Page 8 of Royal Salvation

“As well as I ever do.”

Reaper poured himself a mug of coffee and lifted the pot to offer her some, but she declined with a shake of her pretty head.

“You don’t sleep well?” He knew he shouldn’t ask. It wasn’t his job to get to know her. His job was to protect her but, in a way, the more he knew the easier that was.

“Not really. My mind is always too busy.”

Reaper had a few suggestions on how he could help her relax but none were appropriate, so he kept his mouth shut. Sitting at a right angle to her at the table, he saw her pulse kick up in her neck and smiled into his mug. She was affected by him, and he liked that she was. He didn’t want to be the only one battling this attraction and battle it he would. Bás had been clear, if he touched her, he was a dead man walking, and he knew Bás meant every word.

“Lucía, I’d like to apologise for yesterday. I was out of line behaving the way I did and I never should have laid a finger on you. It won’t happen again. You have my word.”

“Thank you and I think yesterday was a little trying for both of us. So why don’t we start again?”

“I’d like that.”

Lucía smiled at him, and it was like the sun coming out on a grey winter’s day. She lit up and it made something ache in his chest to see it again. “I’m sure you know the plan for your security cover will stay in place, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t impact your life more than necessary.”

He saw a blush tinge Lucía’s cheeks and fought a groan.

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“Now, tell me a bit more about this week’s schedule. I have the long term one but as we don’t fly out for a month, it would be good to know what the next few weeks have in store so I can make arrangements.”

“Well, this week I have a few errands to run in the village and I promised to take some promotional shots for the Parish magazine. Next week my father has asked that I attend the Autumnal Ball. He’d like to meet you, and, in all honesty, I think it was his excuse to push me into coming.”

Reaper tipped his head, watching her facial expressions as she spoke. She was very expressive and wore her feelings on her face. “You don’t want to go?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go. I want to see my family of course but meeting hundreds of people and being on all the time isn’t my thing. I’m more for the background jobs, the charities, the good causes, that kind of thing.”

“Well, I can understand that. What charities are you involved with?” He knew these little titbits of information would reveal way more about who she was as a person than any probing he might do.

Lucía’s face lit up and once again he found himself wanting to freeze time so he could bask in her smile.

“I’m patron to the Books for All Foundation. It’s a charity which collects and distributes books for children and helps them with reading. Many poorer families don’t have the money for books and it’s so important for kids to read.”

“I agree. I love to read when I have time. That love comes from my mother and her taking the time to find a book I’d love.”

“Exactly. It’s not just about buying a book, it’s about giving them a new world to escape the sometimes-awful conditions.”

“What else?”

As Lucía listed off the charities she was involved with, Reaper got a better idea of who she was. Children’s charities featured heavily, as did help for refugees. But she wasn’t just a figurehead, she was involved with the planning and the implementation. She was a true humanitarian.

He wanted to ask her more about her life and work, but he didn’t want to push his luck. “So, what’s on today’s agenda?”

“Well, I need to go into town and post a few letters and visit Mrs Howard and walk her dog. She had a fall a few weeks ago and until she’s back on her feet we have a roster set up to walk Percy. You don’t need to come with me though. My guard usually waits here when I go into the village.”

Reaper frowned, trying not to overreact and ruin the peace between them after a rocky start, but he’d make sure that guard never worked doing close protection again. “Well, I’m not him and I’ll be with you. When we meet with the villagers you’ll need to tell them I’m your fiancé. That way if any pictures of us together are seen while we’re in the Middle East, our cover is still in place.”

“You really think that’s necessary?”

“Absolutely.”

Her eyebrows rose as she slipped from the table and made her way to the kitchen, her alluring scent tickling his nose. “How will I explain my sudden engagement?”

Reaper rose to follow her, tipping the dregs of his coffee in the sink before rinsing the mug and setting it in the dishwasher beside her plate and mug. “Tell them that I work overseas. Australia would be a good choice given my accent and that we recently reunited after a whirlwind romance. Does everyone know who you really are?”

Lucía nodded, her hand resting on the kitchen counter, her hip kicked out making her curves even more pronounced and enticing.