Page 24 of His Forever Princess

Of course the baby security officer was only doing his job. Someone he didn't recognize had stepped in front of the princess. How could Gideon fault him?

"I'm sorry, sir. Your Highness." Gideon saw the flash of the man's eyes from Alessandra to himself. He could practically feel the wheels in the guy's head turning. Wondering. How did someone like Gideon, in his jeans and cowboy boots, belong with her?

He'd always felt like an imposter, standing beside her at royal functions.

Alessandra was staring at him, and he worked to neutralize his expression. He didn't even know what mess of emotions might've been showing on his face.

"Are you blushing?"

"We need to get you in the car."

Their words tumbled over each other. Gideon didn't answer her question as he stepped into place beside her, forcing the security guy to fall in behind.

"Staff informed me there are a couple of photographers with long-range lenses near the fence." She murmured the words without really moving her lips, in full-on princess mode. Perfectly coifed and serene. They were only yards away from the SUV and Arnault. Their last moments together and they couldn't even be private.

Emotion boiled up inside him.Did you know he would be here?Are you happy to see him?

He bit back the questions. He didn't even know if he had a right to ask them anymore.

What he wanted to do was take her hand. Right in front of Arnault and whoever had a camera out there. In front of the whole world. And whisk her away. Somewhere it'd be just the two of them. No royal duties. No ranch. Just Gideon and Allie.

Talk about pipe dreams.

"I wanted more time to talk," she murmured. They were within a few steps now.

Had she? He gave her the absolution he thought she wanted. "You've got a lot riding on this meeting. We both know how important it is."

It was true. For a lot of years, he'd been the sibling to be tasked with keeping his family's legacy alive. Alessandra's legacy was even bigger. She had a country depending on her.

He would never ask her to shirk her duty to the crown. It was a part of her. He'd known that before he'd gotten involved with her.

"I'll see you back at the palace," he said, though he didn't know whether or not that was true. Eloise and the palace staff held a lot of power of Alessandra's schedule. They might keep her so busy he couldn't get a minute in her presence.

She glanced from him to the first SUV. Or maybe Arnault. He saw her mouth move, but she was holding it in, whatever she wanted to say.

Fine.

"See ya, Allie." He didn't lean in and kiss her. Didn't take her hand, didn't make a single demand. He did his royal duty and got in the car.

And tried to shut off his imagination as to what kind of greeting she was getting from Arnault.

It was stupid to stay. He knew it.

But he couldn't get on a plane, not yet.

Giving up wasn’t the Navy SEAL way.

* * *

Alessandra sat stiffly in the back of the SUV. There was one seat between her and Ronald, but it didn't feel like enough.

He'd started to greet her with a kiss on the cheek but Alessandra had stuck out her hand awkwardly between them, aware of Gideon. Was he watching them? Watching her?

Ronald had raised an expressive eyebrow, but she found she didn't care. She wanted Gideon to know there was nothing more between them than simple friendship.

As the car rounded a bend, she couldn't help turning her head in an attempt to glimpse the SUV behind. It was silly. She couldn't see Gideon through the tinted windows anyway.

"Is everything all right?" Ronald asked.

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