Read Online Going Royal 02 - Some Like It Scandalous by Heather Long - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Long
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office. The building wasn’t “secure.”
Tossing the phone on the bed, she paced through the bedroom. The housekeeper told her there were some nightgowns in the dresser and fresh pajamas—all recent purchases, and set aside for guests. Not that she had an overnight bag, or her book, or anything to do...
Abandoning the bedroom, she wandered through the quiet apartment—too quiet. The staff didn’t live in. She wasn’t sure who mentioned that to her, but they were just a phone call away. Star four on the phone would ring to the valet and he would take care of everything.
Valet.
They rode in the back of a luxurious limousine , the deep leather seats sumptuous and if not for Charlie’s hand wrapped firmly around her own , she might have drowned in the surrealism of it all. The hours since the knock on the door had raced past. His security had shuttled them from their meager apartment , whisking them to the airport in the back of an SUV and through private gates , taking them all the way to a waiting plane.
Her heart ached for him , but as the hours passed , Charlie seemed to vanish before her eyes. His jaw tightened , his eyes grew more remote and even his manner became more autocratic , isolated and aloof. Except he still held her hand , held it tightly. Through the window she glimpsed an estate—no , not an estate.
A palace.
Apprehension shivered across her skin and her pulse raced. What the hell was she doing here? She had finals to take , though she’d been told by a man with a very no-nonsense accent “ arrangements would be made. ”
What arrangements?
The car glided almost silently past tall iron gates and four heavily armed and decorated military men who stood watch.
When they finally pulled up to the circular drive in front of the palace doors , her stomach sank. An entire line of people awaited them—all dressed in black-and-white suits or uniform dresses , save for an older woman with dark hair shot through with strands of silver. She wore a far more ornate black dress , black gloves covered her hands , gems gleamed at her wrists , ears—and dear God , she wore a tiara.
A tiara.
Anna worried she might throw up. Two younger men accompanied the grand lady and behind her gathered others in equally formal , if stiffly dark , dress. Of course it’s dark , Anna chastised herself. They’re in mourning. And all at once , her attention went back to Charlie. He stared out the window , a muscle ticking in his jaw. The vehicle halted and one of the butlers stepped up to open the door.
“ I have to exit first ,” he murmured in a dull voice. Charlie’s hand trembled in hers—or maybe she imagined it. He withdrew his touch and pulled away.
“ All right ,” she replied , but he stepped out of the vehicle and the moment his foot touched the ground , everyone along the line bowed or dipped into a curtsy—every single one of them. The band around her chest constricted , threatening to cut off her oxygen. Charlie’s chin came up and his hands fell to his sides as he surveyed all of them.
He wasn’t Charlie anymore. He was everything noble and regal—he’d become the prince.
Her Charlie was a prince.
After a long pause , Charlie stepped forward and kissed the older woman’s cheek. The man holding the car door held out a hand to her and she finally unfolded from the seat to exit the car. In her jeans and T-shirt , she felt positively rumpled next to all of the finery—even the staff wore better outfits than she did.
“ If you’ll follow Elsie , ma’am , she can show you to your room and help you change. ” The man’s crisp words dragged her attention away from Charlie—no , not Charlie.
Armand.
She paced through the darkened living room. The nighttime view was just as spectacular as she’d imagined. The city lights gleamed like a scattering of multicolored gems. She rummaged through the kitchen until she found bottled water tucked into a drawer in the fridge and a container with cake in
Tossing the phone on the bed, she paced through the bedroom. The housekeeper told her there were some nightgowns in the dresser and fresh pajamas—all recent purchases, and set aside for guests. Not that she had an overnight bag, or her book, or anything to do...
Abandoning the bedroom, she wandered through the quiet apartment—too quiet. The staff didn’t live in. She wasn’t sure who mentioned that to her, but they were just a phone call away. Star four on the phone would ring to the valet and he would take care of everything.
Valet.
They rode in the back of a luxurious limousine , the deep leather seats sumptuous and if not for Charlie’s hand wrapped firmly around her own , she might have drowned in the surrealism of it all. The hours since the knock on the door had raced past. His security had shuttled them from their meager apartment , whisking them to the airport in the back of an SUV and through private gates , taking them all the way to a waiting plane.
Her heart ached for him , but as the hours passed , Charlie seemed to vanish before her eyes. His jaw tightened , his eyes grew more remote and even his manner became more autocratic , isolated and aloof. Except he still held her hand , held it tightly. Through the window she glimpsed an estate—no , not an estate.
A palace.
Apprehension shivered across her skin and her pulse raced. What the hell was she doing here? She had finals to take , though she’d been told by a man with a very no-nonsense accent “ arrangements would be made. ”
What arrangements?
The car glided almost silently past tall iron gates and four heavily armed and decorated military men who stood watch.
When they finally pulled up to the circular drive in front of the palace doors , her stomach sank. An entire line of people awaited them—all dressed in black-and-white suits or uniform dresses , save for an older woman with dark hair shot through with strands of silver. She wore a far more ornate black dress , black gloves covered her hands , gems gleamed at her wrists , ears—and dear God , she wore a tiara.
A tiara.
Anna worried she might throw up. Two younger men accompanied the grand lady and behind her gathered others in equally formal , if stiffly dark , dress. Of course it’s dark , Anna chastised herself. They’re in mourning. And all at once , her attention went back to Charlie. He stared out the window , a muscle ticking in his jaw. The vehicle halted and one of the butlers stepped up to open the door.
“ I have to exit first ,” he murmured in a dull voice. Charlie’s hand trembled in hers—or maybe she imagined it. He withdrew his touch and pulled away.
“ All right ,” she replied , but he stepped out of the vehicle and the moment his foot touched the ground , everyone along the line bowed or dipped into a curtsy—every single one of them. The band around her chest constricted , threatening to cut off her oxygen. Charlie’s chin came up and his hands fell to his sides as he surveyed all of them.
He wasn’t Charlie anymore. He was everything noble and regal—he’d become the prince.
Her Charlie was a prince.
After a long pause , Charlie stepped forward and kissed the older woman’s cheek. The man holding the car door held out a hand to her and she finally unfolded from the seat to exit the car. In her jeans and T-shirt , she felt positively rumpled next to all of the finery—even the staff wore better outfits than she did.
“ If you’ll follow Elsie , ma’am , she can show you to your room and help you change. ” The man’s crisp words dragged her attention away from Charlie—no , not Charlie.
Armand.
She paced through the darkened living room. The nighttime view was just as spectacular as she’d imagined. The city lights gleamed like a scattering of multicolored gems. She rummaged through the kitchen until she found bottled water tucked into a drawer in the fridge and a container with cake in
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