AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With his upcoming coronation and responsibilities on his mind, he’d never complained, never even spoken of worries. He’d been right here with her, trying to help her get her line started, trying to get her to open her mind and really create some spectacular pieces.
Of course when he wasn’t being loyal and helpful, he was being sexy and impossible to resist. How could she not love a man like that? And how could he not see that he loved her?
Stefan had been gone all day, but he was due to return home soon. Victoria had requested Hector remain in the front of the house and only to come around back in a dire emergency.
With a deep breath, she set her plan in motion by dipping her bare foot into the pool and gliding it along. Yeah, that would be refreshing once she submerged her entire body...nude.
Okay, so maybe there was a little bit of a reckless side to her, but Stefan brought it out. No way would she ever have thought to get into her infinity pool overlooking the L.A. skyline while wearing nothing but a suntan and a hair clip.
And no way in hell would she ever have done something like this for Alex.
Looking back she could admit that she’d been in love with Stefan for years, but it took the intimacy, the devotion, to finally open her eyes to her true Prince Charming. But she’d never really thought of him as a prince. To her he was her best friend, her confidant, now her lover and husband.
This afternoon they’d ended up sharing a strained lunch and he’d informed her he’d be busy the rest of the day—but at least he’d come for lunch. He had gone into her spare office to check emails and talk with Hector about the coronation. She let him do his thing because that whole royalty territory wasn’t her forte. But she was going to have to get more comfortable with it because she intended to stick out this marriage, title and all. And while she was afraid of what being a queen truly meant, she wasn’t afraid to sacrifice herself for the man she loved.
While she’d never played the meek and mild woman before, doing so with the title of queen wasn’t even an option. She loved being able to assist with charities and use her name and title to help others. And when Stefan had taken charge with the Veterans’ Homeless Shelter, her heart had melted. That’s the type of work she wanted to get behind. That’s the part of being royalty she could completely embrace.
Victoria slid out of her short silk robe and let it puddle next to the steps. The thick candles she’d lit all around the pool added just that extra bit of romance. When Stefan stepped out onto her patio, she wanted him to take in the scene: discarded red silk robe, flickering candlelight and his wife naked in the water.
She may be uncomfortable with this, but she was a Dane and everything was about setting the stage to pack a punch with the audience. And there was only one audience member she cared about.
Now all she had to do was float lazily on her back, wait and fantasize about how spectacular this night would be. Hopefully Stefan would see the way she stepped outside her comfort zone for him, and if he did, surely he’d realize that her love knew no limits.
And perhaps he could step out of his comfort zone, too.
* * *
Stefan raked his hands through his hair. His coronation was scheduled to take place in a few months and he was trying to get a start for this documentary so he could at least assure his people that a new era was going to begin, starting with the truth, to remove the black mark hovering over his father’s name.
His investigators had found several people who were willing to speak on camera if a film was produced. Hector had been working behind the scenes, as well, jotting down key things he remembered from that time...after all, the man had also been the assistant to Stefan’s father and knew more than most.
But right now his mind was still plagued by the awkwardness with Victoria. He knew she’d picked up on the distance he’d put between them, but he needed the time to process everything. And he still hadn’t come to a damn conclusion.
He made his way up to their room, where he fully expected her to be, so he was surprised to see a note resting on her pillow.
Meet me at the pool.
Intrigued, he tossed the note aside and headed back downstairs. When he stepped through the double glass doors, he stopped, taking in the ambiance all at once.
“I’m dreaming. No way is the prim and proper Victoria Dane skinny-dipping out in the open.”
She moved through the darkened water like she had all the confidence in the world. “You’ve been trying since we met to get me here. I thought I’d put you out of your misery.”
