Page 4 of The Prince Who Loved Me

She took the card, then motioned to her steward. Withinminutes, Sebastien was on a tender, flying over the waves and leaving a half dozen yachts behind in the bay. His bodymen awaited him on the dock, ready to keep away any of the selected reporters allowed into the show.

“We found a plane and pilot, Your Highness,” Loïc said, ushering him through the light crowd oohing and aahing over the boats on display. They passed groups of people sitting on aquamarine benches and eating beet salads and other small plates. Sebastien kept his head down, hoping his red hair wouldn’t act as a beacon for any photographers. Loïc stayed on his heel to deter anyone from following.

Though Sebastien had fought to have freedom from the traditional rules that came with being a younger-son prince, one thing he didn’t argue against was having Loïc and Massimo as shadows. They provided the necessary security and made his life convenient. “We should be in the air in an hour.”

“Thank you.” Sebastien slid through the opened door of the rented Mercedes. He hadn’t driven his own car from Fountenoy Hall in Georgia, preferring to fly.

“Massimo will meet us at the air field after he packs your belongings.”

“Very good.” No, Sebastien didn’t mind his privilege one bit.

He settled in for the short drive and let his mind wander. If he had to guess, Brandi hadn’t contacted her cousin at Fountenoy Hall. Though Wendy had relaxed a lot over the past year, she still could be biased when it came Brandi and men. She saw it as being protective. And she was, to a point, but her judgement was clouded by how Brandi used to act. Brandi may have texted Jordan, but he doubted it. He was usually the one she called when things didn’t end well.

What kind of mood would she be in? She had high hopes for this Andy. Sebastien couldn’t imagine what he had done tothrow it away. A discreet look at this man’s background showed nothing out of the ordinary, though there wasn’t much about him. It had taken time to differentiate between him and other Andy or Andrew Conners. He had a very small digital footprint.

If Sebastien was ever lucky enough to win Brandi’s heart, he’d cherish it.

The flight to South Carolina didn’t take long, and soon Sebastien was in the land of chilly February weather. He left the plane and accommodations to his men and texted Brandi from the beige airport building with its neatly trimmed bushes.

I’m here.

Where are you?she texted back.

He glanced at the rows of private planes behind him, the open sky and water beyond that. Did he want her to know he flew to get there quickly?

Somewhere in Charleston.That was mostly true. He wasn’t sure what the airfield was called.Tell me where you are and I’ll come meet you.

Massimo waited a respectful distance nearby, waiting to be acknowledged. His large, hulking presence garnered a few glances by the patrons waiting in the building. Sebastien raised his eyebrows in question.

“Will you be needing a car, sir?”

Brandi texted him an address. Sebastien looked back at his bodyman. “Better make it two so you can follow behind.”

His man nodded. Soon Sebastien found himself listening to the GPS. Visions danced in his mind of him and Brandi together. Visiting an art gallery. Eating fresh oysters. Going for a walk down a historic Charleston cobblestone street, pausing while he sketched her silhouette. Then he’d grasp her hand like he’d done so often before, but this time, she’d look at their joined hands and her unusual brown and green eyes would travel up to his face, revealing the flecks of gold near her irises. And finally,finally, after years of wanting and patiently waiting, he’d kiss her. Softy at first, but then she’d wrap her arms around his neck and lock her mouth on his.

Three hours after she broke up with her last boyfriend. When she was sad and vulnerable.

Sebastien wasn’t that much of a schmuck.

Schmuck was a good word, definitely fitting of the circumstance. He had stolen it from Jordan.

He pulled into the hotel parking lot, his eyes searching for his blonde angel. Her eyebrows drew down when she spotted the car, but her face brightened when she recognized him. Her smile made heat pool in his gut, but he willed himself still while she entered his car.

“Hey, Charming.” She closed the door behind her and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“Anytime.” The air inside sizzled with her presence and he turned down the air conditioning.

“Did you tell Wendy?” Brandi ran her hand over the leather interior and eyed the dual temperature controls. “This has heated seats?”

“When have I ever run to your cousin when it had nothing to do with her, and yes.”

“Afraid the royal ass will get cold?”

“That’s a loaded question.” He tossed her quick smile before pulling out of the lot and onto the busy street. “Want to grab some lunch?”

She groaned as she settled into her seat, eyes closed. “I just want to go home.”

Chapter 2