Rationalizing as I texted her back, I ignored the tightening of my abdomen. I came here to experience America- not to sit around in a mansion. If I wanted to do that, I’d just have stayed in Kastav.
Chapter Nine Amelia
“Are you nervous?” Posing my question as I rolled to a stop in front of my parents typical, suburban home, I cast a sidelong glance at Erich to watch him nod firmly. He hid it well, making the choice to tell me, and I smiled as he inhaled deeply. “That’s okay. You’ll be fine. It’s my parents, Helen and her parents, and some of my cousins. Just let me know if it’s uncomfortable or overwhelming or anything, da?”
“It is already uncomfortable, and I have not even left the car, Amelia.” Erich’s drawling confession pulled an involuntary laugh from me, and I attempted to smother it with my palm. Tilting his head to stare at me straight on, his lips twisted between a smirk and a frown while I reached for my keys with my free hand. “I am glad you find this funny. I see what you really feel for me. You just want to torture me- send me back to Kastav a shriveled husk of a man traumatized by an American cookout.”
“That’s exactly my plan, Erich. I didn’t think you’d figure it out.” Rolling my eyes, I popped open the driver’s side door as Erich’s chuckle followed me on my way out of the car. Securing the locks with the remote, I twisted to grab my professional, digital camera off the center console while he climbed out of the passenger seat.
“You’re an evil woman deep down, Hübsche Frau.“ I didn’t try to stifle my laughter at that even while blood rushed up my neck to flood my cheeks, and Erich smirked slyly over the top of my dark blue car. For a split second, I could see it was almost the same color as his eyes, and I shut the door to step onto the sidewalk as he rounded the fron tend. “So, do you see your family often?”
“Yeah, pretty often… more so in the summer since it’s sort of an off season. No one wants their wedding to be ruined by the heat, so I mostly take local stuff that’s indoors.” My parents’ driveway was taken up and blocked in by cars, and we had to walk a good 50 feet to get to the end of the walkway. Taking the opportunity, I brushed aside the awkwardness of bringing a real prince to my parents’ house for a cookout. “Tyler usually comes, too, but he’s working really hard to get his movie done so he can send in his resume to his favorite movie studio. He didn’t come with us to the wedding in Wyoming, so I had to pay someone to unload the van. It was nerve-wracking… cameras and accessories are so fragile and expensive.”
“You don’t want him to stay on with you?” Taking the sharp left onto the pathway that broke off from the sidewalk, I only shrugged carelessly. Glancing at Erich out of the corner of my eye, my lip twitched in a smirk at the confusion swirling just under his tightly drawn brows.
“He doesn’t want to be a box boy for the rest of his life- just lugging equipment around, loading and unloading the van, and helping sort pictures. I don’t begrudge him for staying until it reached peak advantage. I mean, he did pay tens of thousands of dollars to go to school for cinematography, so he should do it with best wishes. It’s wrong to keep him from doing what he really loves just because I don’t want to hire a new box boy.”
“That is understandable, I suppose.” Our conversation trailed off as we paused before the plain, stained front door, and I grabbed the handle with easy familiarity. My childhood home was the same as it’s always been, and I shoved my keys into my pocket to take Erich’s hand when he hesitated.
“This is very quaint and nice…” Rounding the sofa and loveseat that took up a good portion of the living room, I nodded quietly as Erich’s tone exposed his nerves. “Did you take this picture?”
Stopping out trek next to the far end table, Erich carefully picked up a picture frame, and I shuffled closer to him to stare at the scene. My parents were grinning madly, the craze of their wedding day- of their love- shining in their eyes while cake covered the rest of their faces. Smiling fondly at the memory, I only nodded again as I reached to touch the dustless glass.
“Yeah. It’s my step-dad’s favorite picture. When the party was winding down, he shoved the entire rest of the cake on my mom’s dress, saying she’d never need it again. I was 18, just starting my first semester at university.” The brightness of mid-afternoon only intensified the photo, and Erich put the object down with cautious fingers. “Their wedding made me want to be a wedding photographer.”
