Page 85 of Insatiable Park Avenue Prince

“Wonderful, and what’s your name?”

“Donovan Truitt.”

The man stepped back into his checkpoint, and a few seconds later came out with a key card.

“Here you go, Mr. Truitt. This is your access for the gate here, and once you check in, they’ll give you your key for the room.”

“We appreciate it, thank you.”

“Of course. Enjoy your stay at Avalon Castle.”

He stepped away from the car, and a second later the wrought-iron gates yawned open. When Donovan pulled inside the large courtyard, the magnificent mansion finally came into full view.

Wow.

It was like something out of a movie towered over us. It looked like some kind of French chateau. Avalon Castle was completely and utterly breathtaking.

“What do you think?” Donovan asked as he parked.

“I… I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place like this in my life.”

Donovan placed a hand on my leg. “Good, then I’ll be your first.”

I turned and brushed a soft kiss over his smiling lips. “It’s beautiful, and so are you.”

“Thank you.” Donovan closed his eyes and took a deep inhale. “I love it out here. It’s quiet, and the air is fresh. The perfect getaway.”

“Checking in, sir?” the valet said as he opened Donovan’s door while another opened mine. They quickly took care of our bags, and after Donovan handed off his keys, he laced his fingers through mine and we headed inside the massive building to check in.

The lobby was just as ornate as the outside, with a double staircase cascading down to the marbled floor. “Will the show be in here?” I asked.

“Actually, no,” came a voice from behind us. The man smiled and gestured toward the other side of the room, where a wall of windows showcased an expansive, perfectly manicured lawn. “Lemaire has chosen the garden for tomorrow’s events.”

Garden? What I was looking at was nothing short of grand, with hedges, fountains, and flowers that went on for acres.

“You must be Donovan Truitt,” the man said. “I’m Paul Bradley, and I’ll be your concierge for the weekend. Would you like to be shown to your suite, or may I take you directly to your request?”

His request? What did that mean?

“The request, please.” Donovan winked at me and squeezed my fingers. As we followed Paul to the garden, I wondered what my guy had planned. Already this weekend was unreal, but I would’ve been happy holed up in a dodgy room somewhere, as long as it was with him.

But this would do juuust fine.

Paul led us past the crew of workers putting together the runway for tomorrow and toward a hill that overlooked a sparkling blue pond. A large blanket had been laid out on the grass, adorned with pastel pillows of all colors, and a couple of cozy blankets. Wine chilled in an engraved silver-plated bucket of ice, and there were several baskets and platters of delicious-looking food waiting for us.

“You planned this?” I tore my eyes away from the gorgeous setup to see Donovan smiling back at me.

“I thought we might be hungry when we arrived.”

No, he’d wanted to do something nice, something romantic, and that had me feeling a certain way, even as all the reasons this could be a bad idea roamed in the back of my mind.

“I love it,” I said, bringing Donovan’s hand up to my lips to press a kiss to his knuckles.

“I’ll leave you to it, then. Please call the number I gave you if there’s anything at all you need.” Paul bowed before heading back to the mansion, and I found myself staring after him.

“Did he just…bow?” I said.

Donovan laughed, an easy, relaxed sound, as he tugged me toward the blanket. “I think he’s used to working with royals. Must be a habit.”

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