Page 57 of Royal Fling
“It’s true, sir.”
“So, Nikolas, where are we going? Your boss won’t tell me. Yet again,” Luke asked, crossing his arms and sitting back on the car seat.
Nikolas opened his mouth. I raised my hand in the air and looked at him through the mirror.
“Don't you dare tell him, Nikolas, or you will be forced to take annual leave and go back to your wife.”
Nikolas groaned, as expected, and shook his head.
“Oh, please, Your Highness. Don't do that to me. That's cruelty.”
Luke laughed, and I turned to watch him as he finally relaxed. His eyes shone bright despite their dark color, and his smile, oh damn, his smile gave me life.
I couldn’t help myself as I reached for his cheek and stroked, absorbing some of his joy and kindness.
The car rolled onto the tarmac of the London City Private Airport, and as soon as Luke realized, a mild panic took him over.
“What are we doing at an airport? We’re just having dinner here, right?”
“No,” I said.
“Then please don't tell me we're going away because I’ve got no change of clothes, no toothbrush, no deodorant. Hell, I don’t even have my phone charger,” he said.
“You don't need a change of clothes,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows.
Luke rolled his eyes, some of the tension on his face easing with the gesture.
“Sorry, Nikolas,” I said this time. “Don't worry, Luke, I've got it all covered. We've got plenty of clothes waiting for us on the other side, as well as anything else you could ever need.”
“H-how long are going away for?” he asked.
“Just the weekend. We'll be back by Sunday,” I replied.
Luke stared at me, his lids heavy in thought if his rotating pupils were any indication.
“H-how are we going to explain that to my family? Won’t that look suspicious?”
I appreciated that he worried for me. I really did. But I’d thought things through. I rarely did anything on a whim, and this trip had been in the making for a few days now.
“There's nothing to explain. I just told Fisayo and your family that I have a business trip, and since it’s about education, you offered to assist me,” I explained.
“Sure. Because that doesn't sound suspicious at all,” Luke said.
“It’s true,” I told him. “I do have an obligation to attend later tonight, and I would appreciate your help. I wasn’t lying.”
Luke’s mouth opened and closed, but he said nothing.
“Do you mind?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“I don’t. But I thought you weren’t open about your sexuality. I’m just concerned for you. I don’t want my family to suspect anything and put your reputation at risk,” he said.
I brought my hand back up to his cheek and smiled at him, hoping he could see the amount of affection I carried for him inside.
I was getting attached, it was true. I couldn’t imagine having to part ways with him come autumn. The mere thought was tearing me up inside.
“Do you really think your family would do that to me?” I asked him as gently as possible.
