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Helios’s private offices were attached to his private apartment. Getting there was a trek in itself. She could cut through her own apartment and use their secret passageway, but during daylight hours it wasn’t feasible, not when this was an ‘official’ meeting, even if it would shave ten minutes off her walk.
The usual courtiers guarded his quarters. They were expecting her and opened the door without any questions. She stepped inside, into a large reception area. The door to the left led to his apartment. She turned the handle of the door to the right.
Talia, Helios’s private secretary, rose to greet her, a pastry in her hand. ‘Hello, Amy,’ she said with a welcoming smile. Usually immaculately presented, today Talia had a wild-eyed, frazzled look about her. ‘He’s expecting you.’
Did Talia suspect Amy and Helios had resumed their relationship? Did anyone suspect?
Amy smiled back politely. ‘How are things?’
Talia crossed her eyes and pulled a face. ‘Busy. This is the first time we’ve stopped all day.’ She pressed a key on one of her desk phones. ‘Despinis Green is here,’ she said.
‘Send her in,’ came the response.
Amy found Helios sitting behind his sprawling desk with Benedict, his black Labrador, snoozing beside him. Benedict cocked an ear and opened his eyes when she walked into the office, then promptly went back to sleep.
‘Take a seat,’ Helios said politely, his eyes following her every movement with a certain knowingness.
As soon as the door was closed and they had some privacy he rose from his chair and stepped round the desk to take her in his arms.
‘Was there a reason you made up a non-existent meeting other than to make out with me in your office?’ she asked with bemusement when they came up for air.
His hands forked through her hair and he kissed her again. ‘The French Ambassador’s flight was slightly delayed, giving me an unexpected half-hour window.’
‘It took me that long to get here,’ she said teasingly.
‘I know.’ He gave a mock sigh. ‘I suppose a few kisses are better than nothing.’
She laughed and rested her head against his chest. ‘Should I go now?’
He looked at his watch. ‘Five minutes.’
‘That’s hardly any time.’
Not that she could do anything more than share a few kisses with him in his office, with Talia on the other side of the door and the palace full of Very Important People who all demanded his time. How he kept his good humour was a mystery...
‘There’s always time for kissing,’ he said, tilting her chin up so he could nuzzle into her cheek. ‘Especially as I won’t get the chance to touch you again for at least another ten hours...’ Before she could get too comfortable, however, he stepped away. ‘To answer your original question—yes, I did have an ulterior motive for seeing you other than the insatiable need to kiss you.’
She rolled her eyes.
‘Before I tell you... I don’t want you to think I’ve been interfering.’
‘What have you interfered with?’
‘I told you, I’m not interfering. I’m helping,’ he added, with a deliberate display of faux innocence.
‘What have you done?’
His features became serious. ‘I’ve been in contact with your birth mother.’
Her heart almost stopped. ‘And?’ she asked breathlessly.
‘She has agreed to meet you in a neutral place on Monday.’
She shook her head, trying to clear the sudden buzzing that had started in her brain at this unexpected development.
‘Are you angry with me?’
‘No. Of course not.’ She wrapped her arms around him and breathed him in. His scent was so very reassuring. ‘It’s in your nature to take charge and boss people around.’
He laughed and rubbed his hands down her back. ‘I wrote to her in my capacity as your boss. And in my capacity as her Prince.’
‘It’s amazing how people are able to do an about-turn on the basis of a simple word from you.’
‘It certainly is,’ he agreed cheerfully.
‘If I were a princess I would throw my weight around everywhere.’
He pulled back and tapped her on the nose. ‘No, you wouldn’t... And I don’t throw my weight around,’ he continued, feigning injury.
She grinned. ‘You don’t need to.’ Stepping onto her toes, she pressed a kiss to his lips. ‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t thank me yet—there are no guarantees the meeting will go well.’
She shrugged. ‘Having met Leander, I have no expectations. I don’t want to be part of her family or cause trouble for her. I just want to meet her.’
