He straightened his shirt. “I’ll go inside and see who that is.”
“I’m going to stay out here for a moment.” She just needed a second or two alone to gather her thoughts.
He gave her a quick kiss and walked away.
A deep sadness replaced the joy in her heart because she knew that just like Cinderella, when the ball was over, she would turn back into a pumpkin. Her life and that of the prince wouldn’t—couldn’t—intersect again.
* * *
The next evening, Demetrius’s shoulders sagged.
He was exhausted.
And now he had to do something that would only succeed in upsetting Zoe. He clutched the day’s newspaper in his hand as he knocked on the door. Accustomed to coming and going without any formality, he let himself inside.
He was immediately greeted by the most delicious aroma of butter and sugar. Was Zoe baking? His steps came a little quicker as he made a beeline for the kitchen.
Sure enough, Zoe was pulling a tray of cookies from the oven. She glanced in his direction and smiled. “You’re just in time to help.”
“Help? With what?” He sure hoped she didn’t want him to bake anything. It’d end up burnt to a crisp. He sat down on a stool at the kitchen island and tossed the paper on a neighboring stool.
She slid another tray in the oven before turning to him. “Don’t look so worried.”
“What are all of the cookies for?” He’d never seen so many cookies decked out in red, white and green sprinkles.
“I thought I’d do something special for the workers at the mansion. They’ve really gone out of their way to make this whole project a success.” Worry lines creased her beautiful face as she looked around the kitchen at the dozens of sugar cookies. “Do you think it’s a silly idea?”
“Silly? Absolutely not. In fact, I’m jealous.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Oh, but I am. In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never baked me cookies.”
“I did too.” She paused as though searching her memories. “Didn’t I? Surely I must have.”
He shook his head, knowing he was right. He’d never forget having such a pretty young lady present him with homemade cookies.
“Hmm...” Her lips pressed into a firm line. “Well, maybe you won’t even like them.”
“Why don’t you pass me one and I’ll let you know.”
She snatched up one in the shape of Santa with red and white sprinkles. She held it just out of his reach. “You can have it on one condition.”
He arched a brow. “What would that be?”
“You help me decorate the rest.”
He glanced at the two trays of bare cookies, then at the almost empty mixing bowl and at last he focused on that cookie in her hand—that very tempting cookie. “Okay, you’ve got a deal. Just don’t expect them to be pretty like yours.”
“Just do your best.” She placed the cookie in his hand.
Their fingertips brushed and a current of awareness zinged up his arm. Suddenly, he didn’t feel so tired. He eyed up Zoe, who was smiling at him. “Pass me one of those trays and some sprinkles.”
“Not before you wash up.”
“Of course.” He returned her smile. The action felt so strange after he’d frowned most of the day.
For the next hour, they worked together on the cookies. He got in trouble numerous times for thieving one or two. He couldn’t help it. They were the best he’d ever tasted. And it didn’t hurt that the baker looked pretty tasty, too. Her pink lips beckoned to him.
“Hey, mister, you’re supposed to be working.”
“I’m done.” He pushed the decorated cookies across the counter. “And now I take my payment in kisses.”
She laughed. “I don’t seem to recall that.”
“Well come over here and I’ll remind you.”
She smiled and shook her head. “You come over here.”
The invitation was too good to resist. He got to his feet and rounded the counter. When he stood in front of her eagerly anticipating her cookie-sweet kisses, she instead tossed him a dishcloth before turning to the sink full of dishes.
A frown tugged at his lips. “What about those kisses you owe me.”
“You don’t get paid until the job is done.”
“That’s not fair.”
She lifted up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. But alas it was far too short. Her twinkling eyes stared at him, promising more. “Consider that a down payment.”
“Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s get those dishes done.”
An hour or so later, Zoe closed the lid on the last storage container of cookies. “Everything is boxed up and ready to go in the morning.” She walked over to the couch next to the lit Christmas tree. She stretched. “Grazie. I wouldn’t have made it through those last trays on my own.”
“Glad I could help, but I think I ate as many as I decorated.” He rubbed his full stomach.
She laughed. “I think you’re right.”
There was no point in putting off his news any longer. This concerned her as much as it did him. “Zoe, we need to talk.”
The smile faded from her face. “Any time you say those words, whatever follows is never good.”
He wanted to tell her not to worry, but he knew that it would be futile. He might as well get this over as quickly as possible. He retrieved the newspaper from the stool in the kitchen.
“You need to see this” He handed over the paper.
She held it in front of her. A gasp filled the air. A color photo of them kissing made the headline of the Mirraccino Gazzetta. This wasn’t the innocent peck under the mistletoe. This was a full-on, passionate embrace and lip-lock.
When he’d been roused from his bed in the middle of the night because an informant had delivered an advance copy, Demetrius hadn’t wanted to read the accompanying blurb. But it was like a train crash that you just couldn’t turn away from. His gaze had panned down to the words...
