Page 41 of Prince of Tides
“If that is what you choose,” he said, clearly unhappy about it. “But I will do my best to show you that we are compatible.”
“How can you know that?” I asked. “We barely know one another.”
“I know enough,” he said without actually answering the question.
“If you say so,” I said, letting him know I wasn’t convinced.
He didn’t elaborate despite my unspoken prompt.
“How about you tell me more about this being a prince business?” I said. “You’re royalty? Is our child royalty? What is all that about? Or will they be considered a bastard born out of wedlock? Are they going to be in danger?”
“Our child will be fine,” Rip said softly. “I promise you. They are in no danger. They will be celebrated and loved by all.”
I couldn’t stop the warm feeling that filled my chest at that notion. Even if Rip and I didn’t work as a couple, I hoped our child would feel welcome on both sides of the family. I knew they would be spoiled rotten by my parents. But hearing the love in Rip’s voice made me feel like it was possible his family would do the same.
“What are you a princeof?” I asked as our food arrived, deposited with a flourish.
Rip waited until we were once again alone. “A small nation that you likely have never heard of. Honestly, I wish Eb had never used the title. He shouldn’t have. It’s not as big a deal as he makes it.”
“Is it a ceremonial position, then?” I asked.
“Not … quite,” he said uncomfortably, looking down at his food as he began to eat.
I followed suit, though I wasn’t done questioning him. I wanted to know what country he was a prince of. Why hadn’t I heard of it? Why was he so reluctant to tell me?
“Are you in exile?” I asked abruptly. “Is that why you won’t tell me?”
“No.” There was a strange note to his reply.
I glanced up to see him looking past me for a moment. “Something wrong?”
“You didn’t tell me you were bringing bodyguards.” He sounded almost offended.
“Because I didn’t? What are you talking about?” I started to turn around, but he grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t look,” he said, keeping my focus on him. “But if you didn’t bring them, somebody else did. Two men at a table to your four o’clock have been paying far too much attention to us. You, in particular. I thought they were your bodyguards.”
“They aren’t mine,” I said, leaning forward.
“Keep eating. Act like normal,” he said. “Does your family ever deal with this? Could your dad have sent them?”
“Not without telling me. He knows better than to do that.”
“They aren’t from my end of town,” he said, though I had no idea what that meant. “Could they be after you for who you are?”
“Maybe,” I said with a shrug. “Our company is involved in a lot of high-level Department of Defense contracts. We all have rather high-security clearances. Maybe they think they can get to us? I don’t know. My father, when he travels overseas, does so with armed bodyguards. That’s mostly standard protocol, from what I understand. If they came here and tried to mess with us on home soil, so to speak? They would … regret it.”
“You have no idea,” Rip growled protectively.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I said nothing.
“I think we should have dessert somewhere else, though. What do you think?”
“I agree.” I was trying not to show any nerves, but it was hard. I didn’t just have myself to think about anymore. There was the baby as well.
We ate our meal in relative silence. Rip paid, and we prepared to leave.
“They’re coming after us,” Rip said. “If I tell you to, drop to the ground, okay? Just get flat. Can you do that?”
