He waved me off. “You aren’t my manager, Kenley. I’ve got this.”
I put my hands on my hips. “No one is your manager right now. Let me help.”
He sighed. “All right. But I don’t want this to consume our morning. I’m only dealing with him because we’re in the U.S. and he’s still in Galona. He refuses to return to his post in D.C.”
He pulled me into his lap so I could read the message from his vantage point.
“Well. He is making things difficult, isn’t he?” It was funny how quickly I had forgotten the problems we had with the ambassador.
“Do you like what I have so far?” He pointed to the response below.
I nodded. “But I’d move this around and change this sentence entirely.”
“And what would you have it say?”
I scrunched my nose. “Something like this.” I typed out a new paragraph to tag on the beginning.
Nic read it and huffed. “Why are you so fucking good at this stuff?”
I laughed. “You realize I have a secondary degree after college in royal history, protocol, etiquette, international affairs, war and defense?”
“Oh, just those things?”
I kissed him lightly. “Just those things. Along with ten different languages.”
He growled. “I liked that language you spoke last night.”
He gripped my ass and I shivered. God, I had liked it too. What had gotten into me? It was amazing. I’d never felt so connected to anyone. Nic and I were on a completely different level.
“Me too,” I whispered. “I’m glad I waited to speak it with you.” I rubbed the scruff on his face. He hadn’t shaved yet this morning.
He kissed my palm. “You are my everything, princess. Thank you for saving that gift for me.”
I pressed my forehead to his. Was this real? I was in love. I was happy. I was having the most amazing sex of my life. There had to be a catch. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I’ll send your changes and meet you in the sunroom for breakfast. I’m hoping we can avoid a trip to D.C. while we’re here. I want to focus on Adaline.”
I hopped off his lap. “All right. Did the kitchen staff return?” I asked.
He laughed. “No. No one has been back at the house. I think we’re going to have to have one of our aides explain how they should run a royal house. I must have scared them.” He chuckled again.
“I could do that, you know.”
“No.”
I sighed. “Ok. I’ll make the coffee while you work on diplomacy. Give my regards to the ambassador,” I teased.
I waltzed down the hall, noticing for the first time how unique the artwork was on the walls. There were placards by each piece explaining the works were by local artists. I froze when I saw the name of the gallery. They had all been purchased from Sophia’s collection.
It made sense. She had been an art collector in Freychon. Her love of the arts was how she and Dominic met. I wanted to pull the paintings down, but I couldn’t. Not now. This wasn’t my home.
By the time I reached the kitchen I was desperate for coffee. There was an entire coffee bar, but I couldn’t figure out how to get the water to pour into the pot. There were too many buttons. I didn’t need a coffee computer. Just a coffee pot.
I picked up the carafe and carried it to the sink faucet. I was tired of trying to work the machine.
That’s when I saw the empty wine bottle on the counter.
I closed my eyes.