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The silence between them crackled with an uneasy tension. Madeline was losing sight of her purpose here. She’d come as a representative of parliament but also as a friend of the royal family. She wanted to protect Nolan and his children from whatever Gustaff and Monaco tried to throw at them. Not even a day into her task and she was getting lost in the king’s blue eyes. Nobody would believe her report if she acted like a starry-eyed girl smitten by the appealing and powerful yet also benevolent king.
Madeline shook her head and hurried faster, not even appreciating the gorgeous greenery and the perfect summer morning. They reached the castle, and Nolan escorted her up the stairs with the guards following. At her floor, she tried to wave him off. “I’ll see you soon.”
She had no idea his schedule, and she hadn’t really thought out this task of staying by the king’s side at all times. She would not follow him to his suite and wait while he showered. Her face flushed at the thought.
“I’ll walk you to you room,” Nolan said.
She bristled. “Amazingly enough, I’ve been walking myself wherever I need to get for twenty-six years. I think I’ll manage.”
Instead of looking annoyed or put in his place, the king smiled. “I like your spice.”
She stared at him. Did he honestly? “King Nolan—”
“Oh, no. We are not regressing.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she went hot from head to toe. “Captain. Sergeant.” He looked at the two men who had stopped in the stairwell. “Please clear the hallway and Madeline’s suite. I require a private word with her.”
They both nodded. Nolan swept her to the side while the men checked the hallway. Of course they obeyed him. He was so powerful and enticing she had no clue how she was going to resist. Even Russell Crowe had nothing on him.
Nolan said nothing as they waited, but the warmth of his body pressed against her and the strength of his arm around her made her stomach do a happy flip. She glanced up and his piercing blue eyes were fixated on her. How was she supposed to resist those blue eyes?
The guards returned and bowed. “Ms. Prescott’s suite and the hall are clear, King Nolan.”
“Thank you. I’ll be a few minutes.” He glanced down at her and smiled. “Or more.”
She heard Levi chuckle, then cover it. “Yes, sir.”
Madeline’s heart was thumping too quick against her rib cage. What did he mean, or more? He surely wouldn’t kiss her in this hallway and make all of her dreams come true.
Nolan kept his arm around her waist and escorted her down the hall as if she were royalty. As if she were his queen.
No! She couldn’t let her thoughts wander like that.
They reached her door, and he turned her to him. “Madeline…”
“We need to restructure the fake dating idea,” she said, cutting him off.
“Oh?” He arched a brow. “I see. You want to make it real.”
His gaze traveled over her face, settling on her lips for far too long before his eyes lifted to meet hers again. Madeline was short of breath from a simple look. She couldn’t ‘make it real.’ Was he in earnest?
“Nolan, please.” She caught a breath and backed away from his embrace, running into the door. “I’m on assignment here, and you’re not …”
“Not what?”
How could she tell him he wasn’t ready to move on, as if she knew his thoughts? All she knew was she had to take this slow. She knew little about serious dating or long-term love. She’d been deserted by her husband. Some, mostly her parents, thought she should’ve moved on. But she’d been focused on Chad and her career, and she’d never found a man she was interested in pursuing more than a few dates with.
Until now.
“Let’s focus on proving you have no association with Naomi,” she said. “Let’s not get distracted or forget my purpose here.”
He looked injured—the confident king of Augustine. Injured.
Finally, he nodded.
“Thank you.” Madeline pushed down the handle and started to slide into the room.
“Madeline.” His hand on her arm stopped her and made her long to rewind and try again. Yes, she wanted to make it real! How could she not?
She moistened her lips. “Yes?”
