Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

“I will walk.” I scooted to the edge of the seat and stood outside the door. The same one that only two days ago I had walked through in a trance.

Maybe it had been a spell. I was caught up in the magic of the king. Stunned by The Titan’s gala. Overwhelmed by the sovereign.

Inside the elevator I remembered the kiss. The one that had made me breathless. The way my body responded and melted into his.

The doors opened at the top floor, and the officer waved me forward.

“You will wait here.”

I looked around. The residence was empty.

“For how long?” I questioned.

“Until His Majesty is here.”

“And how long will that take?” I crossed my arms.

“Wait here.” He pressed the elevator button.

The doors closed and I was alone in the king’s apartment.

17

Damon

I stared at the prime minister. He read through the final draft of the new proposal. My urge to rush him was at an all-time high. I had catered to this man long enough. The hand carved clock above the mantle ticked with each passing second. The side door opened and Sutcliffe walked in. He placed a folded card next to my elbow and retreated.

I scanned the brief report on the note and smiled.

She was here. Waiting.

Just when I thought I couldn’t be more restless.

My eyes bore into Paul’s. “Do we have a deal?”

He took a long pause, folding the leather cover over the proposal. The seal of Galona was emblazed on the outside.

“I believe I can work with these terms.” He flattened his mustache.

I nodded, concealing my desire to get the hell out of this negotiating room at a breakneck pace. He had consumed enough of my time for twenty-four hours.

I pushed back from my seat, extending my hand. “Thank you.”

He gripped my fingers. “Thank you, Your Highness. It’s a fair deal. It will benefit both our countries.”

“Yes it will.” I grinned. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have another royal matter to attend to. I apologize for the sudden departure. My staff will assist you.”

I turned for the door, almost sprinting down the hall—but Kenley stopped me before I reached the first coat of arms. Her eyes pushed me backward. Those eyes were supposed to be reserved for when my brother fucked up, not me.

“What is it?” I hissed. “I just got out of there.”

“The press conference, Your Majesty.” She tapped her watch. “Now that the prime minister has agreed to the contract changes, we are shifting the focus from an announcement to an official signing. Your presence is required.”

“What the fuck?” I whispered.

She glared at me. I didn’t care. I had prioritized everything over Molly for two days. I was done with it.

Kenley was good at her job. It was why I hired her. Even more important was how much I trusted her with Dominic when he went on one of his binges. But I