Page 9 of Promoted To His Princess

Now she was the knight. And she did her own rescuing.

The gown tugged as he slowly drew up the zip, the fabric closing her in its silken grip. His breath was warm on her shoulders and she didn’t know why she was noticing it.

You know why. You’re attracted to him.

She took a soft, silent breath. Surely not. She’d never been attracted to a man before and there was no reason she should be now. The army was her life and she thought the army would end up being her husband, too, and that was what she wanted. As a teenager she’d given up parties and boyfriends and hanging out with friends in favour of school work and the hard, physical discipline her father had insisted on. And when she’d enlisted at eighteen, she hadn’t looked back.

The military was her vocation. It was her religion.

And there was no room in there for an inappropriate reaction to the prince she served, especially a prince such as him, a living refutation of everything the Axian army stood for.

A living refutation of everything Axios stood for as a country.

Calista straightened, squaring her shoulders, coming to attention. She couldn’t forget herself. He kept calling her a soldier and that was exactly what she was.

‘Hmm,’ the prince murmured. ‘Coming to attention in a gown. You’re a soldier to your core, aren’t you?’

That he’d recognised what she was doing felt exposing in a way she didn’t like, but she couldn’t hide what she was so she didn’t bother. ‘Yes. A soldier is all I wanted to be. Ever since I was a girl.’

‘Is that so?’ His fingers were doing something with the back of the gown, the fabric tightening around her. They were disconcertingly soft. ‘You know what I always wanted to be?’

‘What?’

‘A rubbish-truck driver.’

Calista blinked, forgetting all about the gown for a second. ‘You did?’ she asked in surprise, unwillingly charmed by the thought of Xerxes, a prince of Axios, driving a rubbish truck.

‘Yes.’ The warmth at her back increased, his breath ghosting over the back of her neck like a ray of sunshine. ‘But don’t tell anyone. It’s a state secret. And one only you know.’

Really? Only her? But before Calista had time to process that, his hand settled at the small of her back and he was turning her around, propelling her towards the bank of mirrors that lined one wall of the bedroom.

‘Come on, Cinderella,’ he said. ‘Time to see what magic your fairy godmother has done.’

Calista stared at herself in the mirror and this time there was no hiding the shock that spread itself over her strong features. She’d said she’d always wanted to be a soldier—had she ever even seen herself in a dress? If not, no wonder she was shocked.

Because she was beautiful.

The blue silk hugged her statuesque figure, showing off the delicious golden skin of her shoulders and arms, while skimming the full curves of her breasts and hips. Then it flared out, swirling around her thighs before falling in a pool of silk to her feet.

It was a simple gown, designed to highlight the beauty of the woman wearing it, and highlight Calista’s it certainly did.

It’s not supposed to be for her, remember?

Of course not. It was for Eleni, and he hadn’t forgotten. But it was good to get a general impression first, and it seemed that gown fitted her beautifully, no adjustment needed.

He frowned at the thick black straps of her sports bra. They ruined the look.

‘May I?’ He met her gaze in the mirror, lifting his hands to indicate the straps.

‘What?’ Her face had gone pale, highlighting little freckles that he somehow hadn’t seen before, a scattering of gold dust on her cheeks. There was no ‘Your Highness’ this time. It was as if she’d forgotten who he was.

He found he didn’t mind that. ‘The bra straps interfere,’ he said. ‘I want to move them.’

‘Oh. Uh...yes.’

The uncertainty in her voice made him narrow his gaze at her reflection in the mirror. Why was she so pale?

Why do you care?

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