Secret Heir

“Argh!” Pixie growled over her shoulder when she realized I was still hot on her footsteps. “Can’t a girl get a minute?”

“You had three months worth of minutes. You have to share some.”

Pixie reached her tent, pushing the flap open before pausing.

Silhouetted in the afternoon sun she looked beautiful, and curvy. She hadn’t realized it, but her t-shirt was hooked over her waistband and I could see clearly she had grown curvier—way curvier in the middle.

I wanted to drop to my knees in the dirt and cradle her to me.

I loved her, whether the baby she carried was mine or not didn’t matter. I loved her and would love the child she brought into the world just as much. I would raise it as my own and together we could be a family. I was already committed to that.

Now I just had to get Pixie on the same page.

“You know that tea Granny gave you wasn’t just tea, right?”

“What do you mean?” Pixie’s face fell and I used the moment to swoop in close and invade her space.

I missed being in her space, I hated when she was mad. As much as I liked her cute frowny face, I didn’t like it directed at me.

“Granny’s known for a lot of things in the North, but most of all it’s her match-making.”

“Stop, Rome, you’re just trying to be charming.”

“Trust me, there’s no trying about it. Granny match-makered the shit out of you back there. We’re a forgone conclusion, Pixie.”

I looped her fingers in mine and dotted the underside of her wrist with a kiss.

“Now, about those secrets…”

Pixie’s eyes darted over my shoulder as a few colleagues walked within earshot as they had a loud conversation about some new find. “We shouldn't do this here, people can hear us.”

“I don’t give a shit what they hear. The whole world will know I love you soon enough.”

“Rome—”

“Don’t Rome me. I’ve had enough patience with you, America, now you’re just on my last nerve with all these stubborn communication skills you have.”

“You mean independence? I think you mean independence. You know what? I think the Crown Prince’s ego is bruised because he couldn’t make another woman fall at his feet. I don’t know if Danish culture is always so traditional or if it’s just you, but I had a life before you came along and stole it out from under me, Rome!”

I shook my head, anger boiling inside of me.

Not at her, but at her utter confusion about me.

“I get it, Pixie.” I ushered her into the small tent, making sure to cup her belly gently as I did. “Trust me, I’ve wanted to run away from my life a thousand times. But you’re the only person that doesn’t make me want to run. I want it all with you, I want a wedding and family and babies and an entire life. I want your everythings.”

“Rome—” tears streaked her cheeks, “there’s so much you don’t know.”

“I know all I need to know to love you.” I dropped to my knee, pulling a small velvet pouch out of my pocket. “I’m giving you the royal jewels.”

Pixie’s hand was shaking, emotion welling in her eyes. “Don’t, Rome. Don’t do this.”

“Don’t what? Announce to the world that I love you? Everything I own is yours, I already had my inheritance updated to include you, Persephone Wells. While you were digging bones, I was pretty busy myself. I was busy realizing how miserable my life is without you. How much you brighten my day with just a thought. How waking up to you sun-kissed and sweet every morning sounds like the only dream I want to come true. My parents divorced before I was out of high school, everyone was busy and we never ate family dinners together. We had a house full of family and I felt so lonely growing up. I’ve never been able to shake the loneliness. Not until you. You can run all you want, Pixie, but you’ll always be worth the chase.”

I slipped the round sapphire and diamond family heirloom ring from the velvet pouch and slipped it on her finger. “I’m yours completely. Let me take care of you.”

Wild tears pushed down her cheeks as I nestled the ring on her finger and waited, eyes trained on her. “You don’t know everything, I have a secret, the biggest secret and you might hate me when you hear it.”

“I could never.” I pressed a kiss to her rounded stomach over the fabric of her shirt. Her hands went to my hair and she whimpered. I lifted the hem of her shirt, placing wet kisses along her round abdomen and up to her navel. She cried and her tears dripped into my hair as her fingers clutched with the release of her secret. “I know everything I need to Pixie, I know you’re it for me.”