The King and the Kindergarten Teacher (The Rebel Royals 1)

“I will now that I have your permission. Leo.”

Lady Teresa grinned. It was a lovely grin. She was a lovely woman.

They were still strangers. It would take time for them to become comfortable with one another. Leo had had years with his first wife. He needed to give this new courtship a few weeks, maybe even months.

“So, I’ll see you in a couple of days for the gala,” she said, pulling her phone from her purse and tapping buttons once more.

“I’ll be the one in the crown,” he said.

Lady Teresa looked up. She tilted her head to the side again and blinked.

“It was a joke,” he said.

“I know,” she smiled. “I just assumed you were a serious man.”

“I let my hair down every once in a while.”

She laughed at that causing Leo to grin. Thank goodness she had a sense of humor. Not that Leo cracked a lot of jokes. But he did want a different relationship this time, a warm one.

Maybe it wouldn’t take as long as he thought for them to become comfortable with one another. Maybe they could even start right now. When they’d said goodnight last night it had been with a curtsey on her part and a kiss to the knuckles on his. Maybe this time, it could be more.

Leo leaned in.

Lady Teresa blinked. Her head straightened. Then tilted.

Leo tilted his head to the opposite side so that when he landed, his lips would perfectly align with hers. But at the same moment, Lady Teresa straightened her head.

It was a slow descent. And just like a plane coming in for a rocky landing and needing air traffic control to guide their wings, Leo and Teresa spent a little bit of time with their heads tilting slightly left, then right, until …

How could their teeth meet before their lips? Then their noses mashed. All before their lips even met. It had to have been the worst kiss in history.

It was too late to adjust. Leo pulled back as she leaned forward. Now they both were leaning back. At least the crash landing had left no casualties.

“That was awkward,” Lady Teresa said.

“Yeah,” he grimaced.

“But better than my first kiss with Jorgey.”

It lightened the mood, but Leo was still horrified. “I shouldn’t have assumed I even could kiss you,” he said. “A ride to the airport isn’t exactly a first date.”

“In our world, a limo ride to my jet is the high point of courtship.”

“Now we’re going promenading around the park, but we’ll be in international airspace.”

Lady Teresa smiled at that. She did have a lovely smile. She leaned in again. This time, Leo held his ground, uncertain exactly where this was going.

Teresa pressed her lips just to the side of his mouth. Leo breathed her in. There was that pleasant scent again, of warm cinnamon. He could easily get used to it. He could be content to spend the rest of his days breathing it in. He could look forward to feeling her slightly firm lips pressed just off to the side of his. They would have a good life, a comfortable partnership.

“Safe travels, Leonidas.”

“You too, Teresa.”

He watched her walk away and into her jet. The belly of the gray beast swallowed her up and began its taxi. His possible betrothed was traveling on her own steel horse. Leo turned to his.

But not before giving America one last look. The sky was a riot of purples and pinks as day turned to night. The sun was fast setting on this adventure. It was time to get back to

his real world, tucked away on an island paradise filled with royal responsibilities.