“I’m not arrogant. I’m cocky.”
She threw another piece of bread at my shoulder. “Get over yourself.”
“How about you get under myself?”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the smile that formed on her lips. “If you weren’t so hot, I wouldn’t put up with this.”
“But I am hot—so I’m safe.” When I spent quiet afternoons with her like this, it gave me a new appreciation for life. I could be myself completely, saying whatever came to mind without thinking twice about it. When I was in the presence of other royals, I had to carefully articulate every single word. But with her, it was just easy. She made me laugh and feel good about myself. She brought me peace when I’d only known war.
She brought everything.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Hmm?” I lifted my gaze, realizing I’d been staring at my plate without eating.
“We were laughing one moment, and then you spaced out on me.”
I’d never been very good with words. I said the bare minimum and got to the point. It was easier that way. But to explain the complicated thoughts I’d just experienced…was pretty difficult. “I can’t explain it.”
“You can’t explain what you were thinking about?” she asked incredulously. “You could try.”
“Well…I was thinking about you and how much I love you. I guess that’s my best description.”
Instead of smiling, her eyes started to glow on their own. The sun wasn’t out today, so she wasn’t reflecting the light. The brightness came from deep inside her, from a place I couldn’t see. “I hated you so much when I first met you…but now I can’t picture my life without you.”
The words went straight to my heart because I knew how much she meant them. She lied to me when she first told me she loved me, but now there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I was her entire world. She gave up all of her dreams for me. She gave up her entire life. “I can’t picture my life without you either.”
I pulled London’s hand away from mine and hooked it around my arm instead. We walked up to the old palace in Manchester, the lawn ornaments glowing with celebration. The nighttime sky was deep blue instead of black, but the lack of stars didn’t dim the brightness of the party. The windows were lit up, and silhouettes could be seen through the tapestries. “This is the proper mannerism.”
“Proper, huh?” she asked. “Is it proper to fuck your woman in the ass just before leaving for a dinner party?”
I halted before the stone stairs and looked into her face, both aroused and impressed by her attitude. “Keep running that mouth, and I’ll do it again in one of the guest rooms.”
“Is that supposed to make me stop?”
Man, she was perfect. “You can hold my hand if you want. I’m just explaining the customs. It’s always so important to you to fit in.”
“Eh.” She shrugged. “I guess I don’t care that much anymore.”
“Just don’t spit on anybody, and you should be okay.” I started walking again.
“What’s the dude’s name again?”
“Dude?”
“Bro, whatever.”
I’d never get used to her American slang. “Duke Vasile of Romania.”
“Oh, okay. What’s his wife’s name? I mean, the duchess?”
“She’s dead. Passed away ten years ago.”
“Oh…”
“His daughter is Anna.”
“So she’s Princess Anna? Like in the Princess Diaries?”
“Huh?”
“It’s a movie in America. Never mind…”
I wasn’t going to bother learning about that piece of culture. “You refer to her as the Lady Anna.”
“Lady Anna?”
“Yes.”
“She’s not a duchess?”
“No. She only becomes a duchess if she marries a duke. If she marries a commoner, then she loses her title.”
She raised an eyebrow. “How do you know all of this?”
“Born into it.”
“So, if she married you, she would be a duchess?”
Now I raised both eyebrows, startled by the hypothetical question. “Yes.”
“So no matter who you marry, you never lose your title?”
“Correct.”
“Gotcha.” She nodded slowly.
We walked inside and joined the party. A symphony played in the corner, accompanied by a large grand piano that looked as ancient as the rest of the house. The manor had been restored, but most of the original work had been left alone. The walls had been touched up, but the moldings along the ceiling were original. Spending a lifetime among the nobility gave me a keen eye for this sort of thing.
I made my rounds and spoke to acquaintances and friends. London was quiet, but she was always polite and participated, even if she wasn’t entirely certain of the subject we were discussing. Her gold gown perfectly complemented the maroon colors of the manor, and I knew my designer was worth every penny. She knew how to make London look superior to every royal person in the room.
The duke was busy speaking to all the other guests of the party, so I took my time before I bombarded him. At least three hundred people were there. Even if we had a good conversation, he probably wouldn’t remember it.