PRINCE CHARMING: A Secret Baby Stepbrother Romance (11 page)

So don’t get caught
.

If only it was that easy for them to not get caught, but from the look on Olivia’s face as she stormed away, a one-night fling with him was not what she had in mind. He liked her, too, but had all his flirting made her fall for him? She hadn’t flirted back much when he did tease her, but then again, he hadn’t spent as much time with her the last few days. She’d been busy with her mom preparing for the wedding.

Quincy finally got to his feet, tucked the blanket away in the bin, and buried it beneath the boulder. Suddenly, his hideaway was not as quiet and comforting as before. Olivia might think he brought other women there, but it wasn’t true. She was the only woman he’d ever brought there. He had never felt comfortable bringing anyone else to this place where he ran when he needed peace. After his mom died, while the kingdom mourned together, he mourned here amongst the rocks and the waves.

Bringing Olivia to his hideaway had been a last-minute decision, and he never expected to wind up kissing her like that.

The walk back to his room with the folders tucked under his arm again wasn’t as fun as the walk down to the secluded bay. The folders weighed more than they should, each holding a choice he realized, deep down, he wasn’t going to be able to make easily because one person could never be in that stack. Though they only shared one kiss, one kiss had been enough.

***

Olivia kept a safe distance from Quincy over the next few days. Part of her was embarrassed by what had happened, and the other part of her was mad about what had happened. She didn’t know what to do with him anymore, and the roiling feelings that kept building inside of her only made it worse. She was more confused than she’d ever been by a man and his actions, only made worse by the fact that he was her future stepbrother.

“Miss? Are you alright?” Allete asked as she pulled Olivia’s ballgown from the wardrobe and laid it out on the bed. “You have been awfully quiet.”

“Just a lot on my mind, I guess. I have to start thinking about my fall classes soon,” she said as an excuse. “And I haven’t gotten very far with my portfolio project, either. This ball is stealing another night from me.”

Allete smiled gently. “Believe it or not, this ball is work for you.”

“Not the type of work I need to be doing,” she grumbled and glanced at her unfinished paintings set up on the balcony. There were five half-finished ones of the surrounding fauna and one of the palace, tweaked a bit to a more fantastical version that went with her artistic eye, but so far, she hadn’t finished one of them. It was not where she wanted to be this far into the summer. Her professors were going to be checking in soon, and she needed to show them something accomplished besides half-finished works.

“Miss? Maybe you should speak to your mother about taking a day or two to finish,” Allete said. “I’m certain King Lamont will understand. It is for your education, after all.”

“I’m going to have to. The portfolio will decide my career.”

“You don’t just want to be a princess?”

“I don’t think I could make that into a career,” she deadpanned. “What would I do all the time? Quincy will be in charge when Lamont retires, not me.”

“You are still important. There is much good you can do here for the island and its people. You just don’t yet see the potential. With your art background, you could help the art schools and work with the team on revitalizing the city.”

Olivia had not thought of that. To see her paintings on walls of the city would be more than she ever imagined. Her only goal so far had been to get out of school and either go back and teach or pray a museum or patron would support her. But to be part of the revitalizing and painting of the city?

“Allete, that is a wonderful idea,” she conceded as the idea really started to come to life in her mind.

“I believe the king and prince would welcome such an artistic touch.”

“Prince, right,” Olivia mumbled, and her stomach plummeted. As much as she’d tried not to, the last few nights, she dreamed of him holding her, his hands moving across her body and to places a man had only ever touched her in dreams. “Well, I guess I’ll have to talk with the king and my mom about that later.”

Allete smiled and clapped her hands. Three more ladies came into the room, and Olivia felt her stomach fall even more. “Right, time to get you ready for the ball. You are going to impress everyone there! And I believe Edric is going to be there as well. I checked for you.”

“Edric? Really? What about his sister, Cheree? I liked her.”

“I believe the young lady will be in attendance, yes, though it may be in your best interest to make friends with some of the potential bachelorettes for Prince Quincy.”

“I’m not sure who he is even interested in.” That was a lie. He was interested in her, though that could never happen. “I don’t really know him well enough yet to judge whom he might fit with.” She moved to the center of the room as was the routine now for the ladies and Allete to get her ready. “As long as it’s not Gigi.” The ladies laughed and Olivia grinned, happy to know she wasn’t the only one who disapproved of the woman.

They gossiped and chatted as they worked Olivia out of her everyday clothes and into the sapphire and violet ball gown that had been made for her. The skirt was full and twirled out when she spun. It was strapless with a heart-shaped neckline, a low back shaped like a V, and beading that caught the light all throughout the skirt. Shimmery powder was brushed over her shoulders and along her chest. Her makeup was completed by Allete, as always, and last was the necklace, bracelets, and earrings. Each one was more extravagant than the last. The silver and blue bangles had been handmade on the island and pushed halfway up her forearms. The earrings were teardrops of colors, shifting from blue to violet, matching the necklace chunked with stones that sparkled.

“There… Now, I know I have told you this before about looking the part and wearing heels, but in light of the dancing that will occur all night,” Allete began as she pulled a box from the floor, “I had these made for you at the last minute.”

Olivia pulled the top of the box off and stared at a pair of handmade violet ballet flats. They had been embroidered with stars and moons along the sides and waves crashing into a beach on the toes.

“Allete, these are wonderful,” Olivia said as she pulled one out to look at it. “Thank you, really.”

“These shoes you will not ditch.”

The ladies laughed again, and Olivia hugged Allete tightly. “No, I promise.”

They helped her step into the shoes, and once she was ready, walked her to the door. Olivia had no idea what tonight was going to bring, but avoiding Quincy was going to be key.

