Courted: Gowns & Crowns, Book 1

by Jennifer Chance

  She might get up and brazenly waltz into Kristos’s shower, only she wouldn’t really know what to do once she got there. As beautiful as Garronia accommodations were, they were tiny, built to a European scale. Both the hotel shower and the one in her guest bedroom here had been about the size of a coffin and just as inviting.

  Or she could maybe go all ’40s bombshell and loll back against the pillows? Except most of those were on the floor, it looked like. Maybe she should just fake going back to sleep?

  The sound of a buzzing phone made her jerk her head to the right. Kristos’s phone. Not the one that he’d given her either. Was there news from the castle?

  And had she really just had a thought that involved the word “castle”?

  Emmaline had gathered enough sheets around her for dignity when the shower shut off. It was way too late for her to try a loll, but she attempted nonchalant, turning toward the door of the bathroom, as—

  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

  Kristos paused in the doorway, wiping his face and chest with a snowy-white towel before tossing it back into the bathroom. That left only a towel wrapped around his hips, a very loosely wrapped towel, slung very low around his hips, and baring the most incredible expanse of rugged, battle-scarred male torso she’d ever seen in her life. The ridges of his abs alone were worth a study all on their own, and—

  “Good morning.” Kristos’s words brought her gaze up with a snap. He looked more than a little amused as he strode over to her, putting his big hands on her shoulders and squeezing her gently as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. Then he was off again, turning away to pick up his still-buzzing phone. “I hope I didn’t wake you, or that this thing didn’t.”

  “I was awake.” Em broke off as he held up a finger.

  “I’m sorry, I must take this one, of all of them.” He tucked the phone against his ear, rummaging through his dresser drawers. Emmaline heard the word “mana” and that more than anything else had her out of the bed and diving for her dress while Kristos’s back was turned. She didn’t know much Garronois, but in Greek, even she knew that “mana” meant “mom.”

  She suddenly felt like she was seventeen again, hiding out in her boyfriend’s basement while he convinced his mom he was playing Xbox. What was she doing in a prince’s bed?

  Scratch that. Nobody could fault her for that. But why had she stayed?

  She scooped up her underwear and bra and waved to Kristos, pointing at the door. He frowned at her, but she didn’t give him a chance to argue. She was not going to have him cut short a conversation with his mother, for God’s sake, to talk to the girl still hanging out in his bedroom.

  Fortunately, there were no maids scurrying through the hall, and Em hurried across the small space and into her room, closing the door behind her as she glanced around. The room looked…completely unused.

  What would the housekeeper think? Em moved immediately to the bed and pulled out the sheets, making it look reasonably rumpled, then dropped her underclothes on it. She entered the bathroom and considered the tiny rain-shower-style stall, but turned resolutely away to stare at her face. Lovely. She hadn’t had much makeup on, and most of that had worn off, but she still looked bedraggled with her mussed hair and tired eyes. She turned on the faucets and scrubbed at her face, praying that the water would calm her overheated skin.

  “Emmal—”

  “What!” She whirled, half screaming the word, and staggered against the sink, embarrassment flaring anew as Kristos stepped back with a laugh.

  He held out the phone. “Your friend Lauren is on the phone and wants to be sure I haven’t molested you,” he said, his eyes alight with humor. “I decided this was a question better answered by you.”

  Oh no. Em shook her head furiously, but Kristos stepped farther into the room, holding the phone out to her. He shook it, and she scowled, grabbing the phone from him then turning back toward the sink.

  Of course, the sink was topped with a broad mirror, so she was treated to another view of Kristos’s extraordinary shirtless upper body, his grin now threatening to split his face in two.

  “Lauren! Hi!” Em said, glaring at Kristos’s reflection.

  “Are you okay? You can say you have a headache if he’s done anything to you.”

