Page 55 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

‘I guess I find it easy to communicate with them.’ Maddi shrugged, not liking the little glow she felt at his compliment.

Ari’s aide appeared again, and Ari said, ‘Give the signal for the fireworks.’

He went back towards the crowd and clapped his hands, getting everyone’s attention. ‘Thank you all for coming—please, enjoy the end of the party.’

Maddi followed behind him. Everyone cheered and clapped and then there wereoohsandaahsas the fireworks started, launching high into the sky over the sea before exploding into a million different colours and shapes.

Maddi felt absurdly emotional as she took in the joy of the crowd. Everyone was so lovely here, and they all adored their king. They’d told her that his father had never opened up the palace like this. Or treated them as human beings.

Ari turned and looked at her. He held out his hand and she stepped forward, taking it. Standing by his side when they both knew that this was not real.

‘This is a really nice thing to do,’ Maddi said, smiling at the joy of the crowd, hoping he wouldn’t see her emotion.

She was in deep with this man and there was no way it could end well. She had an awful sense that the end was coming before she was ready for it.

On an impulse, telling herself it wasn’t out of a sense of desperation and fear that everything was about to change, Maddi turned to him and said, ‘Could we do something this evening? Like...go on a date? Go out for dinner?’

It was ridiculous. Her heart was thumping as if she was a teenager, asking out a boy she fancied. She’d been sleeping with this man for days now, and she knew him more intimately than she knew herself.

Ari put a hand on his chest. ‘Are you asking me out on a date?’

Maddi scowled at him and tried to hide her insecurity. He was laughing at her. Reminding her that this was beyond the parameters of...whatever it was between them.

‘Forget it—a silly idea.’

She tried to pull her hand out of his but he caught it. She looked up and her insides swooped at the expression on his face. He wasn’t mocking any more. There was an intensity there that she hadn’t seen before.

‘I would love to take you for dinner.’

‘I...’ She felt tongue-tied. Again, ridiculous, considering how intimate they were. ‘Okay...great.’

Ari signalled to his hovering aide, gave him some instructions and then said, ‘Let’s go.’

But Maddi stopped in her tracks and looked down. She felt self-conscious heat rise in her face. Ari followed her gaze, down to her bare feet.

She looked up, embarrassed. ‘Sorry... The last time I saw my sandals a little girl was playing dress-up with them.’

She obviously wasn’t ready to be a princess, no matter how much she liked talking to people. But before she knew what was happening Ari bent down and picked Maddi up in his arms and carried her back through the garden and to the palace.

Dammit, but she couldn’t help relishing the feeling of being in his arms, cradled against his chest.

She also couldn’t stop the soppy grin on her face.

When they got inside the palace there was a sense of infectious energy in the air. Ari put her back on her feet and Hannah appeared and took Maddi by the hand.

She was smiling, and said, ‘The things you need are in your room, Princess Laia, come with me.’

Feeling nonplussed, Maddi followed in Hannah’s wake as the girl led her up through the endless corridors back to her suite. Once in her rooms, Hannah went to the dressing room and in a few minutes emerged with an armful of clothes.

She laid them out on the bed. Worn jeans, sneakers, a black silk shirt and a beautifully soft cropped black leather jacket. And new underwear.

Maddi went over and touched the leather. ‘Ooh, I like this.’

Maddi glanced at Hannah, as if to ask,Are you sure this is what I have to wear?and noticed the girl’s eyes were shiny.

She immediately went over to her. ‘Hannah? Is everything okay?’

She started crying in earnest, and Maddi put her arm around her, leading her into the bathroom. In fits and starts, in between apologies, the girl looked at Maddi with huge blue eyes and said, ‘I’m so sorry, Princess Laia, but I’m just so happy to see you and the King like this. My mother worked here too, for the Queen, and she was so unhappy. The atmosphere was always so tense and sad... I’m just so thrilled for you both...and for us. You really love each other, and things will be so different now.’

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