“Yes.” He must’ve caught on to the smug glint in her eye, because Theo groaned. “Crap. How far did I put my foot in my mouth this time?”
“The money raised isn’t going to fund polo matches and races. The equestrian center has an education arm. Horseback riding is therapeutic for autistic children and adults. They provide scholarships to those who can’t afford it, as well as an entire stable of more docile horses reserved just for special needs riders.”
“Well, that’s awesome. No other word for it. They aren’t participating today, are they? I thought crowds and noise could be a trigger with autism?”
“Correct. But this is an experiment for those the teachers felt were ready for it. Exposure to a less-than-ideal situation while still around the comforting horses.”
“I wish I could help.”
She grinned. “Oh, we’ll take your money.”
“I mean something more hands-on. Do they need volunteers? Willing to be trained?”
“Always.” Did this mean he was staying in Moncriano? Or just caught up in the moment by a story that tugged at his heartstrings?
“I’m sorry, Princess.” Holding up one hand, Theo added, “Partly. But I still maintain you could do a fund-raiser with a lower overhead. Beer and soda instead of champagne and cocktails. A barbecue instead of all this fanciness. As long as you and your family show up, people will still turn out in droves.”
“You may be right. I’ll work on a more casual work-up to show to the committee at our post-event debrief.”
“I may be what? Clearly, my job here is done.” Theo doubled over in laughter.
Genny smacked him on the arm. “Don’t draw attention. You can celebrate your rightness later.”
“Your Highness, I apologize for my son,” Theo’s dad said from behind her.
Oh, for crying out loud. Of all the bad times for the Holsts to sneak up on them.
Genny glanced at Theo and saw that his jaw had clamped so tight that a vein in his temple throbbed. Putting on her princess smile, Genevieve turned around.
“Lord Alain, we’re so pleased that you could join us in the royal box. And there’s no need to apologize for Theo.”
“You just hit him. And he was behind the debacle at the Peacock ceremony. Truly, I do apologize.”
Wow. She hadn’t thrown a right hook. “We were teasing each other. No bruises were inflicted. And Lord Theo was simply doing his job, both today and at the events leading to my poor choices at the ceremony. I think you ought to have more faith in him.”
“That would be easier if we knew him,” muttered the tall woman who shared Theo’s eye and hair color.
“Whose fault is that?” Theo snapped. Then he caught himself and checked his temper. With a sweep of his arm, he gestured to the woman in a plain white linen pantsuit. “Your Highness, may I present my sister, Lady Hanna. She’s been running our family estate. Doing a great job, too.”
She curtsied, but Genevieve could tell her heart wasn’t in it. Not the disdain that her brother showed all things royal, but not the excitement and naked greed for it that her father portrayed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hanna. I’m afraid I’ve been hogging all of your brother’s time since he came back to Moncriano.”
“It’s fine.”
Lord Alain must’ve been panicked that Genevieve’s attention was momentarily diverted from him. He literally elbowed his daughter to the side and gave a half-bow. “My apologies for speaking out of turn, Your Highness.”
Ugh. An apology for the apology? It was time to tap out and leave Kelsey to take a turn with them. “Let us just move forward. And perhaps take to heart my compliments on your dedicated, hard-working son.”
Desperate for an escape, Genny headed for the bar. A mimosa—without any OJ to water it down—was exactly what she needed. But Theo put her hand on his arm again and led her out the side flap instead.
“Theo, I can’t leave. I have to greet all those people before the match begins.”
He pulled her—almost roughly—to the back of the tent, sheltered from view. “And I have to thank you. For standing up for me.” The words came out gruffly, haltingly.
It broke her heart a little that he saw her compliments as worthy of thanks. They were simply fact. She knew he had a healthy ego, that he was aware of his abilities. So was it that he wasn’t used to someone he cared about sticking up for him?
“Did you think I wouldn’t? Even if we weren’t…involved…I would’ve said the same things. You’re a fair man, doing the best job possible without bias.”
His whole body squared away from her as he looked out, over the green fields of the practice grounds. Then he gave a single, swift shake of his head before turning back. Lifting her hand to his lips, Theo pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
It was the same kiss any subject might bestow upon her out of fealty and respect. What made it different, significant, special, was the blaze of emotion flooding from his brown eyes.
Genevieve’s knees almost wobbled at the intensity of it.
And then the whirring click of camera taking multiple shots broke the moment. Genevieve didn’t move, though. Didn’t yank her hand back. That would turn the gesture into something noteworthy. Instead, she just looked up with a calm smile.
“Would you like another shot of me and Lord Theo? One where we’re both facing the camera so it reads better?”
Under the wide brim of his sun hat, the man grinned widely. “That’s very gracious of you, Your Highness.”
“Well, today is all about graciousness and charity.”
Genevieve smiled at Theo, who adjusted his stance to open to the camera. But the difference in his expression was night and day. All the warmth had leeched out of his face. The photographer took a few more shots then bowed and loped away.
