by Leanne Banks
“It will make me less recognizable,” she said, and stumbled on the walkway.
He quickly righted her. “And if you fall because you can’t see?”
“Then you’ll catch me,” she said with a smile full of charm.
Treat wasn’t sure what to expect next from her. From the beginning, he’d known she was a strong-willed woman and she could be heartbreakingly fervent about people she was determined to protect. But that wasn’t all. He’d held her in his arms and she’d kissed him with a passion that that made his head spin. She’d apparently just taken Stefan to task, yet now she was determined to savor the moment.
As Ericka had predicted, only a few patrons occupied the bar when they entered.
“Let’s take a table by the ocean,” she urged, leading the way and stumbling again.
Treat grabbed her around her waist and guided her to a table. “If you keep falling, they’re not going to want to serve you any more alcohol,” he said.
“Oh, posh,” she said dismissively and waggled her fingers toward a server who immediately responded.
“Good evening. How can I help you?”
“Years ago, you made this lovely martini during the holidays. I can’t remember the name,” she said.
He nodded. “We called it Hollytini,” he said, and then listed the ingredients. “We renamed it the Holiday Princess because rumor has it that it was one of Princess Fredericka’s favorite drinks.”
Ericka cleared her throat. “Is that so? Isn’t that something?” she said to Treat.
“Isn’t it?” he said. “I’ll take a glass of beer.”
“Yes, sir. And you’d like the Holiday Princess,” he confirmed.
“Yes, please, but can you leave out the alcohol?”
He paused then nodded. “Of course,” he said as he walked away.
“I thought you wanted to celebrate with a drink,” Treat said.
“I don’t drink anymore,” she said nonchalantly. “What I really wanted was to look at the ocean while I sit in this romantic bar with my lover.”
Her words delivered a one-two punch. In another circumstance he would be all over her, but this time he couldn’t. He had to show restraint.
The server delivered the drinks and she lifted hers. “Cheers,” she said.
He took a drink of beer. “To Chantaine’s Holiday Princess.”
They lingered a few moments and Ericka told him about one of the many times she’d sneaked away from the palace to hit the clubs with friends.
“You must have been a terror,” he said. “No wonder your brother hired me. You should know that you wouldn’t have succeeded in any of that if I’d been your security detail.”
“I would have detested you for being a fussbudget,” she said.
He shook his head. “Wouldn’t have changed a thing.”
She smiled and took another sip of drink. “I’m way past high school.”
“I’ll say,” he agreed and paid the bill before they left. As soon as they got into the car, she threw herself in his arms.
“I want to be with you. How can I possibly wait for Nanny’s day off?” she whispered and pressed her mouth against his.
Treat kissed her in return then pulled back. “We need to go back to the cottage. Now fasten your seatbelt and stay in your seat,” he instructed firmly.
As soon as he pulled into the driveway, she began kissing him again. After just a few minutes, the windows steamed up and Treat felt like a horny teenager. Taking a deep breath, he set her away from him. “We’re adults. We can handle this.”
She frowned at him. “There you go being all responsible. You make it look so easy.”
“I told you it’s not easy,” he said, his lower body hard with need. “I’ll show you at the right time. Unless you want Nanny to know about us, now is the not the right time.”
She sighed. “You’re right. I apologize. You probably think I’m some desperately needy woman.”
He put his hand on hers. “I don’t. I think you’re an amazing and passionate woman. I need to protect you, and not just because it’s my job.”
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Treat received a call from the palace. “Mr. Walker, this is Glendall Winningham from the Palace Public Relations Department. We understand a story with photos about Princess Fredericka has hit an online paparazzi site. The palace prefers to be informed ahead of time of any possibilities of these kinds of stories. We will make a statement if necessary, but I had to tell you because interest in the princess may be elevated due to this story. I’m emailing the link to the story right away. Good day.”
Treat blinked as the call was disconnected. He hadn’t said a word, but he’d sure gotten an earful from the palace. Dread rumbled in his stomach. A story about Ericka? With photographers?
He pulled up his email and immediately read the story. Who Is Princess Fredericka’s New Mystery Man? A dark photo of her wearing her sunglasses sitting at bar with Treat supplemented the story.
He swore under his breath. This was what he’d wanted to avoid. If the paparazzi decided Ericka was interesting, she and Leo would be hard-pressed to find a moment of peace outside the gated cottage. He’d glimpsed the few steps she’d taken to enjoy a few outings. Now that would be nixed unless she was willing to risk more invasions of her privacy.
Rubbing his face, he considered doubling the warning system all the way to the curb. It would result in extra false alarms, but if it kept a telescopic lens from capturing little Leo wearing hearing aids, it would be worth it. Ericka was finding her way of dealing with the delights and challenges of meeting Leo’s special needs. She didn’t need any extra pressure from the press about it.
After he’d examined ways to extend the boundary around the fence, he walked next door to the cottage and knocked on the door before entering. Ericka, wearing pink pajamas with her hair piled on top of her head and sleepy-looking eyes, looked up from feeding Leo a bottle and smiled.