  Em blinked. “No! No, no. It’s been wonderful here.” She shooed Kristos away, but instead he stepped forward, crowding into her. “We’re staying at a friend’s chateau or whatever and, I guess, waiting for the story to die down.”

  “Well, it’s dying from lack of oxygen, I’ll give these guys that. There hasn’t been so much as a royal dust bunny allowed out into daylight since we got here, and we might as well be in quarantine for all the direct sunlight we’ve seen. Even the party planners for this big Accession Ball thing later this week have all had to come to the castle, which apparently is upsetting the locals because they were looking forward to the return of the royal family to the streets. Store owners are starting to take potshots at the paparazzi.”

  “That’s good, right?” Em stiffened as Kristos lifted a lazy right hand and drew it along her cheek, his own gaze riveted on the mirror. She swallowed any reaction and struggled to keep her voice steady. “Have they given any indication when we might come back?”

  “The queen’s pretty ticked off that you’re not here now, actually. From what I overheard with her just now when she and Special K were talking, I think you’ll be back tomorrow. That feels about right. The ball and everything is on Friday, which of course we’ve been invited to, so you’ve got to have time to get ready for that.”

  Special K? Em’s gaze connected with Kristos, and she got the reference. That more than anything helped take her mind off the fact that Kristos was leaning forward now to drop a kiss on the crown of her head, both of his thick arms bracketing her in place against the sink.

  “And are we still going to be here for the ball?”

  “Well…the royal family of Garronia is outfitting us in designer gowns—which they will then ship back home for us. So you better believe we’re still going to be here,” Lauren said. “But—um, Prince Charming isn’t anywhere close, is he?”

  Em’s gaze connected with Kristos’s in the glass, and she suddenly understood his deeply focused attention. “I can get him?”

  His narrowing eyes told her that he noted her nonanswer.

  “Yeah, no,” Lauren said. “You might want to let him know that Mommykins has six or seven brides-to-be picked out for his review the moment he gets back. It’s totally The Bachelor: Royals Edition down here, and I swear to God, it wouldn’t surprise me if there’ll be a rose ceremony before the week is out. Probably would be good for him to be prepared.”

  Em’s brows lifted as Kristos closed his eyes and shook his head. She watched as he pulled away from her and left the bathroom. “I’ll tell him. Are the others okay?”

  “Nicki’s about to lose her mind, and Frannie’s good as long as she’s by a pool with access to her magazines. They’ve rigged up this inner courtyard so you’re outdoors enough to get a tan, yet sheltered from aerial view at the same time. Pretty cool. Nicki got to use the training facilities here, but she’s still ready to climb the walls. Literally.”

  “And you?”

  “Well, the queen’s been most forthcoming about how to run a castle. You never know when that might come in handy.”

  Em was still laughing when they disconnected, and she exited the bathroom to find Kristos staring out the window.

  “Thanks for letting me use your phone.” He took it from her and pocketed it, still looking out over the forest. “You—were you expecting your mother to call?”

  “I’d hoped to avoid it. I’m sure she thinks the story of the ball will further take the attention off you and your friends, and I am glad for that, of course.”

  “But it doesn’t take you out of the spotlight.”

  “That it definitely does not. The actions of the crown prince are always the most interesting for the first f
ew years after he takes up his royal duties, though. I remember my brother saying that.”

  She hesitated, realizing that they’d never actually spoken about Ari Andris. And what exactly would she say? Sorry that your brother died? She’d known this man for all of one day. And yet…

  Before she could lose her nerve, Emmaline reached out and touched Kristos’s arm. “I’m sorry, Kristos. All this must remind you of losing him.”

  He covered her hand with his and squeezed it, as if she were the one who needed comfort, not him. “Every day. And it’ll get worse before it gets better, as Cyril is fond of saying.” He turned and regarded her, his expression serious again. “We could leave today, if that would be better for you. There’s no real reason we can’t sneak our way into the castle this afternoon instead of tomorrow. Would you like that?”