The minute he was gone, Theo dropped her hand as if it burned him. Anger radiated from him like the heat waving off the asphalt on the road here. “Since when do you offer extra photo ops? Of a private bloody moment? Did you set that up?”
“Are you serious? Talk about revisionist history. You’re the one who pulled me out of the tent, remember?” What was wrong with him?
He looked around wildly, clearly checking for more witnesses before continuing. “Yes, but did you arrange to have that photographer on standby? There are no paparazzi at this event. It’s invite only, and all the entrances are guarded.” His words spit out with the snap of old-fashioned typewriter keys, punctuated with icy anger.
Countering with quiet calm, Genevieve said, “Yes, that was an official event photographer, arranged for by the committee. That doesn’t make him suspicious, merely enterprising.”
“You haven’t answered. Did you tell him to watch for a moment to catch the two of us together?”
“No. That’s the last thing I’d want.” Oh, that sounded bad. Despite the fact he was well aware it was true.
Theo crossed his arms over his chest, creating yet another barrier between them, in addition to the waves of discord roiling off of him. “But you did offer him additional photos.”
Genevieve steepled her fingers at her lips to catch a few extra seconds to think, since it was clear that Theo wasn’t thinking, merely feeling. If only she knew what had sent him into this spiral of emotion. “So that he wouldn’t think we were hiding anything. And because my goal today is to raise both money and awareness. It is literally my job to have my picture taken.”
“Or was it so that I could be seen as having a conflict of interest and not be able to finish the audit?”
Genevieve’s mouth fell open. The accusation hurt.
“What would that get me? There’d only be another auditor assigned. Perhaps one less reasonable than you. Not that you’re behaving at all reasonably right now.”
“It’s reasonable to assume you’d put your family, the crow
n first. You’ve only expressed that to me in a hundred different ways.”
Ohhh. Apparently his trust was as fragile as her own. Theo wanted her to put him first. But what had set him off?
Then she zeroed in on his attack on her and the way he’d leaned onto the word family. It dropped the pieces into place. From what she’d seen, his own family certainly didn’t choose to support him over their own interests. No wonder he craved that validation from the woman in his life.
“You’re in a foul mood because of running into your family, aren’t you?”
He blinked, repeatedly. Then his shoulders drooped. “Fuck. Yes.”
“You can take it out on me. That’s all right. Just don’t pretend it’s about something else.”
Rubbing a hand across his forehead, Theo said, “I’m sorry, Princess. I lost control.”
“It’s perfectly understandable. Let’s go back inside and we can hash through what’s really bothering you tonight, when we’re alone.”
His hand shot out to block the tent flap. “You didn’t deny it. That you’d always choose the House of Villani over everything and everyone else.”
Genevieve didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer. What was she supposed to do? Turn her back on a lifetime of commitment and duty and service being drilled into her?
Wordlessly, she bent to slip under his arm and go back inside. What was the point of fighting about it if they had no real future together, anyway?
Chapter Eighteen
Three days after he’d blown his top at Genny so stupidly, Theo was about to do something perhaps far more stupid. He paused, one hand upraised to knock on the door to her suite.
Clara, who rarely so much as made eye contact with him, clasped her hands behind her back and took two steps to confront him. “Are you getting cold feet, sir?”
“Why? Is this a preface to you threatening me to get cold feet and toss this whole plan out the window?”
“No, sir. I’d only threaten you if you became a danger to the princess. If you looked like you might hurt her in any way.”
Oh, that was a threat, all right. Not even thinly veiled. “I honest to God have no idea what you want me to do. And you’re the one with the gun and probably seventeen different ways to kill me. Spit it out.”
“I can’t officially have any opinion on the princess’s private life. But I think your plan is just what she needs.”
“Really?”
“I also think that if you did get cold feet and walk away, you’d be the lowest sort of an emotionally immature coward.”
Theo swallowed hard. Clara intimidated the hell out of him. Which, he supposed, was for the best. “Duly noted. Be ready to go in five minutes.”
“You think you’ll convince her that fast?” Disbelief coated her words like a spiderweb of doubt.
“How about we go back to you not talking to me?” Theo knocked. Hard. Five times.
The door opened to reveal a barefoot Genevieve pushing her arm into the sleeve of a robe. A beautiful, disheveled Genny who’d clearly been asleep moments ago. “What is—oh, Lord Theo. This is unexpected.”
“Don’t bother. Clara knows why I’m here. May I?” He shoved past her and shut the door.
“Theo, it’s barely dawn on a Saturday. You can’t be here.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be for long. I’m kidnapping you.”
Her eyes closed to mere slits. “In Alcarsa Palace, we never joke about kidnapping.”
Crap. He was off to a great start. Nothing said romance like reminding her that her baby sister had been kidnapped and presumed dead for twenty-four years.
“Poor word choice. You want the lengthier, more formal version?”
She shoved her mass of golden hair out of her face with an exasperated huff. “If it includes an explanation, yes.”
“You need to let go of the trappings of royalty and just be yourself.”
“For the audit? You want to prove to me that I can survive in cheap shoes and use one-ply toilet paper?”
