Page 113 of Handle Me

“No shop talk,” Smith interrupted, shifting a giggling Penny in his arms. “It’s a party.”

“Says the man who hired me to go to dinner with him,” she said dryly. Belle blinked. “That didn’t sound right.” She looked at me. “I wasn’t an escort.”

“Just a very personal assistant,” Smith added.

“Not helpful.” She knocked his shoulder, looking at him with such obvious adoration I felt a twinge of jealousy. Soon that would be me, standing next to the love of my life. I just had to wait.

“I need to get this one a new nappy,” he told her, and she sighed.

“Let me help.” She shot me an apologetic smile and headed into the palace with him.

I hated feeling jealous of them, especially after the year they had endured. Belle deserved the happiness she now radiated. I just wished I could show off my own glow.

I walked over to the gift table to put down my present and smiled when I saw the collection of teddy bears assembled like a small guard. A shadow fell over me and I turned to say hello to whoever was joining me.

And froze.

“In my defense,” Anders said, carrying a toddler-sized racecar with blue stripes down its sides, “I was invited.”

“You’re here.” I didn’t move, afraid he would vanish into smoke if I did.

“I’m here, boss. Mind if I set this down?”

“Y-yes. I mean, no,” I fumbled, moving out of the way. My heart sped up as I drank him in. He was clean-shaven—a rarity—and he had on the blue suit we’d picked out last summer. His hair, which he’d let grow past his ears was tucked behind them now. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn’t expected to see him here, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from him.

When he turned, he shot me a smirk that told me he knew exactly how good he looked.

“I can’t believe you came.” I wasn’t sure what was weirder: seeing my boyfriend at a family event or the fact that it was weird at all.

“Can I tell you a secret?” He glanced around us like he didn’t want to be overheard. “I decided to come a few days ago. I already had the car bought. Wills is going to be a rebel like his uncle.”

I snorted. “Alexander will love to hear that.” I shook my head, trying to process what he was really telling me. “But we had plans for me to come to Silverstone.”

“Yeah, which is why I felt like shit for forgetting to remind you about the party.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes roving down me as he spoke. “Are you mad I’m here? I wasn’t sure you would want me to come.”

“Mad?” I blurted out. Surprised? Yes. Slightly turned on by the show of familial duty? Also yes. Okay, very turned on.

“Anderson!” Clara called, and we moved away from each other like we were kids getting caught with the cookie jar. “You came! I can’t believe it.” She leaned in to give him a hug. “We’re so glad you’re here.”

Anders lifted his eye to a spot in the distance, and I knew he was looking for Alexander. To his credit, he simply said, “Of course, I came. We’re...family.”

Clara and I shared an incredulous look, quickly moving in for a hug before we made him uncomfortable.

“Did you talk him into this?” she whispered in my ear, and I felt a stab of panic. Had she figured it out?

“I had no idea.” That much was true.

A shrill cry rose in the air and we pulled apart, Clara immediately switching to mom mode. “Elizabeth fell! I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Parenting seems like a lot of work,” I told Anders when she left. Dashing off to change nappies and kiss boo-boos and plan parties.

“It doesn’t look so bad to me,” he murmured, his voice taking on a gruffness that sent my mind straight to the bedroom.

I raised an eyebrow, even though my center went molten. Seeing Anders here around his family was much hotter than I’d expected. “You know I think I left something inside.”

“What a coincidence. I think I did, too.” He winked at me.

We started back to the palace, stealing small touches as we walked. Each brush of his hand on my wrist, my shoulder, the small of my back stoked the flame growing inside me. I’d seen him last weekend, but it might as well have been an eternity. The same hunger blazed in his eyes. I couldn’t look away.