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Margot blushes. “You guys are the worst. Do me a favor and change the subject.”
Stellan elbows Keir and they both laugh. Margot shakes her head and I get up, pulling Margot along with me to look out the large picture window as a lovely view of nighttime in Paris sails by.
The King distracts Keir with a new story, making him laugh really hard. I sk Margot about her kid, and she starts talking about her older child and how much she’s enjoying her pregnancy this time around. I’m starting to relax now that all the relationship speculation seems to be over, and I can’t help but notice how happy Keir seems to be.
Yes, we’re having lunch with royalty. But they’re also Keir’s friends, his people. Aside from that brief moment when he started blushing—which was also adorable, by the way—I’ve never seen him look happier or more at ease outside the privacy of his penthouse.
He’s charming. He’s friendly. And if he was like this all the time?
God, there’s no doubt in my mind I would have fallen hard for him a long time ago.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
KEIRAN
Spending time with Stellan and Margot has turned out to be exactly what I needed. My family problems in Scotland feel like they’re a whole world away while Ella and I get whisked from one grand Parisian function to another with the royal couple.
Yes, we draw more attention than I’d prefer, but for once it seems the press and the public don’t give a damn about seeing me. They suck up all the oxygen in the room no matter where they are, and I fucking love it.
Aside from posing for a few photos here and there with the King and Queen, Ella and I have been left to enjoy the sights and act like a couple of common tourists. I haven’t felt so carefree in years.
Case in point—the four of us are walking into a museum where the Queen is scheduled to open an exhibit, and I don’t feel anxious or wary of the press at all.
Because they aren’t. Here. For. Me.
“We need to travel with these two more often,” I whisper into Ella’s ear. We step into the large central rotunda where Margot and Stellan will pose for pictures and give a couple of brief speeches. “We’re just part of the entourage. Nobody’s paying any attention to us.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ella nibbles at her lip as she looks around the room at the dozens of cameras pointed in our direction. “I feel like there’s a huge spotlight on us wherever we go.”
I’m surprised by her hesitation. I guess I’ve never really noticed how she reacts when the press and paparazzi are around, but it’s clear she isn’t a huge fan of all the attention. I reach over and give her hand a reassuring squeeze as the crowd starts to politely applaud the King and Queen.
“The spotlight is mostly on them today,” I say. “Would you feel more comfortable standing off to the side a little?”
She shakes her head, but I can tell she’s lying. “It’s fine. Really, it is. I just… you know me. I’d be happy to never have my picture taken by a stranger ever again.”
I feel a surge of protectiveness as she takes a step back and I make a mental note to do a better job of putting her at ease—or at least making her feel as comfortable as possible—in the future when we’re out in public together.
For now, I try my best to subtly shield her with my body while the press snap photos.
Overhearing part of her conversation with the Queen at lunch reminded me that Margot’s background is similar to Ella’s in a lot of ways. And Margot had to step into a much larger, international role when she married Stellan. Hopefully she shared some wisdom and insight with Ella about how to handle that kind of massive lifestyle change.
Except… why am I even thinking about that? After publicly telling anyone and everyone who will listen that Ella is just my nanny, am I really starting to think about a possible future with her?
Yeah, I guess I am.
Not that I was ever really fooling myself—or anyone else, for that matter—into thinking our relationship was purely professional or even platonic, but it’s still a pretty big leap between nanny and girlfriend.
Or wife.
The King and Queen finish speaking and walk over to where Ella and I are standing off to the side, pulling me from my thoughts as a million flashbulbs go off around us.
“Already over?” I offer my best smile for the cameras while still trying to give Ella as much cover as possible. “That didn’t take long at all.”
Stellan grunts even though he’s also smiling widely, then says through his teeth, “Oh, we’re just getting started, my friend.”
Margot snickers and looks up at him adoringly before turning her attention back to me and Ella. “I have to lead a tour through the exhibit. Would you like to join me, Ella?”
That protective feeling rears its head again, and I start to politely decline for her before the Queen adds, “You wouldn’t have to say or do anything, of course. You could even hang back behind the photographers. I just thought you might enjoy the exhibit—and it’ll keep you from having to suffer through dealing with these two with their endless business talk.”
