Charlotte & Nate (Royals of Valleria #4) (23 page)

“The budget announcement is tomorrow. If you don’t have viable suspects by then, I’ll need to take the fall for everything. I’d like to enjoy my time as a free man while I have it.”

Marcello stood up. “Damn it, I know you didn’t do this.”

“Prove it,” Nate said, and walked towards the door. Knowing something to be true and proving it to be so were two entirely different things.

Chapter 14

One of the larger formal dining rooms had been selected for the dinner, and it held a graceful, regal bearing that was ornate without being overbearing. The cream-colored walls were adorned with purple fleur-de-lis, the molding was in a pale off-white, and a large chandelier – which was older than any of them, ten times over – hung in the center over a large dance floor. Circular tables of eight had been elegantly arranged around the open space, and glowed bright with the sparkle of crystal, and gleaming silverware and plates on the tables.

Nate stood at the room’s entrance in between his older sister Cat and his younger brother Marcello. The few other siblings who were to attend had arrived, and their parents were the only ones missing; they would walk into the room in the next few moments with the Prime Minister and his wife.

Even while his eyes seemed to be watching the door, his head kept turning towards the dining room, where Charlie may be even now. He could still taste her sweet on his lips from earlier that afternoon, and feel her body warm against his as they had lain together that morning.

“What are you thinking about?” Cat asked him as she adjusted her dangling diamond earrings. “You look almost wistful.”

He smiled. “Just thinking about dessert.”

“You’re always thinking about sweets. It’s just not fair that all that gooey butter and pastry never sticks to your body but never leaves mine alone.”

Nate gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, making sure not to smudge her makeup; having four sisters had taught him that much. “You look beautiful, Kitty Cat,” he told her, using her pet name.

Cat patted his tie and gave him a smile. “Thanks. You’re looking pretty dapper yourself. Did you bring a date?”

Not one he could admit, anyhow. “No. How about you? You’re the one Mama wants engaged next.”

Cat grimaced. “Don’t remind me.” Their mother had told Cat she needed to be engaged before Alex and Rebecca married, or else. “I didn’t bring anyone, though I don’t doubt Mama has seated me next to someone ‘appropriate’ and eligible.”

As the fanfare began to sound, further conversation ceased. They all straightened, like little soldiers, adjusting ties, fluffing trains on gowns, and tucking in loose locks of hair.

Gabriel and Genevieve entered alongside the Prime Minister and his wife, all of them resplendent in their evening best. The women wore gowns created by a known designer in the other’s country, while Gabriel had foregone his military regalia for a standard tux to make the Prime Minister more comfortable in his. Both his parents wore simple crowns, though his mother wore a matching set of jewelry.

They walked down, greeting him and his siblings in turn, until they made it inside the room and towards the dance floor. It had been decided that some dancing would occur before the meal, and the leaders led the dance with their wives, swapping partners halfway through.

At the beginning of the second dance, Alex led Rebecca out, followed by Marcello with Grace. More couples joined and twirled along the dance floor.

The evening had begun.

***

Alex found himself hard-pressed to look away from his fiancée, though he knew he should in order to acknowledge some of those dancing around them.

Rebecca’s hair was flowing down and wavy, a small set from the royal jewels adorned her slim neck, delectable ears, and dainty wrist. Of course, none of that jewelry shone as bright as the diamond and amethyst engagement ring she wore. His ring. Really, his family’s ring, but it had come to him, and now she wore it.

He had claimed her. Possessed her.

Just as she possessed him.

“You should stop thinking whatever you’re thinking,” Rebecca teased him. Her hands were wound around his neck and her fingers teased the edge of his hair.

“Why do you say that?” He pulled her flush against him, decorum be damned. Even without looking up, he could tell his father was diplomatically glaring at him from across the room.

“I say that because I know you. I can tell every time a dirty thought passes through your head.”

“I doubt that,” he muttered and buried his head against her neck.

“You’re going to get us in trouble,” she whispered, her warm breath causing desire to coil within him.

“So what? What exactly do you think my father will do? Deny me the crown?”

She giggled softly, a sweet, high sound that usually only he heard. “Probably not, but we wouldn’t want your parents, or mine, to be embarrassed by photos of us in the papers tomorrow, would we?”

“No,” he grumbled. One of his hands idly brushed her spine through the soft silk of her dress, while the other rested on her right side. He shuddered inwardly as he remembered the scarred strip of skin underneath her breast, where a bullet had come too close just a few months ago.

“What’s worrying you, Alex? You’ve gone cold.”

He took a deep breath. He hadn’t been able to speak to her yet about Gerald’s request to his father. Now was definitely not the time for it, either. Tonight, after the dinner was over, that’s when he’d tell her. “It’s nothing, darling. Just thinking about the budget presentation tomorrow. If nothing else, my being a little inappropriate tonight will probably lighten the news about the debt, don’t you think?”

“Alex.” She pressed the barest of kisses to his neck, to avoid any lipstick transference, and tightened her grip around him. “It’ll be okay. Valleria will get through this. And I told you, as far as our wedding’s concerned, I don’t care where we get married or how we do it, just that we do.”

“I know.” When he’d told Rebecca the wedding may have to be pared down, she hadn’t flinched. ‘The good of the country is more important. As long as we’re married, what else matters?’ she’d said. He challenged anyone to believe she wouldn’t be an excellent queen after that.

