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She glanced at him. “I’m afraid so. It was lovely meeting you, though.”
“You as well.” He held his hand out, waiting for her to take it. She studied it, then slid her fingers into his palm. Staring at her, he raised her knuckles to his mouth and kissed it. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again.”
She flushed, her fingers wiggling in his. “I doubt that. I have a very busy visit planned.”
“We’ll see,” he said, grinning.
After glancing over her shoulder nervously, she turned back and whispered, “But maybe if you’d like to—?”
“Miss.” The gray haired woman crossed her arms and stepped closer. “I really must insist we continue on. There is a lot to do before six tonight.”
The cranky assistant referred to Isabelle’s dinner plans later on.
“Right.” She offered Gordon one last smile. “It really was nice meeting you.”
“You, too.” He let go of her hand reluctantly. “See ya later.”
“Goodbye,” she said, slipping out of the chair.
He watched her walk away, her hips swinging gracefully with each move. As she walked out of the door, she glanced back at him, the light in her eyes subdued. With a small smile, she slipped her sunglasses on and left.
He couldn’t wait to see the surprise on her face when he introduced himself later as her guard, couldn’t wait to hear his name on her lips. Would it be as soft and lilting as everything else she said? What if she screamed it out in pleasure as he went down—shit.
He was screwed, because he wasn’t supposed to touch her…
And that’s all he could think about, but he wouldn’t even think about trying to pursue that avenue. She was a princess, and he’d never be good enough for a woman like her. She’d expect castles, horses, world tours, and jewels.
Not cape cods, dogs, Maine, and nightmares.
Chapter Two
Isabelle Van Guard, third in line for the crown of Maldeva, stepped into the dark hallway of La Boheme, pulling her big sunglasses off. She smoothed her white Coco Chanel dress that hit directly an inch above the knee with a steady hand. She knew exactly where the dress hit because the palace stylist had measured it three times before her mother gave her stamp of approval.
As her mother always said, a princess never shows her thighs.
She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. She’d been forced to sit on a wooden chair for an hour after landing in America, so her stylist could poke and prod her into perfection. Too bad she felt anything but perfect. She felt like a mess, because she was late.
And she really, really hated being late.
To top it all off? She couldn’t stop thinking about the man she’d met in the coffee shop. When she’d seen him watching her, she’d ignored the manners that had been drilled into her all her life and walked right up to him. When he’d started flirting with her, and watched her with those deep brown eyes of his…she’d fallen into his web without a fight.
And she hadn’t wanted to get out. Alas, duty had called. She was here for a reason, and that reason wasn’t to flirt with cute men in shops.
Even now, her dinner partner, the Governor of Maine, would be sitting at the table waiting for her, and he would more than likely be cross with her for the delay. But he’d have to wait a little while longer, because princess or not? A girl had to pee. Princesses don’t pee. They powder their noses, her mother’s voice reminded her.
That annoying voice of reason was always there. It had been going crazy when she’d sat next to the guy in the coffee shop, shouting at the top of its lungs. She’d ignored it. Princesses don’t flirt with strange men, and they definitely don’t do it without proper introductions.
Princesses did not do anything fun at all, according to her mother.
“Can you go make sure that the table is secure?” she asked her assistant, who was attached to her like her shadow. “I don’t need company to visit the ladies room.”
The girl hesitated. “But—”
“Please. I’ll be fine. I won’t wander off or get lost.” Leaning in, she whispered, “Besides, we’re supposed to be blending in, remember? Small security team, normal girl. That’s my cover. We can’t risk showing our true feathers.”
&nb
sp; She still hesitated, but then nodded. “All right. But I’ll be right back.”
