Page 20 of Promoted To His Princess

And you don’t want them to, remember?

That was true. He didn’t care what people thought of him these days.

Yet despite his best efforts, his groin hardened at the memories and he had to catch his breath and force the thoughts of Calista from his head.

It shouldn’t happen. Once he’d had a night with a woman, it was over; he never thought of her again. Yet the memories of his one night with his beautiful palace guard kept returning again and again.

He’d had to put effort into ignoring her and not letting his gaze linger on her as he passed her, or speaking any differently to her. To not giving even the slightest hint that anything had happened between them. A prince was always watched and so he had to be doubly careful to protect both his reputation and hers.

He’d made very sure that no one knew about their night and so far no one had found out. It had to stay that way.

Sleeping with her had been a mistake.

Maybe. But when she’d looked at him and told him that she wanted him, the iron mask of the guard slipping to betray the woman underneath, a woman full of wild passion and hunger... Well, he’d forgotten all the promises he’d made to his brother.

One night, he’d thought. One night of freedom before his engagement. No one need know, least of all Adonis. What could it hurt?

He’d thought it would be easy to go back to seeing her as merely one of his guards. But it hadn’t. Not when every time he looked at her, all he could see was her naked in his bed, her hair across his pillow, her amber eyes gone dark with passion.

She was like a painting he passed by every day, never seeing it, never even noticing it, until one day the light hit it differently. And he found himself standing in front of it, examining the richness of the paint, observing the colours, the gold leaf. The beauty of the subject.

And he knew he’d never pass by that painting unseeingly ever again.

He had to pretend that he didn’t see the gold buttons gleam on the jacket of her uniform, or see that same gold echoed in the bun that was coiled tightly at her nape. Didn’t catch that sweet scent of wildflowers whenever she was near, and didn’t feel the inevitable pulse of hunger.

It put him in a foul temper, made worse by the fact that it shouldn’t be happening and he shouldn’t care even if it was.

One of his guard detail—mercifully not Calista—opened the limo door and he got out, reaching down a hand to help Eleni from the car. People shouted and camera flashes went off, the crowd that had gathered at the steps to watch roaring.

They were deeply approving of their prince’s engagement, and he supposed he should be grateful, since it meant their acceptance. Yet he didn’t feel grateful. He only felt as if the bars of that cage were closing around him.

You’ve been caged before. Literally.

Xerxes ignored the ice collecting in his gut and the ghost of old pain sparking along his nerve-endings, reaching for his usual detachment. Because feeling nothing was better than bewilderment and the cold, sick knowledge that you’d betrayed someone important.

She made you feel something. And that was better than nothing.

Xerxes caught his breath, finding himself scanning his guard detail the way he always seemed to be doing these days, for Calista. He knew them all, but she wasn’t there. Strange. She was supposed to be on duty tonight, he was sure of it.

Eleni’s fingers were cool in his though she didn’t hang on to him. Her lovely face was serene as they ascended the steps, pausing every so often for photo opportunities. He pulled her in close as they smiled at the crowds, her body tensing as he did so. Yet more proof, if he needed it, that she didn’t want him.

Well, their personal wants and desires didn’t matter, only the political influence for Axios that she would bring. And an heir in return for Axios’ armies. A fair trade all in all.

But no passion. No heat. No fire.

He turned from the crowds, tugging Eleni with him. There was no point to these thoughts. He’d chosen to return for Adonis and, though there was a price, it was a price he’d pay willingly. Especially when he owed his brother so much.

Besides, time and proximity might help with the lack of chemistry between him and Eleni. She was a beautiful woman, after all, and he wasn’t exactly inexperienced. Surely he’d have enough passion for both of them.

The engagement party was being held in the palace’s grand ballroom. One side of the vast room was glass doors that led out onto a large terrace that looked down onto Itheus, Axios’ capital. The palace had been built centuries ago into a hillside high above the city, where it was most defensible. Defence wasn’t so much an issue these days, and it was the views that astounded most people.

Tonight, all the doors had been pushed wide open so the terrace was accessible, and strings of fairy lights hung from invisible wires that had been strung between the parapet and the roof, making it look like a waterfall of light rushing over the heads of the guests.

As he and Eleni approached the doors to the ballroom, the music from the small orchestra set up in one corner quietened, palace staff who had been circulating with food and drink pausing. One of the palace officials announced them and soon he was in the middle of the ballroom in a crowd of well-wishers.

He turned on the charm automatically, listening with half an ear while the rest of his attention roved over the ballroom, scanning for...someone. And it took him at least a couple of seconds to realise that he was scanning the room for Calista.

Ridiculous. Why did he keep looking for her? She’d been his for one night and it had been good. Very good. But it was over now and soon he’d be officially engaged. He had to stop thinking of her.

---