“It’s too bad an ancient law keeps us from marrying for a year after the engagement’s announced. We could just sneak off into the night and elope.”

“You’d better make sure my mother’s not nearby if you say that again. God help the son who marries without telling the Queen.”

Rebecca smiled against his skin. “You know, I don’t think my mother would be all too keen about it, either.”

“Probably not.”

She sighed. “Well, then. I guess we should just be boring and appropriate in public from now on. You should probably step back a little.”

“But I’m terribly comfortable nestled up against you like this.”

“It’s a dance floor, not our bed.”

He nuzzled her ear. “I wish we were in bed. Shall I tell you all the naughty things I plan to do to you later?”

She shook her head against his jacket. “Please don’t. I’m almost a puddle as it is.”

“But you make the most adorable puddle.” He leaned in closer. “Especially when you’re naked and flushed underneath me, your legs spread wide and just waiting for me.”

“Alex, stop.” Her breathing was getting shorter, her olive skin blushing like a bride.

He kissed her neck. “Until later, darling.”

“Count on it.”

The chaste kiss they gave each other was accompanied by the flash of several cameras pointed in their direction.

***

“Poor Rebecca,” Grace said in her refined English accent, her hands much more demurely around Marcello’s.

“You think so?” he murmured, giving the love of his life a once over. “I’m actually kind of jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Sure. I’d love to kiss you right now, tuck you against me and breathe you in.”

“Marcello.”

He pulled her slightly closer, her waif-like frame elegantly draped in a bold, dark blue. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“You didn’t. I suppose I still get surprised when you say things like that.”

Given Grace’s past, which she was still recovering from, it was a miracle she’d even opened her heart to him, and Marcello was thankful for it every day.

“Well, one day, when you’re not so surprised anymore, let me know.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” He knew she wasn’t ready for marriage again, at least not yet. So, the ring he’d bought would stay in the family safe until she was. She loved him, was committed to him, that was all that mattered.

“That sounds vague.”

“It was meant to be.”

She sighed and rested her cheek against his. “I’m not that fond of secrets.”

“I know,” he said, rubbing his hand along her back in soothing motions. “Trust me to know you’ll like this one.”

“I do trust you, more than anyone.”

“Good.” They continued to dance, the lights twinkling, the colors swirling around them. Marcello’s eyes narrowed as he took in two of the guests across the room speaking in a huddled corner; he filed the information away for later and kept an eye on them while he danced.

“Are you positive you’re happy with staying here through the holidays?” Marcello asked.

She pushed back to look him square in the eye. “More than happy. I don’t have many happy holiday memories in England. I’d like to make some with you, no matter where we are. It is our first holiday together.”

He grinned. “That it is. Do you know what you’d like for Christmas this year?”

“Just you.”

“You’ve already got me. But, if you won’t give me a hint, I’ll just have to think of something completely over the top.”

“Marcello,” she said in a warning voice. “Maybe we just shouldn’t exchange gifts this year.”

He chuckled. “Nice try. I suppose I’ve neglected to tell you about our family’s tradition for the holidays.”

“Oh, dear.” She looked wary, as she should. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.”

“It’s nothing terrible. We just have this horrible tradition of opening one gift in front of everyone.”

“Just one?”

He nodded. “The rest we can open in our rooms. Given the things I’m dreaming up for you, that’s probably best.” A blush swept across her pale cheeks and he wanted to kiss its progress across her skin.

“You wouldn’t make me open something like that in front of everyone, would you?”

He tightened his hold on her. “Of course not. But, imagine if you will, a horde of nine children forced to open one gift in front of everyone.”

“Was it awful?”

“Terrible,” he said smiling. “My brothers always tormented our sisters with snakes – live ones by the way – and anything gross or squeal-worthy they could think of. We brothers tortured each other with ‘inappropriate’ magazines and all manner of embarrassing things.”

She laughed, a high tinkle that sounded like the brightest music. “Surely, you don’t do that anymore.”

“Not usually, but we still find ways to embarrass each other.”

Her smile fell away. “They wouldn’t find a way to embarrass me, would they?”

“No,” he said fervently. “I’ll make sure of it. They’ll probably tease you, but they would never deliberately hurt you. You are part of the family, after all, even if there’s not a paper stating so.”

“Your family’s been great, so accepting. I suppose I keep waiting for the moment they’ll turn on me.”

“Is that what you expect from me?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t. I really don’t. But your family and your country are so important to you. What if you had to choose one day?”

“Then I’d still choose you, but you never have to worry about that. Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not going to.”

She pressed a light kiss on his lips. “You’re so good to me.”

“You’re just as good to me. I love you, Grace.”

“I love you, too, Marcello.”

***

Nate was hiding in a dimly-lit corner nursing a drink while he watched the glitter and glamour of the evening around him. He’d spotted Katya here with another date, but he didn’t think that would stop her from seeking him out. Hiding from Katya, however, did not keep his mother from finding him.

“Ask me to dance, Nathaniel.”

He looked wary, but knew that in public he had to do as he was told, even as a man in his thirties. He finished off the drink, took his mother’s hand, and led her onto the dance floor.

When they began a slow turn around the room, Genevieve pasted a smile onto her face. She nodded regally as people passed, Nate following her lead and doing the same.

Eventually, Nate caught a blur of white in the corner of the room and a flash of light brown hair.
Charlie
.

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

Nate glanced down at his mother, who was significantly shorter than him, and only tall enough to reach mid-way up his chest. “She has a name.”