They’d weathered the storm of public scrutiny and judgement. He’d stood alongside her when the press had run story after story about her family. Felipe had kept her hand in his, kept her by his side, kept her head high and her heart full. And as he was the King who could do no wrong—they couldn’t help noticing... She obviously makes him happy.
And she’d found her own focus—a deeply personal campaign of caring for the carers. She’d made under-the-radar visits to the local hospices, preparing food in the family accommodation for those supporting loved ones in hospitals, finding other ways to help them. Word had leaked—not from the palace—and while there’d been some nasty elements online, Elsie had kept up her visits and in fact done yet more. She wasn’t going to let what people might say stop her from doing something that mattered so much to her. In this she could make a difference. A couple of patients’ families had spoken out on her behalf, but it was the people she met personally who showed their appreciation. And that meant everything. As people on the street stood up for her, slowly the media opinion swivelled her way. Honestly that fact pleased Felipe more than it did her, but that he was so relieved for her? That made her smile.
‘Amalia did such a great job today,’ she murmured happily.
‘Did you see some of the commentary online about her? She’s just a child,’ he grumbled.
‘Felipe, she’s almost sixteen.’ Elsie chuckled. ‘Don’t let her hear you say that.’ But Amalia had turned heads in her pretty bridesmaid’s dress. ‘They’ll leave her alone while she’s studying, won’t they?’
‘I’d like to hope so.’ He sighed. ‘It’s good they’ve eased off on you.’
Amalia was attending her school locally, but she now had her heart set on attending a music conservatory abroad later. Composition was her jam—she was fulfilling her artist’s need to create. Elsie was creating something else entirely. She had to tell him. Now.
‘Elsie?’ He eased out from beneath her and rolled to his side so he could see her face. ‘What are you thinking about?’
‘That we’re about to cause more scandal.’
‘Oh?’ He skimmed teasing fingertips across her belly.
‘Correction.’ She looked at him with a nervous smile. ‘I am about to cause more scandal.’
‘Why, Elsie?’ He pressed his mouth to the sensitive skin just beneath her belly button. ‘What have you done?’
She shivered. Not from his kiss but because she was suddenly serious. Suddenly scared. ‘The trolls are going to say I trapped you into marriage.’
‘Trapped me? How?’
Elsie swallowed and lay very still. ‘With the baby.’
He lifted his head. His eyes had darkened. And his palm was warm against her lower belly. ‘Baby?’
‘Yes.’ Her eyes filled.
But his smile spread wide. ‘Baby.’
‘I think it was when we went on that secret trip to Italy and I told you I’d forgotten to bring my pills and that we needed to be careful.’
‘But I wasn’t careful.’ He sounded so proud and so smug and he looked so gorgeously satisfied.
Suddenly her heart flew and her humour bubbled up with it. ‘You were so reckless we were almost caught by that ferry full of tourists!’
‘And didn’t that turn you on even more?’ He laughed delightedly. ‘Oh, Elsie!’
He was kissing her and she couldn’t speak again. She could only cling to him as her own excitement and joy fought to find a way out of her limbs and into his.
‘Given the wedding preparations have taken more than a year, I don’t think the trolls’ arguments will have any teeth. If they only knew the truth...’ he muttered between kisses. ‘If only, if only...’
‘The truth?’
He ran his hand down her body with the surest, most possessive touch yet. ‘That I’m the one who’s trapped you. That here I am holding you prisoner in my personal dungeon and I even plan to tether you to my bed.’
Her breathing shortened. ‘Tether me?’
‘Right now, as it happens.’
‘Now?’ She wriggled in an automatic response to the surge of electricity his words had charged within her.
‘So you can’t distract me while I show you just how much I love you. So you can’t escape from the truth of how much you’ve changed my life. I’m going to thank you, Elsie. I’m going to please you.’ He pulled a strip of silk from that ornate box at the side of the bed. ‘Is that okay with you?’