Treat felt his heart turn over at the sight of her. He’d seen her all glammed up, but something about the way she looked at this moment got to him. “Noisy night?” he asked.
“He had a rough time starting around four a.m. I think I’m going to throw a party when this tooth makes it through his gums,” she said. “How about you?”
“I got my four hours, so I’m good. I got a call from the palace this morning,” he said.
“I think I may have heard my phone vibrate, but I had to change a diaper and get his bottle, so I decided I’d check after he’s feeling more human,” she said. “Who was it?”
“Glendall Winningham,” he said.
“Oh, my. Mr. Stuffy PR. Bet that was a fun call. Why in the world did he call you?” she asked.
Treat glanced down the hallway. “Before I finish, where is Nanny?”
“Asleep. She’ll get up in an hour and leave this afternoon for her night off,” she said. “What is this about?”
“Apparently an online paparazzi newspaper has published a photo of you. And me,” he said.
Her eyes widened. “Where?”
“At the bar last night. The title of the article is Who Is Princess Fredericka’s New Mystery Man?”
Ericka stared at him for a moment then burst out laughing, accidentally pulling the bottle from Leo’s mouth. The baby glanced up at her, his little mouth forming a pout, clearly gearing up for a good wail. “Oh, no, no. You’re fine,” she said to her baby, rubbing the nipple of the bottle against his lips. He let out a half cry then happily found the nipple and began feeding again.
“Why are you laughing about this?” Treat asked.
“Because it’s Stefan’s fault,” she said, and giggled again, this time with more restraint so she wouldn’t upset Leo. “I told him to get a low-profile security man or ev
en a woman, but no, he chose you. No one will possibly believe that you’re a nanny for Leo or my assistant. You’re just too—” She sighed. “Male.”
“So you’re not at all worried about this?” he asked. “Because the PR guy warned you could receive additional unwanted attention because of this.”
She made a face. “That’s true, but I can’t tell you how many times they’ve made up stories about me or my sisters or brothers. Hopefully it will pass soon enough.” She paused. “There was only one photograph? If they’d taken one of me kissing you in the car...”
“Only one,” he said. “But this means we have to be more careful.”
“I think you mean I have to be more careful. I’ll try to control myself in public,” she said.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you and I to—”
“You’re bailing on me after a dark photo. The palace will make a statement that there’s no mystery man and that you are merely security.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want to feel as if I’m begging you.”
“You’re not begging,” he said, feeling torn between doing what he thought was best for her and what he wanted. “I just—”
“I don’t want to talk anymore. I’ve had more than my share of wishy-washy men,” she said, rising to her feet.
He blinked at her. “Wishy-washy?”
“Thank you very much for the information. I have other things to do. Good day,” she said as she walked away from him.
Treat nearly got frostbite from her abrupt, icy and very royal dismissal. Whoa. He wondered if she’d learned that in princess school. Lord help him if he had to deal with that on a regular basis.
Treat returned to the man cave and focused on his work. He noticed Nanny’s car departing the driveway and Simon arriving with food and fresh laundry delivery. The more the thought about Ericka, the more he realized that the woman had a point. Her husband had bailed on her and Treat had given her a ton of mixed messages.
He walked to the cottage and knocked on the door then stepped inside. Ericka was trying to lure Leo into turning over by moving one of his toys next to his side. “Come on,” she said. “You can do it.”
Sam scampered next to the toy, his head moving every time Ericka moved the toy.
Leo let out a loud guttural yell.
Accurately reading her baby’s sound of frustration, she gave the toy to Leo and he clutched it as he continued his push-ups. Sam looked disappointed and wandered to Treat to wind around his ankles and stamp out his human smell.
“Close. Very close,” she said, but didn’t meet Treat’s gaze. “If you’re checking on us, as you can see we’re fine.”
“I came to apologize,” he said.
Her head jerked upward and she gaped at him. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve been thinking about it and I have been sending you mixed signals. One minute, I’m pushing you away because I’m trying to be professional. The next I’m all over you and can’t get enough of you.”
She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Which is the real Treat Walker?”
“You already know the answer to that. Both. I could quit and we could see how things go,” he said.
“I don’t want you to quit. I want you to stay.” She shook her head in frustration. “Can’t we just take this one day at a time right now? Can you just let it be okay that you like me?”
His feelings for her ran much deeper than like, but he didn’t want to muddy the waters any more than he already had. “Yeah. I’ll give it a try.”
“Good,” she said. “Simon brought Chinese food tonight. Would you like to take it back to the man cave with you? Or would you like to join me?”
“I’d like to join you,” he said. And it occurred to him that she deserved a man who would court her. He suspected there had been plenty of men who had tried to win her over, but somehow he’d had the dumb luck of getting her attention. He wouldn’t take the gift of her interest and passion lightly, but he still didn’t know how this could turn out without a world of hurt for one or both of them.
