Island Doctor to Royal Bride?

But before he even had a chance to say a word she leaned across the car and put her head on his shoulder. ‘Oh, my goodness, I’m exhausted. It feels like being at the end of a twenty-four-hour shift.’ Her hand moved and rested against his chest. Her fingers gave a few anxious drums against his chest wall. ‘What do you think? Will you be able to make some plans?’

He stared down at the dark curls directly under his nose as the aroma from her orange shampoo drifted up around him. He couldn’t help but inhale. So much of today had been good. So much of the last couple of weeks had made his brain spin.

But the one thing that seemed entirely certain was the warmth and weight of the woman currently lying halfway across him. Their breaths were rising and falling in unison. He liked that. He liked that they seemed so in sync.

Last night it had seemed as if she was trying to take a step back. A step away from him and the life that he was designated to live. Now, he felt in perfect harmony.

‘Oh, yes,’ he said quietly. ‘I hope to be able to make some plans.’

He breathed in slowly. ‘Arissa?’ He asked the question quietly, conscious that she already had her eyes half closed.

‘Hmm?’ She raised her head, her eyelids still mainly closed.

‘There’s something I’d like to ask you to do.’

This time her eyes opened a bit further. ‘What?’ she asked sleepily.

He smiled. ‘There’s something on at the palace in a few days. A ball—of sorts.’

She sat up with a confused expression on her face. ‘But...’

He held up his hands. ‘This isn’t a normal royal ball. This one has no publicity, no press. It’s just for my mother’s oldest friends and family. We can go together and dance, and have fun. Nothing to worry about. You can...’ he touched her cheek ‘...keep your head below the parapet.’ He spoke carefully. ‘Would you come with me, Arissa?’

She sat a little straighter. ‘No press. No publicity. Only your mother’s friends?’

He nodded. ‘I have to admit my mother has a few friends. There will be a few other members of royal families across Europe.’

‘But no press?’ she asked again.

He smiled at her. ‘No press. You get to have the fun of attending a ball with free-flowing champagne, a small orchestra, and a world of canapés.’

She wrinkled her nose and looked down at her black suit. ‘I didn’t exactly bring any kind of ball gown with me. In fact, I don’t own any kind of ball gown.’

He gave a laugh. ‘Well, in that case. I can either take you somewhere to shop and buy you something new, or you could talk to my sister, who has a wardrobe that covers three rooms—or, you can speak to my mother. She has a bit of a collection of ball gowns from throughout the years. Truth is, in other circumstances I think my mother would be known as a hoarder.’

Arissa blinked her tired eyes. ‘How long do I have?’

He pulled a face. ‘Less than two days,’ he admitted.

She raised her eyebrows. ‘What?’ Now her eyes opened completely. ‘Philippe Aronaz, you’re giving me less than two days to find a ball gown for an event that will be filled with your family and friends?’

He shifted on the leather seat of the car. ‘Yip. That would be about right.’

She nodded her head then gave him a sideways glance. ‘Okay, so you’re offering to take me to a ball where I can be on your arm, dance my heart out, and not worry about it being in the news?’ She folded her hands in her lap. ‘I haven’t even met your mother yet—how can I ask to wear one of her old gowns?’

He shook his head. ‘She’s not been here. She’s been in Austria. She’ll be back tomorrow, and I can promise you right now that she’ll be delighted if you wear one of her gowns. Every year she tries to persuade my sister to pick something from her collection.’

Arissa rested her head back on his shoulder. ‘Okay, Philippe, you have a room full of dresses and you’ve invited me to a ball in the palace. It’s like you jumped into my childhood and found one of my kids’ fairy stories. How on earth could any girl say no to an invitation like that?’