THE CROWN PRINCE IS SMITTEN!
Prince Demetrius and the interior designer Zoe Sarris are creating a steamy scene of their own.
Is the Prince going back to his old partying ways? Or has Ms. Sarris stolen his heart?
You be the judge.
Zoe’s pale face turned to him. “But how?”
“Apparently a photographer snuck onto the terrace at Residenza del Rosa yesterday without anyone noticing. It seems that we put on quite a show for him.”
Her worried gaze moved to him. “Do...do you know who the photographer is?”
“Not at this point. The security cameras aren’t hooked up yet.”
“Was it that creepy reporter who has been lurking about?”
“I don’t know. My men are working on it.”
“So everyone has seen this.” Her face turned a pasty white. She jumped to her feet. “I need to tell my mother.”
“Calm down. No one has seen this. At least not the general public. The palace staff took great pains to get the print run stopped and the story replaced.”
She pressed a hand to her chest and breathed out. “Maybe you should have led with that part.”
“The thing is, people know about us. There’s no putting this genie back in the bottle—”
“But the palace staff—”
“Only delayed the inevitable. They gave us time to figure out how to spin the story.”
“Spin it?” Worry lines marred her face.
He knew this was a lot for her to take in at once, but they didn’t have much time to figure out what they were going to tell the public. He’d already decided what he wanted. He swallowed hard, hoping she’d agree. “I think we should announce our marriage.”
“What? No.” S
he shook her head. “You can’t. You’ve worked so hard to redo your public image.”
“And if this news comes from you and me, people will be happy for us. They’ll all want to know how soon we’ll be having children.”
“Children?” Zoe looked as though she was going to pass out.
He hadn’t meant to throw everything at her at once. “It’s okay. We can wait. There’s no rush.”
“The king...he won’t be happy if we reconcile. Not at all. He wasn’t pleased when you brought me home the first time.”
“That’s because I caught him off guard. This is different.”
When her mouth opened again, he pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t say anything you’ll regret. I know this comes as a big surprise. Think on it tonight and let me know tomorrow.” He paused and though it pained him to say it, he added, “I’ll accept whatever decision you make, as long as you think about it. Will you do that for me?”
She grabbed his finger and gave a squeeze. “I will.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
HE WAS LATE.
Zoe checked her watch again. What was keeping Demetrius? It was his idea to meet here in the courtyard. Before he’d left the beach house last night, he’d made her promise that she’d give him an answer about what to tell the press regarding their relationship.
She hadn’t slept a wink last night. Not that she had anything to debate. She had to walk away—she had to do what was best for Demetrius. The last thing he needed was to have a country to run and a wife with Alzheimer’s. She’d stared into the dark, thinking how much she’d miss him. This time walking away would be so much harder. Her heart already ached.
Footsteps behind her had her turning. “Demetrius, I’m over here.”
The smile slipped from her face when the creepy reporter stepped out from behind a lush shrub. Uneasiness inched down her spine. What was he doing here? What did he want with her?
“Ms. Sarris, at last we meet again.” His leering smile revealed stained teeth.
Zoe didn’t say anything as her eyes darted around searching for Demetrius or any of his security detail. There was no one about. Her palms broke out in a cold sweat as the hairs on her arms stood on end. She was alone with this man who was standing between her and the door. Why was he stalking her? What did he want with her?
“Excuse me. I’m needed inside.” She attempted to go around him.
“Not so fast.” The man in a white polo shirt and a blue sports jacket stepped in her way. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you. See, you and I, we’re going to become good friends.”
Zoe, in an attempt to keep the man from touching her, stepped back so quickly that her foot landed on the edge of the walkway. She stumbled. Her arms flailed as she struggled to regain her balance.
“Careful.” He clicked his tongue. “We don’t want you getting hurt.”
Her gaze hesitantly met his. “I have to go. People will be looking for me.”
He shook his head. “You aren’t going anywhere until we talk.”
“What...what do you want from me?”
“I want the truth, Ms. Sarris. Or do you go by Princess Zoe now?”
Her heart hammered in her chest. He knew the truth. How could he? Was he just fishing? If he did know, what did he plan to do with the information? And if he knew this much, what did he want with her?
“Answer me!” His voice echoed off the surrounding walls.
“What? Uh...no. I’m just Zoe Sarris. A nobody.”
The man’s beady eyes narrowed. “Come now. You surely didn’t think the prince was going to keep your secret forever.”
“I... I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play dumb with me.” His face filled with color. “I’m warning you. This is my big break and you aren’t going to ruin it for me.”
“I... I won’t.” Her gaze darted between him and the door. There was only one way out of the courtyard and it was straight past him.
The wild look in the man’s eyes shook her to the core. She had to get out of there. Now!
