Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

“Better?” she teased.

“Come here.” I pulled her into my arms, kissing her roughly. “After we finish with boring Sutcliffe and royal protocol, I promise your first night in the palace is something you’ll never forget.”

“But I’ve already spent the night here.”

“Not as a resident. And that’s going to require something extra special.”

28

Molly

I sat on one side of Damon while Sutcliffe sat on the other. The royal study was on the first floor, not far from the library.

Sutcliffe was listing proclamations and precedent that had been set hundreds of years ago. It would have been a fascinating history if Damon hadn’t been so pissed.

Damon’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t ask you to tell me what I can’t do, Sutcliffe. I asked you to figure out how we’re going to do it. Because Molly is sleeping under this roof. Starting tonight.” He pressed his finger into the table.

Sutcliffe exhaled. “Sir, I realize what the assignment is.” His mustache twitched. “However, co-habiting is strictly forbidden.”

“Forbidden by whom? The king?” Damon dared him to answer with something as illogical.

I didn’t know how I could help. I didn’t know the Galonian traditions. I was a newbie at the royal history.

“There are hundreds of rooms in the palace.” I broke the deafening silence. “How do the citizens know I’m not staying

in one of those?”

Sutcliffe pinched his thin lips together. “It isn’t that simple. You two are under the same roof.”

“But the roof is a mile long,” I argued.

“That is not a defense I can present to the moral citizens of this country.” He glared at me.

“Maybe you should try the immoral ones,” I snapped.

Damon shook his head. “Enough. We need a solution. Molly’s safety is what matters. I’m not going to subject her to the paparazzi. And I want her here.” He looked at me warmly for a brief second.

“What does Isabel do?” I asked. “Has she never had a boyfriend stay over?”

“Princess Isabel isn’t a part of the problem,” Sutcliffe explained. “She wouldn’t think of anything like this.”

“And the princes?” I continued my line of questioning.

“Where are you going with this?” Sutcliffe had lost all patience with me. I realized that had happened the first day we met. An American wandering around the palace looking for the king was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

“The public can’t possibly believe single adults would live like nuns and monks. That’s beyond common sense. Hasn’t at least one of them had a girlfriend that was serious?”

I didn’t know if I was prying too much. Poking around where I wasn’t welcome, but this scenario was ridiculous.

Damon scowled. “Dominic.”

“Ok. At least someone has had a relationship. What happened?”

“It is not appropriate to discuss the personal lives of the royal family,” Sutcliffe admonished me. “They should remain private.”

Damon shook him off. “She may ask anything she chooses. That’s why we’re here. Nothing we do remains private. Our personal lives are front page news.” He turned to me. “It didn’t work out with the girlfriend.”

I tilted my head. I wanted more information than that.