Page 65 of Tabloid Princess

“Good. This will be more bearable if I can see you.”

“Prince Oliver…”

He lifted an eyebrow, but I shook my head, stubbornly not allowing myself to be distracted by his moonlit beauty.

“Tomorrow I go back to being Leia, Mum and charity worker, and you will still be the prince. This.” I motioned to the balcony. “This moment only exists here.”

“Tomorrow will you be going on a date with Molly’s brother?”

“What? Why would you even ask that?”

“It would ruin my weekend.”

“Stop that. Please don’t say things like that.”

“You haven’t answered.”

“No, I won’t be. I’ll be home, burning dinner, wondering if I will be able to get to work on Monday without someone taking a picture of me.”

He flashed a wide grin. “Well that sounds very similar to my day. Apart from dinner. I’m an outstanding cook.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I’m a prince. I can do anything.”

“Your ego is huge.”

He chuckled, a wonderful sound that set butterflies to flight in my stomach.

He paused by the door. I noticed for the first time the velvet curtain had been pulled back over.

“Leia.” Turning slightly, he dropped me a deep bow, his green eyes flashing up to my face. “Thank you for my birthday present.”

I had nothing suitable to say, so I just nodded instead. He motioned me back through the curtain. “You go first.”

Of course. We couldn’t be seen coming back through together alone.

It would have hurt, whether I wanted it to or not, if his fingers hadn’t caught mine and given a final squeeze as I walked away.

This was so bad.

As I found Molly and the others, checking to make sure no one saw where I came from, I knew I wasn’t walking back alone. I took an uncontrollable monster of desire with me, and I had no idea how to deal with the sensations the prince had woken with his kiss.

Fourteen

I slammed the front door, falling back against it. My journey home from work today had been erratic. I’d glanced over my shoulder the whole way, sure that someone knew what I had in my bag. The press had gone. The fact I’d arrived at the ball last night, but there had been nothing witnessed apart from a cursory dance with the prince in which we’d hardly spoken, had dampened the fire of gossip. What else happened the night of the ball stayed strictly between me and the future king.

Work had been almost normal.

Almost.

“Leia, is that you?”

“Yes?” My voice sounded unsteady to my own ears. It shook like my pulse, so it was hardly surprising Nana poked her head around the living room door to check it was definitely me.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” I tried to peel myself away from the door, but I was stuck against it, my limbs unwilling to move any further now I was within the safety of my own home.