AllFreeNovel
Share Us
opened the paper and read it. His eyebrows lifted.
“This is good.” He flicked his eyes up toward hers. “This is very good.”
She couldn’t deny the flush of pleasure she felt.
“You are assuming I’ve done a lot to move the orphanage project forward in this.”
“I’m sure you have,” Katie interjected.
Armin frowned. “I don’t want to grandstand. I can’t leverage my charitable work to improve my image. It robs the work of its true purpose.”
“Prince Armin—” She had to get to the girls, but they’d come to stand outside the doorway where she could see them. “You have a good heart. Your people need to see that.”
“Not like this.”
“Why not exactly like this? It will take the pressure off of you and off of the rumors about your family, and it will put the anti-royalists in a difficult position.”
“How?”
“If they want to attack you, they’ll have to attack a humanitarian project.”
“So you want me to use the orphans as human shields?”
Katie pursed her lips. “What’s more important? That the work gets done and there’s a home for these children where they can be safe and cared for, or that you maintain the appearance that you had nothing to do with it in order to keep your good deeds under wraps?”
Armin’s eyes burned into hers, and there was a long silence. This is it, Katie thought. I’m going to get fired.
“I suppose you have a point.”
It shocked her back into her own thoughts. “What?”
“I see your point.” The ghost of a grin played around Armin’s handsome mouth, drawing her attention to a razor-sharp jawline. “My grandmother built the orphanage, you know, and it wasn’t until years after it was completed that anyone knew she had a hand in it.”
“Really? She was that secretive?”
Armin shrugged. “There was so much going on at the end of World War II. The country was in disarray.” He looked past her, then back into her eyes. “She always told me when I was young that it’s our duty as members of the royal family to steward the future of the country, not to take credit for doing so.”
“Okay, yes. There is something noble about remaining behind the scenes. But like she said—you’re a member of the royal family. Why not show your people why they should love you?”
“Love me?”
“If they knew you better, they could realize that you’re worth believing in. That your family is worth believing in. It’s something better to cling to than a tabloid story.” Katie’s voice softened. “I’ve certainly come to realize it.”
Armin’s eyes heated. “Realize what, exactly?”
Prince Armin was fishing for compliments.
And with her core heating up at the sight of him, Katie found herself more than willing to give him some. “You’re a very good father. And…a good man.”
Armin stepped closer, and she breathed in the spicy male scent of him.
“You’re just…good. And good-looking…” The last bit slipped out unbidden, in a voice barely louder than a whisper. Katie was pretty sure her cheeks were on fire. Something shifted in the air between them and she realized he was leaning closer, that they were being pulled together like two magnets.
“Tell me right now if you don’t want me to kiss you,” Armin said, his voice husky.
“I want you to kiss me,” she said, quickly. Clearly. Firmly.
Armin kissed her.