***

Already, it was turning into a long night, and the ball hadn’t even officially started yet. Quincy waited for his father to finish getting ready in his royal chambers. The last few days hadn’t been easy, and he wasn’t looking forward to a long night of dealing with whatever Olivia was going through. He’d gone to her room a few times to talk to her, but each time, he couldn’t even get himself to knock.

“Stop looking so dour, Son. This is a ball, and you are the star of it,” his dad said as one of his servants adjusted his overcoat. “Ladies will be lined up to dance with you all night long, and perhaps one of them will sweep you off your feet.”

“Maybe I don’t want to make a decision yet,” Quincy said. “I’m not too thrilled about doing it, you know.”

His father frowned and waved away his servants so he could face his son. “You do not have a choice in this matter. You must follow tradition and marry. Any of those women would work well for you and this kingdom.”

“Are you sure about that? Have you actually sat down with any of them?”

“I have, and with their parents. There is nothing wrong with any of them.”

“That you know of,” he muttered and sunk down in his chair like a pouting child. “I do not feel well. I think I might not go tonight.”

Lamont glared at his son and told the servants to leave the room. Quincy cursed, knowing what was coming and not in the mood to be lectured again. “You have been dragging your feet for a long time,” his father admonished. “What are you waiting for, Quin?”

“Maybe I just don’t want to make a rash decision concerning the rest of my life. Can’t you understand that?”

“I can, but that doesn’t mean you are going to get out of it any time soon.”

Quincy stood and paced around the room. “Isn’t there anything you can do about it? You’re the damn king! Change the law… Do something—I don’t care.”

“It’s not a law,” Lamont said, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“No, that’s right, it’s your law. This damn tradition from this damn family that maybe I no longer want to be a part of! I don’t want to do this right now. I don’t want to do it ever!”

“You don’t mean that,” Lamont said, but his eye twitched at his son’s words.

Quincy breathed heavily and felt his mind clear for the first time in months. Did he really mean that? He had never been anything but a prince, and he felt his freedom and his life were quickly slipping away as he scrambled to pick up the pieces of himself before he lost them completely. Getting married sealed the deal that this was going to be his life forever. There’d be no getting out of it. His father would retire one day, and he would have to take over, be the responsible man, and run a damned country.

“Quin... Son,” Lamont said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I know being in our family isn’t always easy, but this is the life you were born into. You must accept it.”

“But do I have to do it now?”

“The sooner the better. We need heirs to carry on our legacy, and that, I’m afraid, has come down to you,” Lamont said. “Do you really want the Pentacrafts taking over?”

Quincy frowned and stepped away from his dad. “Wait, what? Why would they take over?”

Lamont moved to the mirror and looked at his reflection, adjusting his jacket. “Because if you decline to take a bride at the directed time and fail to produce an heir, they are next in line for the throne. You have no cousins or other relatives. It will fall to them.”

Quincy could see it, the Pentacrafts taking over everything. The Isle would be broke in a year, tops. They didn’t know anything about the people on the isle, the common people who had nothing to do with the court. They were solely focused on their crawl up the social ladder and finding any way to stay where they were. Gigi was so pushy to become his betrothed because of this, and she’d already laid claim to him. She felt it was her birthright to marry the next line in for the crown.

But he still wasn’t sure if he could do the arranged marriage thing, especially after he realized that something strange was happening with the woman sleeping next door to him.

“Quin? Can you help me with this?”

He nodded and helped his dad finish putting his pins on his overcoat. The pair stared into the mirror, each looking at his own reflection and that of the man standing next to him. They were close to identical, except one was older with grey in his hair. Deep down, Quincy did want to be like his father, no matter how much he fought against him. His worry was he wouldn’t be good enough to take over and be the king his father hoped he’d become.

They turned as one and walked out the door. Melinda waited for him, and behind her was Olivia. Her hands were clasped in front of her, but Quincy couldn’t see her until the king and his future wife stepped aside.

He wished they hadn’t moved. The sight of Olivia brought the kiss roaring into the forefront of his mind, and he felt the sand beneath them again as her lips pressed against his. From the sudden color in her cheeks, her thoughts had turned in the same direction, but she glared at him as he stepped near and offered her his arm. Olivia’s hands were firmly clasped in front of her until Lamont and Melinda turned the corner and they were left alone in the corridor with a few servants and guards.

“Good evening,” he said and bowed to her. “May I escort you to the ball, Princess Olivia?”

“I suppose you may,” she said and held out her hand for his arm.

Quincy took it and tucked it in the crook of his elbow. Neither one had much of a choice. If they acted strangely around each other, the servants would talk. “You look beautiful in that gown.”

She stiffened beside him. “Thank you. A gift from my mom.”

“She has exquisite taste, just like you.”

“You don’t have to make small talk with me,” she told him in an undertone. “You can simply walk me down and go find someone to dance with all evening. You must find a wife soon, anyway. No time like the present.”

“Now you sound like my father.”

“Good,” she said, managing to keep a smile on her face as her words turned hard. “Maybe you need another kick in the ass to get a move on and stop with your antics.”

He tripped over his feet and nearly took them both down before righting himself. “What antics? I have no antics.”

“Don’t lie. You probably have a different woman every night, and that’s the only reason you can’t decide on a wife. Too many choices, and you don’t want to lose your options.”

The doors to the ballroom were close, and he watched Lamont and Melinda enter to the fanfare of trumpets before they were officially announced. Quincy and Olivia were next, and they needed to look like they were getting along as they entered the ballroom. This was for the members of court, but also for the rest of the isle. The place would be packed, so there would at least be plenty of people to hide behind for the rest of the evening.