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The more time I spent with Rick trying to cram in every ounce of our life stories into our brains, the more I fell for him. It was impossible to avoid. I wanted to know everything. We spent nearly twenty-four hours together learning everything we could. At least, that was what we said because it also led to us snogging like teenagers behind the schoolyard. Not that I would know anything about that. I didn’t have my first kiss until I was standing on a polo field faking a relationship with a dubious prince.
Still, the more I kissed him, the more I wanted of him. When we’d been there on the blanket in the garden, his body pressing mine into the soft ground, I felt things I never had. My body tingled. My knees weakened, falling apart. I wanted him to envelop me and I wanted to envelop him.
On the day of the engagement interview, I didn’t have to fake adoration for Rick. It was genuine. I stared at him like he was the moon and the stars because he was at that moment. I admired his jaw and adored his blond curls. I longed for his hand on my thigh, slowly going north.
“When did you fall for her?” The interviewer asked Rick.
We’d prepped for all of these. Rick was going to nail it.
“I was dancing with her,” Rick answered, going off-book. “And just looking at her… I couldn’t help but fall. She’s wonderful.”
He was being honest.
“And you, Your Majesty, as well?”
I stammered. “No… different time. We were at the barn. He was adorable with my horses. He is a sucker for animals. It endeared me to him in a remarkable way.”
My answer was canned, but it worked. I couldn’t be the wild one. That was Rick’s role. He was the carefree, romantic hero in this story. I had to be Queen first and foremost. It was a tough tightrope. All I wanted to do was pull Rick into another room and kiss him again. I wanted him to press me against the wall and do far worse. I couldn’t explain these feelings to anyone else. They were all-encompassing and came out of nowhere. One moment I was fine. The next, I wanted him to do something but wasn’t sure what that somethingwas.
“And how did he propose?” The interviewer followed up.
“She sort of proposed first. In true queenly fashion,” Rick joked.
“But he wasn’t satisfied with that,” I said. “No. He wanted to do it properly. To treat me well. We had decided on it happening, but… he wanted to do something special. So, he took me on a picnic and proposed there. It was lovely.”
“She deserved better than a handshake agreement, don’t you think?” Rick asked.
Oh, the irony!
“And this ring is beautiful!”
I nodded. “Yes. This was my late mother’s engagement ring. My father had it made for my mother.”
“The Dowager Queen was very gracious in letting me use it to propose,” Rick said. “It is a beautiful piece.”
I smiled. “And it wasn’t just that. He also chose a bracelet for me. Something old, something new.”
“A bracelet?”
I nodded, holding my hand out and showing off the rubies on my wrist. “Stunning, right?”
The interviewer nodded. “He’s already a good gift-giver. My husband could take a cue.”
We snickered.
“I cannot complain.” I shrugged. “He gives me no reason to.”
Thinking back on it, that was insufferably cute. At the time, I meant every bit. I fell all over myself around him. Sometimes the feeling seemed mutual. Rick was more experienced, but I knew he feltsomething. If he didn’t, why would he rush to defend me? Why was he always there to protect us? He had felt something, too.
“Of course, I don’t,” Rick said.
“So, what is next? Wedding plans?”
“Next… state visit to Lundhavn and wedding plans are in full swing,” I answered.
He nodded. “But easy for me. I’m excited to go home and introduce Alexandra properly. But when I return I don’t have to deal with much of the preparations. No one cares what the groom does most of the time.”
“I care.” I laughed. “You get to have opinions.”
