Page 45 of The Princess and the SEAL

Chapter 19

Giselle

THE NEXT MORNING, I WOKE UP exceptionally early due to the time change. I snuck out of bed before Ryan was awake. I wanted to make him breakfast, but his refrigerator was bare, which made sense because he had just returned from a vacation. Instead, I brewed some coffee and snooped around his place.

He had a few pictures up, one at his Navy SEAL graduation, and another with his friends.

But he had no pictures at all of his family.

Nor had he ever talked about them.

Why was he so secretive? I had no idea who this man I was spending so much time with was. Nothing about his background, his parents, his siblings. What was his story?

A few minutes later, Ryan emerged from the bedroom wearing nothing but pajama bottoms.

My eyes bugged. He was so gorgeous; I couldn’t handle it. He could be a movie star.

“Morning, babe. Sorry, I don’t have any food here. Let me take you to breakfast. Did you decide what you wanted to do today?”

You.But that wasn’t in the cards for me. Ryan had made it very clear that he didn’t want to have sex with me. Well, he did, but he wouldn’t. He was still pissed off about Miguel’s “break her in” comment. So was I.

Did I have to sleep with Miguel? Maybe we could just agree to a sexless marriage. When we wanted to have children, we could use artificial insemination.

Just considering those awful thoughts made me nauseous. How could I go through with this? How could I never see Ryan again?

I shook Miguel out of my head. “I wish to go to the zoo. It’s supposed to be one of the best in the world.”

“It is. Actually, I’ve never been.”

“Really? How is that possible? You live here.”

“I never had anyone to take. And I don’t have much free time. I’m always training or deployed.”

Right. Ryan was a workaholic. Then again, so was I. I was always going to a charity event, a state affair, or a fundraiser. It was rewarding work, but sometimes, I craved a simpler life.

Every year, when I went to our summer cottage, I had the most splendid time. I spent my days tending to the vegetable garden and my nights reading books by the hearth. I learned to cook many dishes. Nowhere to go, no one to see. Just peace and happiness.

I wish I could take Ryan there.

“Well, I can’t wait to explore the zoo with you.”

“Zoo it is. I’m going to hop in the shower.”

He didn’t ask me to join him. I wanted to but didn’t. When Ryan was done, I took my own shower and then got dressed.

We had a quick breakfast at a local café and headed off to the zoo.

When Ryan handed me a map of the zoo before we started, I knew I had underestimated my shoe choice. There was no way we’d get through the whole thing in one day. I had never seen anything like this. The animals were kept in huge enclosures with ample land. Koalas were my favorite animal, so we started there.

The koalas clung to their trees, eating their eucalyptus leaves.

I clasped my hands to my chest. “Aren’t they adorable? I love them. Australia is lovely.”

“Really? I’ve always wanted to go.”

I resisted the urge to suggest again we could go somewhere together. Instead, he kissed me right in front of the koalas.

Click.