“You’re lucky to have parents like this.” My heart fluttered at the dark thread in Erich’s tone, and butterflies flapped wildly in my belly when he turned his deepening eyes on mine. “My father tried to kill my cousin- the Crown Prince- out of jealousy when I was 14 years old. My uncle had him put to death.”
“That’s-… that’s really gruesome… and sad…” Sputtering and halting, my voice came out weak, and my breath caught against the lump forming in my throat. Narrowing his eyes on me, Erich’s breath fanning down my nose and face sent alarm bells ringing between my ears at how close we were. Heat flooded my cheeks as the moment seemed to drag on for far too long, and he cupped my chin gently to send tingles shooting down my neck and shoulders.
“At least I will experience it, no matter how fleeting.” My jaw unhinged from the dangerous weakness that weakened every muscle in my body, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from Erich’s. Thundering in my chest, my heart squeezed with each furious pump, and pleased thrill mixed thickly with my blood. For a fraction of a second, I managed one thought- and one thought only.
I want him to kiss me.
A loud, abrasive clearing of a throat broke our moment, and my eyes widened to comical size as Erich stiffened against my chest. I hadn’t realized exactly how close we’d become, and I stepped back quickly only for his fingertips to leave hot trails around my waist as they fell away. The fire of his touch seeped through my thin shirt, and I whirled around on low heels to find my step-dad watching us with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
“Dad!- Uh- it’s… I… I brought… someone. I hope you don’t mind.” Stammering heavily, I hid my hands behind my back and curled them into tight fists, and my face flamed at the long, stony look my step-father sent me. “This is Erich- Erich, this is my step-dad, Aleks.”
My step-dad just continued to stare hard at me for an extra few seconds, but the relief when he turned his attention to Erich was as heavy as the guilt that clawed at my throat. Glancing between the two, I nibbled my bottom lip furiously, and Erich stepped towards him to hold out his hand with a recovery time that absolutely shocked me.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Aleks. I apologize if I offended you.” Salt and pepper, bushy brows furrowed deeply at Erich’s greeting, and my step-father took his hand with a loud clap. If it’d been anyone else, I was sure that shake would break bones, but Erich only put on a grin-and-bear-it expression that carefully masked the pain.
“It’s been a long time since I heard that accent.” Speaking up in German, my step-dad rough voice filled the living room, and I held my breath as he broke the handshake. “You are from Kastav?”
Yes…” Erich spoke up in English, and he hesitated for a long moment before seemingly deciding not to tell my father he was a prince. “I’m in America for vacation.”
“I see.” Nerves twisted in my gut and ate at my ribs, and I frantically searched my mind for any situation that was even a fraction as nail-biting as this. My step-dad was never wrong about my relationships with men, and I nearly died right then and there as he scanned Erich thoroughly. “I hope you have an adventurous time.”
I choked on air when my step-father’s gaze flickered to me, glittering with a twinkle I’d never seen before. His feint accent sent thick goosebumps blanketing my flesh, and I stiffened as mild horror washed over me. Rushing forward, I grabbed Erich’s hand tightly, and my face flamed when he cast his intense gaze on me.
“Let’s go to the backyard. You should get whatever you came in to get, Dad, and I’ll go introduce Erich to Mom.” Ushering Erich around my step-dad without waiti
ng for a response, I held my breath on the way out of the living room and into the kitchen beyond. Only inhaling when I heard my step-dad heading up the stairs, I slumped my shoulders and tried fruitlessly to ease the tension zinging down my legs.
“I’m sorry- I did not realize… I-“
“No-“ Cutting off Erich’s apologies, I exhaled sharply only to fill my lungs as deeply as I could manage. His eyes filled with anxiety when I met them, and I forced a slight smile that I knew didn’t reach mine. “It’s not a big deal. It wasn’t you, Erich. It was… well- that doesn’t matter.”
My step-father’s glance, the sparkle in his gaze, flashed in my mind’s eye, and my cheeks threatened to melt off even as I shook my head wildly.
“That’s not it- I want to kiss you, Amelia…” The situation spiraled out of control, and I stiffened once again at Erich’s declaration. His eyes widened, flashing with surprise at his own words, and he released my hand to back up hastily. Pursing his lips into a thin line, he only drew my attention south, and I blinked hard before managing by the grace of God to look away.
