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She didn’t care what was happening outside her little cottage. She’d just stay here with her fro-yo until she figured out how to fix this.
She’d never met a problem she couldn’t solve. It was just late-night loneliness making her feel blue. That and the fact that she was getting total radio silence from Rafe. Why didn’t he return her call?
She had a feeling this was going to be one of those nights when sleep evaded her. Part of it she blamed on the habits formed by spending her entire adult life working nights, but the other part was worry. She never admitted she was scared. But she was very afraid that this thing with the news might have helped Rafe decide he didn’t need her or their baby in his life.
She wasn’t thinking that because he was a jerk or anything. It was just that she understood that royals, especially those in a volatile newly reestablished monarchy, probably needed to be above reproach.
Her mind went to the video chat they’d had two nights ago. He hadn’t exactly been staid on that call. She guessed that was what appealed to her about him.
She rubbed her stomach as she walked into the living room. Without turning on the lights, she went to her couch and turned on the television and the DVR to watch her comfort movie. But there was a knock on her door before the opening credits started to roll. She paused it and put her frozen yogurt container on the coffee table, grabbing her baseball bat from the hall closet before she went to the front door.
She pushed aside the curtain on the small, narrow window next to the door and peeked out, not sure what she’d find.
Rafe.
Illuminated by her front porch light, he stood there in faded jeans that fit in all the right places and a T-shirt that molded to his chest like a second skin. Not very regal tonight, was he. Very American and very real, though, she thought.
She unlatched the door and let it swing open, keeping her bat in one hand.
“Rafe.”
Was he really here?
“Red. Planning to hit me with that bat?” he asked, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. “I’m sorry I didn’t return your calls.”
“Why didn’t you? When did you get back to the States?” she asked. She felt shell-shocked after everything that had been going on this evening. She hated to admit it but she was very glad to see him.
“No. The bat is not for you. I thought if I found that rat bastard reporter snooping around I might take it to him. I was afraid he might have slipped past the patrolmen.”
“We don’t need it tonight,” he said. “Can I come in?”
She stood there feeling a little aggrieved now that she knew he wasn’t a threat. That Rafe was here.
“How long have you been back in the States?”
“I got in this afternoon, right about the time the baby story broke,” he said.
“And you came here? But not straight here,” she said. “It doesn’t take that long to get here and I know you’ve got a helicopter.”
“Can we do this inside?” he asked.
She felt the need in him to get his own way but she wasn’t threatened by him at all. She stepped back and he walked in, closing the door and leaning back against it. First thing he did was take the bat and drop it on the floor. Then he lifted her off her feet with his hands on her waist.
“I missed you, Red,” he said, lowering his mouth to hers and taking a kiss that left no doubt that he wasn’t going to walk away from her. She had no idea what he thought their future would be, but she realized as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders that she wanted him by her side.
* * *
Rafe took his first deep breath since he’d stepped off the plane in Miami. He was with Em, and right now that was enough. His family, who had always been his stalwart supporters, weren’t really there for him now. He tucked that away for further analysis later. He knew it was important, but right now he needed to figure out this threat and convince Emily that his plan to move forward was the best one.
“I thought coming home to you was going to be the first peace I’ve felt in a few days,” he said as he lifted his head and stepped back from her.
“I didn’t realize you were coming back to me,” she said.
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been calling you every day. What else did you think that meant?”
She bit her lower lip, reaching behind him to bolt the door before picking up her baseball bat and leaning it against the wall. “I didn’t know.”
She walked down the hallway lit only by little nightlights plugged into the wall sockets, and he followed her.
All this time he’d thought he was courting her...wait a minute. Was that what he’d been doing?
Yes.
