was a reason to get married! Her best friend's prince walked onto the jet, handsome and powerful. Renee hit a button on the white leather seat and it whirred, then reclined flat like a bed. "Now that's intriguing. Here he comes," she whispered. "I'll go to sleep in this pod. Good night,Kristin."
Without another word, Renee pressed a button and fully encapsulated herself in her seat pod, which blocked her face from view. She heard her friend's feet as she stood near her, but the carpets silenced anything more. Above her she heard Antonio ask, "Your friend is going to sleep sosoon?"
"I guess." Kristin's voice wasmuffled.
Renee closed her eyes and let herself imagine Marco’s strong muscles holding her, then chuckled in her dark pod. The truth was he'd probably nod at her and run off with a socialite or three at a time. Renee wasn't a fool. As a teacher, she commanded respect for that veryreason.
She yawned and went to sleep. In a few hours, she'd get her first look at a lived-in castle. She'd not miss a moment. For tonight, she'd let herself wonder what Marco Aussa actually looked like. Perhaps he was sexier than his picture.Perhaps…
Renee woke to the smell of coffee. She hit the button for her pod to open and glanced out the window. The trees in the far distance suggested a gorgeous and lush countryside, away from the airport. She stood and her pulse zipped to find out what Avce waslike.
First, though, she picked up her coffee and sipped. Kristin was in the pod across from where she slept and she was sleeping alone. Renee didn't see Antonio at all. So Renee poured her friend her orange juice and slipped into the seat besideher.
A few minutes later, Kristin stirred and lowered her pod. Renee handed her a coffee and an orange juice and inched closer. "Good morning. You lookpale."
Kristin stared at her with her big blue eyes and lowered her gaze. "Last night I'd have slept with PrinceAntonio."
Now this was progress. Kristin wasn't an angel! She believed that a girl should test drive the car before she bought it. Renee looked Kristin up and down. "So why didn'tyou?"
Her friend's face turned bright red. "He put me to bed.Alone."
Interesting. Renee sipped her coffee. And if Antonio was a gentleman, that boded well. Her friend seemed jittery, so Renee kept her voice low and calm. "Did he say no, thankyou?"
Kristin shook her head. "No. Renee, I'm in uncharted waters and he's way out of myleague."
Now that was stupid. Kristin deserved to be happy. She was a good person. Renee put her coffee down and reached for Kristin's hand. "So that's what the problemis."
Kristin blinked. "Whatproblem?"
The plane door opened. Renee only had seconds to help, so she whispered, "He's not out of your league, Kristin. He's asked you to marry him. You offered to sleep with him. I'd guess he wanted to wait, because you're worthit."
Renee hoped her words had meaning. Kristin's face lowered in concern. Most people would jump at a chance to live a fairytale.
Kristin said, "What in the world do I have to offer someone like him? I'm not exactly cut out to be aprincess."
"Perhaps that's what he wants." Renee released her hand and picked up her coffee mug. Today was the stuff of fantasies. Kristin would marry a prince and perhaps, if Renee played her cards right, she'd have a chance at a summer fling. She swallowed her coffee and said, "If he wanted to marry some stuffy princess type he had the chance. Instead he askedyou."
