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Everyone laughed at that. Macey was the furthest thing from a ‘geek,’ but Ray could already sense everyone was going to love her. She was down-to-earth and real.
“The two of you fell in love online?”
“For the most part,” Ray answered this time. “We spent one glorious weekend in Lake Como together. That’s when I knew I’d never met Macey’s equal and that I couldn’t let her out of my life. I unexpectedly proposed. Thankfully, she was willing to take a chance on a humble crown prince.” He winked confidently like T would, and the crowd laughed. “She said yes, opening my future to a lifetime of love and laughter with my angelic Macey.”
He had no problem slapping the sass on thick, looking into Macey’s dark eyes, and pretending to be in love. The sparks and connection leaping between them should convince and soften even the most hardened reporter.
“Is thatthering?” a nervous-looking younger lady asked when the king gestured to her next.
“Yes, it is.” Macey had done her research on their family. Did she have any idea the significance of the ring on her finger? She held it up, and it glinted in the morning sun. Ray did not like her wearing T’s ring.
“How did he pop the question?”
“He took me up to the castle’s solarium at sunset.” Macey stared into his eyes, and he found his heart racing at the memory of her balancing on the ledge of the solarium, pulling her off and her falling into his arms, and then the kiss … “I won’t share everything he said.” She gave the crowd a teasing glance and everybody smiled or laughed. “But he did remind me that I was ‘brave, bold, and beautiful’ as I’d pretended to be the evening we met, and he begged me to be his.” She shared her tinkling laughter with them, and Ray was lost.
“’Begged?’” He tried to scoff like T would. Then he pumped his eyebrows at the crowd and admitted, “I did. And every day I’m begging her to love me like I love her.” The words were said in a teasing manner, but as he looked into her eyes, he thought he meant them. He wanted to scoff at that, but all he could do was lock gazes with her.
“Then he kissed me, and it’s a miracle I didn’t float right off the solarium balcony.” She waved her free hand in front of her face as if fanning the heat and then gave a delightful, almost-nervous sounding laugh. It was perfect. The cameras and reporters were eating up her genuine warmth.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss,” someone said, and the crowd of normally tough and direct and sometimes cutthroat media took up the chant. Macey had brought light and joy to their day just like she was doing to his. His mum had hoped he’d find a sweetheart to soften his toughness and military obsession. Macey did more than soften him. She made him want to be the best man he could be, a man worthy of her. The man who made her laugh multiple times a day for the rest of their lives.
Ray’s throat felt tight, and his mouth watered with the anticipation of kissing her again. When he thought T would hold her hand during this press conference and possibly kiss her, he’d had to shove the image from his mind. Now it was him who’d be blessed with the opportunity.
She fluttered her eyelashes at him and moistened her lips. Ray would show these people the kiss that had made her ‘float.’
He released her hand, wrapped his arm around her waist, and turned her into him. Macey ran her hands along his shoulders and his muscles tightened in response. She arched up as he bent down, and their lips fused together. They were two pieces of a puzzle who’d been designed to fit together.
Macey melted into him, and Ray didn’t worry about anything but the pressure of her lips caressing his and the warmth she stirred in his soul. Somehow this woman made everything disappear, everything but what mattered most—her.
“Tristan.” His dad reached around Ray and jostled his arm. “We should … move on with the questioning.”
Ray released Macey’s mouth but held her close to his side. She was trembling slightly against him, and he wondered if he wasn’t trembling as well. T had given him the gift of having this moment with Macey in the name of keeping the crown prince safe, or a challenge like they’d sold to their father. Ray appreciated T for these stolen moments, but coming down off this high would be worse than he’d feared. Another taste and deep connection with Macey would make it even harder to keep his eyes and his hands off her.
For the moment, he clung to her and she clung to him and they answered the questions, most of which were directed at one of them. Only a few were directed toward his father, asking how he felt about a daughter-in-law and to T as the ‘general,’ wondering if they’d discovered who the ‘Enforcer’ was and why they were leaving the notes about T dying all over the village. His father raved about how much everyone loved Macey and T did a great job of answering, but there were no answers regarding the stupid notes, so there was that.
Finally the last reporter asked a question, his father thanked everyone for coming, they said their goodbyes, and Ray escorted Macey up the steps. As soon as they closed the doors, T held out his hand for a high five. Ray didn’t want to release Macey to slap his brother’s hand, but he forced himself to. The charade was over. He experienced a letdown like he imagined a cocaine user in a rehab center might feel. Luckily, he kept the shaking to a minimum and didn’t let himself stare at Macey.
“You rocked it,” T crowed. “That was brilliant. The military center, tomorrow. Pops will help me make it happen and everyone will understand I need a day off to spend with my irresistible fiancée. You’ll love it, Macey.”
“I’m sure I will.” Her voice was shaky, and Ray had to look at her. She looked as let down as he felt.
“You boys.” Their father was shaking his head at the two of them. He pointed at Macey and then at each of them. “Macey, I’m sorry. You must be so confused.”
“I’m fine.” She smiled, but it looked forced. If she cared for Ray like he did her, she was probably much worse than confused.
“I have never …” His dad studied Ray much too deeply, then seemed to realize he shouldn’t say whatever he was thinking. “Never mind. Come on, Tristan. We’ve got budgets to review and funds to allocate.”
“Let me go change out of this getup. Being a highly decorated general is sweaty.”
“You sweated in my uniform?” Ray would’ve punched him, but T had just given him the gift of holding and kissing Macey, staring into her eyes and not feeling tortured about it. For twenty minutes. Even knowing cameras were rolling and the videos and shots would be seen throughout the world hadn’t taken away from those perfect moments.
“Yep.” T inhaled. “Smells like a high school locker room in here. Yummy.” He darted up the stairs before Ray could grab him.
“Get it to Malory. She’ll have it dry cleaned before the next ceremony or ball …” his dad trailed off. They hadn’t had a ceremony or ball since Mum died. They’d have to have both if they got to September twentieth, the fictitious wedding date, before they found the ‘Enforcer’ or the murderer. Ray’s insides chilled with the thought. If they did, could he beg T to let him step into his place for the vows? Who would that make her married to? Ray couldn’t let his brain go there. Too much angst and confusion.
“Sorry my boys are such teases,” the king said to Macey. “They’re brilliant, focused, and mature at times too.”
“You don’t have to explain to me,” Macey said. “I’ve worked for over five years with some of the most impressive security and protection ops in the world, most of whom were with the U.S. Special forces previously, and believe me, those tough guys tease, play pranks, and throw around black humor that make Tristan and Ray look like boring sticks in the mud.”
