“He has. As much as I disagree with the way he’s gone about it, I can’t argue that.”
“Have you met him?”
“Your father?” he asked. When I nodded, he lowered his wine glass and exhaled. “Once. He was nice enough.” He glanced at me. “And then he went on national television and said I wasn’t fit to be king because I was too much of a playboy.”
“Oh, God. I’m sorry.” I closed my eyes and turned my face toward the ocean, wishing the tide would rise and take me with it.
I couldn’t even defend my father when it came to that. He was the kind of man who shook hands with a boyfriend of mine, came up with twenty reasons why he was no good for me, and said it to his face. I couldn’t even imagine what he’d say about the prince if I ever took him home—not that I would. Not that I could.
“You’re not responsible for your father’s actions,” Elias said beside me. My eyes popped open and I turned my face toward him again. He had a serious expression on his all-too-perfect face. “People judge me for everything my father says and does and that’s fine, I can’t convince them otherwise, but I’ve learned to accept that we’re different people and I’m not responsible for any of those things.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to make a great king, Prince Elias.”
“Does that mean you’ll stick around to find out?” He inched closer, his wine-infused breath tickling over mine.
“I don’t think I can.” My heart skipped, at odds with the words I’d spoken.
“Why not?” He moved closer still, the tip of his nose brushing against mine.
“Because then I’d have to witness everything that comes along with you being king.”
“Like what?”
“Like you courting women and marrying a princess and having children with her,” I whispered.
“Are you supposed to show all your cards on the first date?” he asked, his tone soft, his mouth on the edge of my lips. He kissed me there.
“No.” I shivered. “But it’s our only date, so I figured I should say what’s on my mind.”
“You should.” He kissed the other side of my mouth. “I like that you’re honest with me.”
“Are you going to kiss me now? Because I don’t think my heart can take any more of this teasing.”
He chuckled against my lips, but instead of making a retort to my statement, he pressed his lips against mine. My eyes slammed shut. My body acted on its own accord, my arms wrapping around his neck as his hands held me by the ribs, his thumbs just underneath my breasts. Breathing was a struggle. My brain wouldn’t shut off, wouldn’t stop conjuring things to do with him on the only night I had him, but I couldn’t seem to do anything but kiss him back. Fire raced through my veins as our tongues met. His grip tightened. My nails dug into his shoulder blades as I lifted a leg over him and straddled him, deepening the kiss. It was unlike me, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t seem to get a grip and control everything that was happening inside of my body. I felt like I was floating, the butterflies in my stomach lifting me in weightless abandon. Elias groaned against my mouth, his chest heaving against mine as we both came up for air for just a moment, gazing at each other through hazy eyes before our mouths met again, wilder this time.
I didn’t even hear anyone approach us, but the sound of a man clearing his throat made both Elias and I jump back and pull away. I stayed on his lap, frozen, as we both glanced up to see Pierre hovering over us.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he said. “The Princess of Austria is here.”
“She’s here?” Elias sounded taken aback.
“We asked her to wait in the foyer so she wouldn’t . . . interrupt,” Pierre said.
“Thank you, Pierre. I’ll be there shortly.” Elias exhaled heavily, pressing his forehead against mine as Pierre walked away.
“I guess this is the end of our date.”
“I don’t want it to be.” He pulled away slightly and met my eyes. “I didn’t ask her to come.”
“It’s fine.” I shook my head, hating the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach as I lifted myself off his lap and stood, walking to the edge of the blanket and plucking my sandals off the sand. “I wasn’t expecting this to last all night or anything.”
“I swear I didn’t know she’d just show up,” he repeated, as if that would make it better.
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Elias. It was one date and it ended with a kiss. That’s a win-win in my book.” I smiled for his benefit, though my lips barely moved. I began walking away, toward the stairs that led to my villa. “Thank you for the lovely evening. I’ll see you around.”