  Startled, Em searched his gaze, hoping he wasn’t trying to get rid of her. But when she answered, her response had far less to do with accommodating the needs of a reluctant prince struggling to begin his official life than with her own desperate need to store up every precious memory she could. “Well, let me think. Up here in the mountains, I have you all to myself,” she teased. “Why would I go and change that? They can have you for the rest of their lives, right? I can certainly have you today.”

  His answering laugh made her feel like she’d scored some sort of victory. At least until the gleam in his eyes turned speculative, and his words came out in an accented drawl. “And how would you like to have me, exactly?”

  Em couldn’t fight the blush, but Kristos was already stepping close to her, lifting his hands to her cheeks and leaning down to drop a lingering kiss on her lips. He tasted like mint and cinnamon, and Em’s mind flashed back to how she’d felt in his arms…and in his bed. “Because, I confess, I have some ideas.”

  It was another three hours before Kristos could begin to put his plans for Emmaline into action, though. A soft knock on her door and a lilting voice had interrupted them even as he was considering trying out the bed in her room, the maid letting them know that breakfast was waiting for them both on the veranda. After Emmaline had convinced him she didn’t need any help dressing herself, he’d met her downstairs a few minutes later, unsurprised to see Dimitri already there, helping himself to the spread of fruits, meat, cheese, and pastries.

  Emmaline had been entranced by everything the staff had put in front of her, her enjoyment so pure it made him ache. What was her life really like back in Missouri? Besides the terrible lovers she’d endured?

  That thought made him happy, and she turned to him now, her death grip on the roll bar of the ATV relaxing only slightly as they straightened out of a turn and headed deeper into the forest. “Why are you laughing?”

  “Because you need to let go of the car before you hurt yourself. You want to hold on to something, hold on to me.”

  “I could give her other options that are far more worthwhile.” Dimitri shouted this from the backseat, where he’d insisted that he ride as he accompanied them both to Estral Falls. Kristos hadn’t informed Emmaline of their destination, and her genuine curiosity told him she had no idea she’d been the impetus behind their impromptu journey. She also, he was learning quickly, had absolutely no sense of direction.

  Dimitri entertained her with stories about the local wildlife, and Kristos concentrated on driving the narrow and occasionally blocked “road” that led through Theo’s property and then through the national park. Estral Falls was technically on private property, but that issue had been cleared away easily enough. Still, it was a leak to the outside world of where they were, and perhaps one leak too many. Tomorrow morning they would have to bid good-bye to this place or risk Theo’s home becoming the center of a media blitz.

  When they finally cleared the last stretch of trees and entered the valley of the falls, Emmaline looked up—then stared. Unexpectedly, tears seemed to shine in her eyes, and she looked away sharply, swallowing hard.

  Dimitri’s startled look at Kristos in the rearview mirror was followed by a roll of the bodyguard’s eyes. “This is good!” Dimitri called out, banging the roll bars and causing Emmaline to jump. The sudden downshifting of the vehicle seemed to help her compose herself, though, and she frowned as Kristos slowed the vehicle, allowing Dimitri to jump out easily.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Dimitri has equipment to test,” Kristos said, enjoying the play of emotions on Emmaline’s face as she realized the two of them would be continuing alone. “He wanted a more remote location, and we’ve got it.”

  “It’s certainly that.” Still, she settled back in her seat and seemed to relax again. As the light ricocheted off the glassy lake below, she leaned forward. “I think—I think I saw this last night. From your room.”

  “Did you?” Kristos drove up to the edge of the lake, a natural rocky outcropping that framed the crystal waters perfectly. “This place has a rich tradition with our family, especially since it is one of the few nonpublic treasures of Garronia that we don’t own.”

  “Someone owns this? It’s not a national park?”

  “No, despite long generations of lobbying. But in return, it remains pristine and cared for, and that has value too.”

  “It’s stunning.” Emmaline’s awed voice made him unaccountably pleased, as if he’d given her a present she’d never expected.

