Page 47 of Forbidden Bastard
Sandi’s green eyes met his. Her face turned white but she shook her head and didn’t blink at all. “No. I’m not that, and in marrying Charles, I’d be a duchess, not a princess.”
Nancy took one of the pastries that Fred was eating and said, “Well, we’re excited either way. This wedding will be something my friends will just wish their daughters had for themselves.”
Clara put her coffee cup down and whispered, “Charles, don’t stress, son. I’m sure I’ll eventually see the king and queen so I can make my own judgment on why they never contacted us.”
She saw what he was feeling. Clara was the only one in his life who ever noticed, and she was the one who'd warned him about Sheena.
Once they were alone, he was sure Clara would have a different opinion on Sandi after this afternoon.
She loved another.
Sandi scooted her chair closer to the table and folded her hands on it. “Clara, if you don’t want the royals here we won’t invite them.”
“That’s up to Charles, not me,” Clara said quietly and for once she had no theatrics.
Charles placed his hand on top of hers and nodded. “I want to talk to them about you.”
Her cheeks reddened. “You don’t.”
Until Sandi, Clara had always been his one weakness. Now he had two, but he was ready to tell others and keep them both safe from any rebels and traitors who sought to use his birth heritage against the crown. “No. I do. I want to clear the air.”
Sandi asked with wide eyes, “What’s going on, Charles?”
Charles glanced at his beautiful bride-to-be. Tomorrow would be the best day of his life, as he never wanted to let her go. “Clara wants to talk to the king and queen. So, we’ll send the invitation at once.”
Sandi pushed her chair back and pointed toward the patio door to go inside. “Can we talk alone for a moment?”
“Of course.” He left his napkin on the table as he followed Sandi to an indoor sitting room overlooking the patio and ocean.
She walked toward the window without looking at him. “Charles, we don’t have to rush this. We can take our time, enjoy each other, and ourselves…”
His blood rushed into his head as he closed the door and then crossed his arms. “Because you are dreaming about the doctor ex of yours?”
Her head tilted. “No.”
“No?” He repeated, but it sounded hollow.
When they’d met she’d been happy to find him other women. And now she didn’t want to marry him--again. She still had the same doubts.
She came toward him and placed her hand on his throbbing chest. “Charles, what’s going on with you?”
Did he need to spell this out? His mind roared to be silent, but he swallowed and decided it was time. She had his love but it wasn’t reciprocated. “It occurred to me that I said I love you, but you didn’t say it back.”
Her face instantly lost all color. “What?”
And he had no idea what to do now.
All he could see was another person who’d walk away from him…yet he reached for her hand and asked, “Can you marry me if you don’t love me? Is that why you’re stalling?”
Her lips ticked up as she said, “Charles… don’t.”
His own tickled to claim her mouth and show her that he could make her happy, but he stilled. “Don’t what? I don’t know what I’ll do if you leave me too.”
Tears formed, welling at her lower lids. “Don’t go there.”
“Then don’t leave me.” He closed eyes. If he kissed her then maybe she’d tell him that she loved him too.
Her lips quivered beneath his but then she kissed him back.