Chapter Ten Amelia
The afternoon had slipped into early evening faster than I thought was possible, and I scoured through the pictures I’d taken over the course of the day. My step-father and Erich had gotten along, and neither of us had so much as whispered a word about what happened in the house. Sitting in the shade under a beach umbrella at the patio table, I wiggled my foot absently as I scanned photo after photo of Erich.
In each one, an easy, real smile painted his face; whether he was losing at bag toss or eating a bacon cheeseburger, his expression portrayed genuine emotion. Validation rippled through my chest and bounced off my ribs, and I sighed in content as the day replayed in my mind’s eye.
Things had gotten really awkward really fast, but they calmed down just as quickly once we’d emerged into the back yard. The grilling food that thickened the air helped a lot, and my cousins were all too happy to have another player for their games. Staring at a picture of Erich positively preening after winning a game of soccer, my slight smile widened at the broad grin that showcased his straight, white teeth.
“You never stop working, do you, Amelia?” Looking up at Erich’s rhetorical question, I didn’t bother thinking up an answer as he sat beside me in a plastic chair. “You were right- this was fun. It was more fun than I have had in a long time.”
“I’m glad. I’m just looking over the pictures I took. Want to see?” Shaking his head at my offer, Erich leaned back to raise his arms and support his head in laced fingers. He radiated pleasantness, and butterflies fluttered in my abdomen at the change it’d brought in him. Until now, he’d been rather gloomy, but none of those negative emotions were visible to me.
“Surprise me. I will not get the album for a few months, right?” Nodding as heat suffused my face, I ducked my head to continue flipping through pictures. Erich’s eyes bored into my profile, searing through the curtain of my hair, and I licked my lips heavily as goosebumps washed my arms and across my chest. “I can call my driver to come pick me up if I’m making you uncomfortable.”
My head whipped up at that, and my eyes widened at the seriousness in Erich’s voice. Opening my mouth before I could stop myself- before I could even make the beginnings of a sentence- my heart slammed against my chest as a thin thread of panic slithered into my veins.
“No, it’s okay- I’m not uncomfortable. I don’t mind driving you back.” Lying through my teeth, I clutched my camera more firmly while Erich arched a brow in disbelief. “Really, it’s not a problem, Erich.”
“… Alright. If you’re sure, Amelia.” No, I’m not sure I want to be in a car with you for at least half an hour, but who cares- I can’t take it back now. Careful to hide my thoughts from my expression, I fiddled with my camera for a moment before standing up. Following my lead wordlessly, Erich watched me as I went to hug my mom while she wrestled with tying a huge, black bag filled with trash. She hadn’t expressed any interest at all in knowing why I’d invited Erich, but I could see it in her eyes when she glanced at him.
It took Erich and I only a minute or two to reach my car, and I pulled out my keys to open the driver’s side door and grab my camera bag. Settling the device in slowly, I struggled to keep the anxiety pooling in my gut from traveling up to my heart and constricting my lugs. Sweat from the heat of the day beaded my neck, and it only grew thicker as I sat in my seat to put the camera on the floor just behind the center console.
Erich waited until I was seated before doing so himself, and I shut the door with a clammy palm. Jamming the key into the ignition, my fingertips tingled, and the blood racing through my veins began to pound in my ears. My car roared to life, and I only briefly wondered if driving was a bad idea right now.
The air conditioning blasted to life, and I gripped the wheel with both hands to flex my fingers wide. Staring out the windshield from under furrowed brows, I put my foot on the gas but didn’t press down as stillness invaded my muscles.
I was in a car… with a prince… who was very good looking… that had verbally spoken- out loud- that he wanted to kiss me. Who in their right mind wouldn’t take advantage of an opportunity like this?
Me- because I had no reason to want Erich aside from the fact that he’s sweet and confident and physically handsome and he’s also sort of my client which is a little thrilling.
Of the few times we’d hung out- the innumerable texts we’d exchanged- it was only natural to grow close, but that didn’t mean getting involved was a good idea.
