Her PR Rep, Mary, came outside. “Princess? You finished early.”
“Y-Yes.” She straightened, and Gordon’s hand fell back at his side. She patted the folder. “I have some reading to do.”
“Oh.” Mary glanced at Gordon, then back to Isabelle. “Are you going back to your room until supper?”
“Yes. I need to lie down.”
She nodded. “I’ll come along, then.”
“No need.” She smiled, but gave Mary the look that commanded obedience. The one she so seldom used. “I’ll be fine with my guard escorting me. It’s what we hired him for, right? Those moments I wanted to be alone but wasn’t allowed? Well, I need some time alone to think right now. To…process.”
“If you’re certain…”
“Very.” She headed for the car. “Mr. Waybrook? If you please?”
“Of course. I’ll stay outside of her room, keeping watch until someone else comes, if that helps you be at ease, ma’am.”
She inclined her head. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He nodded at Mary. “It was a pleasure seeing you again, ma’am.”
“Likewise,” she said.
But her voice suggested otherwise.
As they headed for his car, Gordon chuckled under his breath. He didn’t bother to ask her if she wanted the town car. He probably knew her answer. “She doesn’t like me.” He didn’t sound the least bit upset about that. If anything, he sounded amused.
“She doesn’t like anyone who isn’t royal.” She stopped at the car. “Herself included.”
Gordon snorted. “It’s like that, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s like that.”
He opened her car door, closing it once she got inside. “Where to?” he asked.
“My room.” She rested her head against the car seat. “I need to read this contract over.”
His hands tightened on the wheel. “Is that what I think it is?”
“I couldn’t possibly know what you think it is, but it’s a pre-nup.”
“Why bother to read it if you ‘can’t do this?’”
She sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“Are you going to say yes?”
“Yes. No. I don’t
know.” She rubbed her forehead. “Just take me home. Please.”
He cranked the key, turning the engine over. Without replying, he pulled out of the spot, onto the road, and drove to her hotel. When they parked, he came around to her side and opened her door for her. “I’ll walk you up, and stay out in the hallway until someone else comes.”
She didn’t want him to leave her. She wanted him to stay. To help her come up with a way to get out of this. She wanted him. “You can stay inside the room. With me. If you want.”
“Belle…” He shut her door for her, his whole body held tersely. “I want to, believe me. I want to. But I won’t. We can’t.”
Swallowing hard, she nodded. “Right. Of course.”