Theo had never made a big romantic gesture before. When you serial dated, romance wasn’t necessary. It probably wasn’t the best idea to test out his feeble romance chops on someone so important. But how many more ways could he screw this up?
“Not for the audit. For you. For us. I want you to let go of being the princess and just be Genevieve.”
“I do that whenever I’m alone with you.”
“Not enough.” Theo believed that she tried. But he was greedy enough to want more. “You always hold back a little, knowing that at any moment we could be interrupted by a footman or a relative or some asshole currying favor. So I’m taking you away from all this.”
She pursed her lips then asked, “Do you plan on bringing me back?”
Great. Now she was mocking his romantic attempt. He needed to get on his game.
Theo clasped his hands at the small of her back, pulling her warm body flush against his. “My darling Genny, I’d like to whisk you away on a romantic trip. To someplace where we can be truly alone and enjoy each other’s company fully. I want to wallow in your beauty and your humor.”
Her entire body melted against him, like ice cream on top of a hot lava cake. “That sounds…lovely.” Then she dropped her forehead against his sternum. “But impossible.”
“It’s the weekend. One which only had two official engagements on the books, and your sister has agreed to stand in for you.”
Her head shot up, almost clocking his chin. “Kelsey helped you with this?”
“Seeing as how I didn’t want to be arrested for actually kidnapping you, yes. I enlisted help. But she already knew about us. She spent ten minutes torturing me about it at the polo match. Kelsey asked me why we were sneaking around when it was obvious that we make each other so happy. I couldn’t lie to her.”
Face suddenly white with shock, Genny gasped. “Theo, nobody can know about us!”
“Agreed…but that ship has sailed. Chalk it up to sisterly intuition.”
Genevieve padded backward soundlessly on the thick tan carpet. “This is not good.”
“On the contrary. Her knowing is what gave me the idea to whisk you away. She made it possible. So please, Genny, say yes. Come with me.”
Wobbling back and forth, much like her mind must be see-sawing, she asked, “When?”
Theo strode to her closet. “Five minutes. Kelsey packed you a bag. It’s in the car. All you have to do is get dressed.”
Peals of laughter bounced off the high ceiling of the room. “You’ve seen my clothing budget. What on earth makes you think I can get ready in five minutes?”
…
It took an hour, three threats, a string of texts to her family and Ambra with vague excuses, and a last-minute drafting of additional security personnel before they were installed on the yacht.
Evidently Moncriano’s claim to tourism fame was real. Simon knew lots of people who were sailing its coastline on the Adriatic Sea at the height of summer. He’d convinced an old school friend to spend the weekend on land so Theo could have the privacy of the luxury boat.
Now they were anchored in the gulf, with at least a dozen other yachts dotting the horizon. Nothing set them apart. Nobody would be able to tell the princess was on board.
It was perfect.
Perfect mostly because Genevieve was in a scrap of a white bikini. But he’d sworn to himself that there could be no sex until he came clean with her. If this trip was about being themselves, well, Theo owed it to the princess to explain why he’d spent most of his life hating her.
Genevieve curled her legs on the thick blue and white striped cushion. “Thanks for moving the lounger under the awning. Here’s the first unvarnished truth about me—I burn just from thinking about the sun. And yes, I do buy crazy expensive sunscreen—because it works.”
“The
re won’t be any tallying of your balance sheet while we’re on board. This whole trip is off the official record. Although I will say that I officially love your creamy, pale skin.” Theo smoothed a hand up and down her calf.
It was torture.
Unable to resist, he kissed a line down her rib cage to the dip in at her waist.
More torture.
His cock strained against his black trunks. Painfully so. Shit.
Theo stood—both to avoid the urge to touch her and to give his cock room to settle. “Genevieve, I have to tell you something.”
She raised one elegantly arched eyebrow. “Do I need wine for this? That setup never prefaces goodness.”
“It isn’t about you.” Not true. Shit. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Well, not who you are now. It’s more about me.”
Her other eyebrow shot up to the same plane. “The ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ starter is also universally known to preface badness.”
Shit.
A smart man would’ve written this out. Been pithy. Was it too late now to tell her to soak up the sun while he wrote her an email?
Theo squatted next to her lounger. “Look, I’m crazy about you. I think you’re wonderful. But there’s this…truth I have to get off my chest.”
She scrambled upright, curling her legs underneath her. Then she stroked his shoulder. “Theo. You know you can tell me anything.”
“Yeah. I really do.”
Just hearing her say it settled him. Which was a big realization tied to the story he was about to tell. Tied to when he’d tried to unburden himself of the truth and nobody wanted to hear it. And how ever since, he’d held everything in, hidden his deepest feelings from everyone as a result.
He met the worry in her purple eyes head-on. “So…I think you dialed in to the fact that a month ago, I was anti-royalty.”
“Ha! Your disdain wasn’t at all hidden. That’s why I was so impressed when you kept asking questions to get at the reasons behind my expenses rather than crossing them all off as frivolous and entitled.”
Ruling the Princess Page 22