Treat and Ericka shared the delicious meal and Ericka charmed him with more stories from her childhood years in the palace. It turned out her sister Bridget had instigated quite a bit of mischief, and the sisters had often plotted how to loosen up their stuffy older brother.
“Bridget was always a fashionista. She was very adept at getting out of palace duties until Valentina and I married our husbands. Then she fell for an American doctor who had become a father to his brother’s baby’s twins. At first, no one believed it. She’s the kind to wear heels on the beach,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“It sounds like you managed to enjoy at least part of your childhood,” he said.
“I did. We all did. I think Stefan and Valentina took the brunt of the work. It was drilled into Stefan from the time he was born that he was the heir, so he needed to always excel. My mother died when my sister Valentina was in college,” she said. “That was hard on all of us.”
“You miss her,” he said.
“I miss what I wished I’d had with her. I’m determined to make sure Leo has a totally different experience with his mother,” she said.
Treat nodded. “Good for you.”
“And what about you? What about your parents?” she asked.
He wanted to turn away, but her eyes were warm with compassionate interest. “My dad died young and my mother was overworked. She tried, but I can hardly remember time when she wasn’t tired. Between taking care of my brother and trying to make a living, she could hardly catch a break.”
“Your brother,” she said. “You have a brother. Is he like you?”
He shook his head. “He had some health problems.”
“Oh. I’m sorry,” she said.
He shrugged. His inability to make life better for his mother and brother was his life’s greatest failings. Now that they were gone, he would never have that opportunity again. They were gone forever.
Leo interrupted his sad memories with a plaintive sound.
Ericka immediately turned to him in his baby seat. “Are you feeling a bit ignored?” she asked her baby and rubbed his chin. He kicked and stared up into her face intently.
“How does it feel to have a little person adore you so completely?” he asked
She smiled softly. “It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve experienced. Of course, he doesn’t adore me every minute. If he’s hungry or uncomfortable or teething, that whole adoration thing goes right out the window. Diaper change, bath and bottle now,” she said, and then shot him a sly look. “Wanna help?”
“I think I’ll leave that to the expert,” he said, and rose. “I’ll check the perimeter and confirm that the alarm system is in place.” He paused. “I could come back if you like.”
She nodded. “I’ll see you in about an hour.”
Anticipation thrummed through Treat as he conducted his evening duties. As much as he fought it, he wanted to hold Ericka against him and taste her lips again. He’d tried his best to stop thinking about the night they’d shared together, but her memory was blazed on his mind and body. And the more he learned about her, the more he wanted her.
Returning to the cottage, he gave a soft knock then entered and found her sitting on the sofa reading from her computer tablet. She looked up and rose from the sofa. “I just put the kettle on. Would you like a cup of tea?” she asked.
He wrinkled his nose. “The only kind of tea I drink is sweet iced tea. I’ll fix myself a glass of water.”
“As you know, I spent most of my pregnancy in Texas with my sister Valentina. Her husband is a big fan of your iced tea.” She made a face. “I much prefer mine hot with a little milk.” She poured her own cup and led the way back to the den. “I was just reading about the surgery Leo will be receiving as early as J
anuary or February. I’m terrified that they will have to perform general anesthesia. When I think about it, I’m not sure I can go through with it. But I must if I want to give him the best possible future. It will not magically heal him, but he will be able to hear when he’s wearing the external device.”
“Will it affect his speech?” he asked.
“It should. Even with the surgery, there are many adjustments that will need to be made and lots of training. We’re fortunate because Stefan has connections in Italy where there are several highly trained surgeons who’ve performed the surgery many times. It’s likely that Leo and I will travel there for the actual surgery. Every time I think about it, my hands shake from nervousness,” she said, and set her tea on the small table next to the sofa.
Treat felt an odd twisting sensation in his chest. He hated seeing her so distressed. Put down his glass of water, he covered her trembling hands. “You don’t need to let this upset you. My mom always said we’ve got plenty to worry about today. We don’t need to borrow trouble from tomorrow.”
“She sounds like a wise woman,” she said.
“She was,” he said.
“I’ll bet she was very proud of you,” she said.
“Hope so,” he said. He hoped he’d been some comfort to her during her hard, hard life.
“Distract me,” she whispered, leaning closer to him. “Distract me from worrying about the future.”
She was so sweet and genuine he couldn’t possible refuse her. He lowered his head and gently took her mouth. Her lips were sweet and plump, her response both giving and wanting. The combination made him hungry, but he was determined to take his time. As much as he wanted to run his hands all over her and sink inside her, he wanted to savor the taste of her, rub his fingers over the bones of her cheeks and stroke her silky hair.
He kissed her for what could have been seconds or hours, but he knew when she wanted more. She squeezed his shoulders and rubbed her breasts against his chest. Arousal thrummed through his body like a drum. Knowing the tempo and his need would only increase, he continued to make love to her mouth.