“You’re infuriatingly easy to talk to about personal stuff.” Blurting out the declaration, I tensed in a futile attempt to avoid looking over. It didn’t work, of course, and a lump formed in my throat as Erich stared at me with narrowed, stormy eyes. “This is a terrible idea.”
“Maybe you’re due for a terrible idea…?” The question hanging off Erich’s suggestion surprised me almost as much as the fact that he’d made it in the first place. “I won’t lie- I only asked you to document this trip because I want to spend more time with you. When you said you used film… I can’t seem to get over it.”
“You could’ve slept with anyone at that wedding, though.” What the fuck did I just say that for? Watching through wide eyes as Erich pursed his lips to exhale through his nose, I held my breath while anticipation flooded my veins. Slowly reaching across the center console, he caressed my jaw with a featherlight touch that washed my skin in goosebumps.
“I could’ve. Why would I want them when I could need you?” The gravity of Erich’s question struck a chord in me, somewhere deep down, and I didn’t have the opportunity to even consider answering when he spoke up again. “You Americans always think attraction has to be everlasting. I will not be in this country for long, and I might not ever come back… so why would I waste my time when I can maximize it?”
“That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” My declaration earned me an almost tender smile, and Erich retreated to leave my face cold in a way that had nothing to do from the air blasting from the vents. “I’m- do you want to come to the office with me? I mean- if you’d rather not go back to Jason’s… I know you said you don’t like Kristen…”
The desperate stall that flew from my mouth was surprisingly steady, and I shuffled in my seat absently. Only feet from me, Erich nodded, and his smile morphed into one of excitement of the unknown. Gripping the wheel, I took a deep, steadying breath before stepping on the gas pedal. The staccato beat of my heart calmed as the car rumbled underneath me, and I exhaled softly as I pulled off the curb.
“So, do you have any siblings?” Erich didn’t let the silence get awkward, and relief sloshed through my chest as I shook my head. “I don’t either- for reasons you’re already aware of.”
“Yeah… uh- my mom and my step-father just didn’t have any kids of their own. My mom was 16 when she had me, and I think having another kind of scares her. My grandparents kicked her out when they found out
, so she was homeless for a while, I guess. She told me this story that when I was just born, a few people came from a homeless shelter and offered her a place to live until she could get on her feet. Then, when I was 7, she met my step-dad, and I met him when I was 9, and the rest is history.”
“My cousin has always been like a brother to me- we are the same age. He used to get into all sorts of trouble in the palace, and I always had to bail him out. He’s still the same way… very indulgent and averse to responsibility. I do not think I’d like having siblings.” Slowly weaving my way from street to street on my way to the highway, I couldn’t help but smile at the distaste that laced Erich’s voice. I didn’t know much about his uncle or cousins, and I kind of wanted to keep it that way. Kastav, from what I’d been able to find online, was very different than how he’d described it. His uncle was depicted in the news as a fair and loved ruler to his people and was described as having a great home life.
But Erich was barely mentioned anywhere at all, and I knew it was because of what his father did.
“My step-dad has cousins who have children, and my mom’s sisters and brother have kids, so I’m not exactly pining for a sibling either. Plus, she’s almost 42 years old- if my mom was going to have kids, it would’ve been a long time ago.” Coming up on the first traffic light that signaled the end of the suburbs, I slowed to a stop to turn down the air-conditioning. The soft, golden glow that enveloped my car was testament to how long I’d been at my parents, and I tapped my fingers on the wheel as I waited for the light to turn green.
“I understand that. My aunt and uncle are constantly trying to get Achim interested in women. I don’t think they realize that he’s a loser, and no woman would have him. Even the prospect of being Queen one day cannot get them to concede to his childishness. He would rather play video games in his room or go down into town if needed.” A laugh bubbled up in my chest, and the light turned green above my head to splay across my dashboard. Shaking my head, I caught Erich frowning out of the corner of my eye, and he caught my gaze for that split second until I turned back to the road. “It’s worrying. Sassa- his little sister- is much more suited to rule. No one has a problem with it except for my uncle.”
Princess for a Summer: An Amanda Clarke Novel Page 5