  “We have only a few hours before Dimitri finishes his work, then he’ll be back to demand lunch and bore you with more of his stories,” Kristos said. “So here.” He reached into the back and picked up a small cloth bag. “Change.” He tossed it to her.

  She frowned, opening the bag. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I know you’re a good swimmer, or you would not have held up so well in the open water,” he said. “And I promise you, away from the falls, the water is warm, and there are no unexpected currents to worry about. The falls that feed this place empty into a river at the far end of the pool, but the opening there is narrow, and you will not even notice the water moving in that direction. You’ll be safe.” He shrugged. “Or safe enough.”

  Emmaline narrowed her eyes. “Well, do me the courtesy of turning around or something. God only knows what size you put in here.”

  Kristos looked on approvingly as she pulled out the two-piece suit—vastly different from the functional red tank suit she’d worn at the beach.

  “Really? Strings?”

  “One size fits most,” he offered. But per her instructions, he turned away and pulled off his own shirt, aware from the sounds behind him that she’d stopped to watch him do so. He unbuckled his pants, and she started scurrying again, only to stop once more when he removed both his pants and briefs and strode naked toward the water. He didn’t stifle his grin as he stepped up on the rocks. “It’s deep enough to dive here, but be careful of the bottom. It can be rocky.”

  Whatever response she gave was lost as he plunged into the crystal-clear pool. By the time he surfaced, Emmaline was at the water’s edge, looking dubiously over the side. “No matter how I hit the water, this thing is going to come flying off me,” she grumbled, tugging on the edge of the suit. It looked, as he’d expected, absolutely perfect on her. But it would look much better off.

  “I’ll watch for it.”

  “I bet.”

  Surprising him, she took a few steps back from the edge of the pool, then raced forward, hurtling over him and curling her body into a ball such that she landed with a tremendous splash. The burst of water had him turning away, and by the time he spun back around, she was stroking hard and sure across the water, toward the falls.

  He propelled his body forward to swim after her. The sun on his back, water sluicing around him—it was as if he had been granted another unexpected reprieve. Whenever he thought of Emmaline in the years to come, he would always think of her as this: a final reprieve between the life he’d been born to live, and the life he was forced to take on.

  Chapter 12

  Emmaline surf
aced in front of the crashing sheet of water. Estral Falls was a pretty straightforward waterfall, a torrent spilling over sheer, high cliffs.

  As she regarded the watery wall, Kristos barreled into her and answered her question about what lay beyond the foaming falls. They burst through the cascading water into a narrow, tranquil pool beneath filtered sunlight, framed by cliff walls. Kristos turned with her in his arms, his head cocked as he peered up into the shadows.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “Just looking. It’s been a while since I’ve come here.” He glanced back to her as his treading stopped. “Don’t kick hard—the rock juts out to form a ledge, and it will damn near break your feet if you aren’t careful.”

  Em braced her hands on his arms as she tried touching down. She could reach the bottom, but not easily. “I’m not quite tall enough,” she spluttered, coming up for breath.

  He grinned. “I’ll guess I’ll have to hold you, then.”

  Before she could say anything else, he dipped his head toward her. At first, he kissed her lightly, almost as a friend, then his arms tightened and he pulled her close. With the buoyancy of the water, Em lifted her legs easily and locked them around Kristos—remembering too late that he wasn’t wearing swim trunks. His dark golden eyes flashed as she pressed up against him.

  “You’re still overdressed. This is becoming an unfortunate trend.”

  “It’s your fault for choosing such sturdy swimwear for me.” Em circled her arms around his shoulders and leaned back from him. “I totally thought it would—hey!”

  Kristos’s right hand returned to her side, his left smoothly drawing the remains of her swimsuit bottom out from between her legs. “Another benefit of the string bikini,” he murmured as he tossed the suit toward the falls. “Easy access.”