She set off running. She pushed him out of her way, but he was too quick for her. His meaty fingers bit into the tender flesh of her upper arm. She let out a scream.
He yanked her to him and placed his other hand over her mouth. His voice was menacing as his hot breath brushed over her cheek, making her sick to her stomach. “That wasn’t very nice of you.” She yanked at his hand, but he was too strong for her. “I thought we could have a friendly conversation. Now, why did you have to go and ruin it?”
Zoe struggled to calm herself. Her gaze searched the doorway, willing Demetrius to appear. Where was he?
The man’s bad breath smelled of garlic and onions. “If I let you go, do you promise to be quiet and not run?”
She nodded while swallowing hard to keep her nausea at bay.
First, he removed his hand from her mouth. She sucked in a deep breath. Next, he released her arm. She didn’t move, not yet.
“Good. I knew you’d cooperate. Now, we were talking about your new title of princess. You know these sorts of things shouldn’t be kept from the public.”
“What...what do you mean?”
The man’s beady eyes narrowed. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t do some digging into your life?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Her gaze moved to the doorway. If only she had something to throw at him—just enough of a distraction to get past him.
“You aren’t getting away. Not yet.”
She hated that he knew what she was thinking. It was time for a different tactic. No matter that her insides shivered with fear, she had to stand up to this guy. She dug deep for a bit of confidence, hoping to bluff this man until Demetrius showed up or she figured out a plan to get out of there.
She pressed her shaking hands to her hips, lifted her chin and prayed her voice wouldn’t betray her. “What do you want from me?”
His eyes lit with surprise. “That’s more like it, Princess. I’ve seen your marriage license. I know that you and Prince Demetrius tied the knot.”
“If you know that, what do you need with me?”
“The thing is, even though I paid the clerk good money to browse through his records, I was interrupted. Before I could snap a photo, I had to sneak away.”
“That sounds like your problem, not mine.”
The man’s eyes narrowed and his voice lowered. “It’s your problem now because I want a confession.” He held out a voice recorder. “I want you to tell the world that Prince Demetrius, heir to the throne of Mirraccino, has been sneaking around behind everyone’s back with you. Does the king even know what his son has been up to?”
“What are you implying?”
“The readers have a right to know.” He stepped up to her, cupping her chin with his hand. “Don’t try to lie your way out of this. I already know the truth.”
“I...I won’t.” She knocked his hand away. Her skin began to crawl where he’d touched her. “You already know everything, why do you need my confession?”
He swore under his breath. “Without concrete evidence, no paper will touch this story, not when it involves nobility. No one wants to be on the wrong side of the king. But with your verbal confession, they’ll be able to verify your voice with that television interview you gave for that revitalization project. At last I’ll be able to name my price. I’ll be able to live a rich life like all of these people that I’ve had to report on—those people who don’t even know I exist. That will all change once this story breaks.”
“If all you want is money, Prince Demetrius will pay you—”
“It isn’t all I want! Haven’t you been listening? This story is going to be huge—it will be award winning. I’ll be famous and rich. You wouldn’t beg
rudge me my moment in the spotlight, would you?”
She shook her head vigorously.
The tension in his face eased. “You know, I’ve been watching you this past month—getting to know you. You’re a good person. Much too good for the likes of that playboy prince.”
As the man rambled on, she couldn’t help but think this guy had it all turned around. She was the one who was damaged goods, not Demetrius. But she wasn’t going to argue with this man. He’d obviously lost a firm grip on reality.
“So, now you will confess that you are in fact married to Prince Demetrius.” He held the voice recorder up to her. Her gaze darted to the door. “Don’t try running again. You won’t like what happens if you do.” The man patted his pocket as though he were armed. “You’re not getting away this time.”
* * *
Demetrius’s body tensed.
He took in the scene unfolding in front of him. The wide-eyed fear written all over Zoe’s face and the short, stout man leering at her.
So this was who’d been stalking Zoe. Well, no more. Anger drowned out any other thought of protocol. Demetrius rushed forth. When the stalker turned, Demetrius’s clenched hand connected with the man’s jaw. The man went down to the ground in a heap.
Zoe let out a scream. The security detail that Demetrius had ordered to remain at the doorway so he could speak to Zoe in private came rushing into the garden.
Once the stalker was detained, Demetrius rushed over to Zoe. He reached out to her. Her body trembled as he pulled her to him.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
His arms wrapped tightly around her. He pressed her head to his chest. He hadn’t been that scared since—since his mother had been shot. He closed his eyes, willing away the painful memories.
“I have a right to be here!” the man yelled. “The people have a right to know what their future ruler is up to with his supposed interior designer. Care to add a comment about your secret marriage?”
“Take him away,” Demetrius called out. “Charge him with everything you can think of.”
The Prince's Christmas Vow Page 14
