Not Fit for a King?

“But that would have meant giving up your career sooner.”

“I know. I wasn’t ready to give up football. I probably would never have been ready. But then they died and their accident forced me to grow up.”

She was silent a moment. “Is that how you really view it?”

“I was the Crown Prince. I should have been here, learning from my father.”

“But football was your passion. You loved it since you were a boy.”

His broad shoulders shifted. “Boys become men.”

She reached out, covered his hand with hers. “It’s none of my business, but I’m glad you were able to do what you loved to do. So many people are miserable. They hate their jobs, hate their lives. It’s not the way I want to live.”

“You’re happy then?”

“I love my work. I’m lucky I get to do what I do.” He smiled at her then and his smile transformed his face from handsome to absolutely gorgeous.

If only she could tell him the truth. She needed him to know. Her eyes burned and she took a quick sip of her wine to hide her pain.

Zale reached out and brushed a long pale strand of hair back from her cheek. “You keep tearing up today. What’s wrong?

What have I done?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking about the past and the future and our families.”

“There’s been a lot of pressure from our families, hasn’t there?”

She nodded.

“You know my father was the one that wanted us to marry. He picked you for me when I was fifteen.” His lips twisted. “You were five. And chubby. I was horrified.”

Hannah smiled crookedly. “I would have been horrified, too.”

“My father assured me that you’d grow up, and once you did, you’d be a rare beauty. He was right. You … fit me.” “I’m glad.” “Are you?” “Very much so.” “So no regrets about last night?”

“None at all. I love—” She broke off, aware that she’d come so close to telling him how she felt. Because she did. “I loved every moment of it.”

“We should probably get the prenup signed. Your father calls me every day, sometimes twice a day, to ask why we haven’t done it yet.”

“And what do you tell him?”

“That we’ll sign it when we’re ready.”

“I can’t imagine he likes that.”

“No. But this is between you and me now, and I intend to keep it that way.”

“Do we need the prenup then? Can’t we just get married without it?”

Zale studied her from across the table. “You’d marry me without any financial agreement in place?” “I trust you.”

“You should. I’d never betray you.” Guilt flooded her. Guilt and grief. But even as she battled her conscience, she told herself to remember it all. Every word. Every smile. Every detail.

She wanted to remember it all so that even when she was gone she’d have at least the memories to hold, memories of lunch with Zale in the crumbling tower overlooking the walled city nestled between mountains and sea.

Because this wasn’t just the day she fell in love, but the day she fell in love with him forever.

Less than a week ago she knew practically nothing about Raguva, Zale’s small independent country overlooking the sapphire Adriatic Sea, and even less about him, Zale Ilia Patek, Raguva’s king, but now Hannah knew far too much.

Like how driven Zale Patek was, and how determined he could be.

How his country meant so much to him and his brother even more so.

It’d break her heart to leave. And she would leave. If not tonight, then tomorrow. It wasn’t a maybe, it was definite. Simply a matter of time.

A question of when.

“Would you have been attracted to me if we’d met a different way?” she asked.

He seemed intrigued by her question. “You mean, if we’d just met randomly … two people on the street?”

She nodded.

His brow lowered and he studied her so intently that she felt as though he could see all the way through. “Yes. Definitely.” If anyone else had looked at her so closely it would have made her uncomfortable, but when Zale looked at her like this she felt beautiful … safe.

Yes, safe. He was a warrior. A protector. A man with courage and integrity.

“Would you like me?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.

Her eyes stung.

Absolutely. Most definitely. “Yes.” His lips curved, and his amber gaze warmed. “So the prince and princess rode off into the sunset and lived happily ever after?”

The lump in her throat was making it hard to breathe. “I hope so.”

“Me, too.” Still smiling, he looked down at the silver dome covering his plate. “And maybe while we’re in agreement, should we eat?”