The Crown Prince's Bride (Royal Duology 2)

They did. She curled into his embrace and he toyed with her hair, playing with a few strands over and over until she got sleepy with the warmth and comfort of it. The silence should have been odd but it wasn’t. Instead it inspired an intimacy even greater than the one they’d just shared. Tenderness. How she’d craved it.

When his fingers stopped moving in her hair, she turned her head a bit and discovered he’d fallen asleep, his head back against the cushion, lips closed. He looked . . . peaceful. Relaxed. In a way she’d rarely seen since he’d become a widower, single parent, and future king.

She closed her eyes and decided to let him sleep.

* * *

Raoul stepped inside the great hall only to hear his father’s voice echo from the library. “Raoul, is that you?”

He sighed. He’d hoped to sneak up to bed. It was nearly midnight, but he’d fallen asleep on Stephani’s sofa and had slept for over two hours while she got up and cleaned up the dinner mess, then sat on the other end of the sofa with a book.

It had been disturbingly domestic, particularly on the heels of their earlier activity. He was still feeling a bit off balance from it all.

He stuck his head inside the doorway. “It’s me. Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Alexander smiled. “You didn’t. I’m sixty-two years old and sometimes I have trouble falling asleep. I decided to come down here instead.”

Worry worked its way into Raoul’s heart. “Are you feeling all right?” His father had slowed down lately, and there were times Raoul wondered about his color. There was a vitality that was sometimes missing.

Alexander nodded. “I’m fine, really. Just thinking, mostly.” He gave Raoul a sharp look. “And you’re out late.”

“I was in the city for dinner,” he explained. “I was just going to head up to bed.”

“Before you do . . .” Alexander got up from his plush chair. “Lucy called this evening. The children wanted to say good night to you.”

Raoul tensed. His father was fishing, as if he knew something was up. “I’m sorry I missed them, but I’ll see them tomorrow afternoon.”

“Diego checked in as well.”

Raoul frowned. His brother was on his honeymoon; why would he feel the need to phone? “Is everything all right?”

“I believe so. He wanted to get approval for some side program you two talked about, but I think Sofia is going to come see you about it tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry you ended up acting as my secretary, Padre. I’ll look after everything tomorrow.”

Alexander casually went to a table and poured himself a splash of Scotch. “Out for dinner, you say. What’s her name?” He smiled, raised an eyebrow, and gave Raoul a knowing stare.

This was why they wanted privacy. Raoul’s neck heated. Was he blushing? How embarrassing. He wasn’t a schoolboy. He was a grown man. He’d been married once before, had two children. Surely he could go on a dinner date without having to ask permission.

“It’s not like that,” he lied.

Alexander sipped at the amber liquid. “Of course it is, and I’m glad. You need to start dating again. As I’ve told you before, it’s better to rule with someone by your side rather than do it alone. You need to get married again. Have a queen.”

Raoul’s annoyance flared. “Better to rule alone than marry purely for the sake of marrying. I loved my wife. I may never love anyone that way again. It was just dinner. Let’s leave it at that, ¿sí?”

“I’ve made you angry.”

“It’s a sensitive topic. And one I don’t care to discuss at the moment.”

Alexander lifted his hand. “Okay. If I promise to back off, could you just let someone know where to reach you? Even Stephani. She has both your work and your social calendar, ¿sí?”

Raoul prayed his expression hadn’t changed at the mention of her name. She had his social calendar, all right. She’d been in charge this evening from start to finish, and he’d enjoyed every moment.

He nodded. “If it’s urgent, Marco always knows where I am. He knew tonight as well. Good night, Papá. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Raoul.”

He strode off in the direction of his rooms, went inside, and stripped down to take a shower. Afterward, dressed in a simple pair of blue boxers, he lay down on top of his bed and looked at his phone.