Read Online His Bride for the Taking by Sandra Hyatt - Free Book Online Page B

blessing. And probably also the approval of palace advisers. And even the public of San Philippe. Which was what was sending her heart into overdrive. Despite her mother’s assurances andtraining, she didn’t know if she was cut out for that much scrutiny, for the prospect of such a public failure. What if this was a colossal mistake?
    No. Time to stop the negative self-talk. She could do this.
    “Talking to yourself?” She looked across to see Rafe watching her, a smile tugging at his lips.
    Had she been? “No, of course not.” Against her will that smile drew her own out, making it impossible to stay mad at him. “Maybe. I’ve just realized what a very public spectacle I could make of myself here.”
    “The palace will be working to keep everything low-key. It won’t be too public.”
    “But still a spectacle?”
    “That part’s up to you.”
    The plane touched down, decelerating rapidly. She looked out the window at a waving crowd standing behind a cordoned-off area. “So that crowd out there is normal?”
    “There are always a few people with nothing better to do than hang out at the airport when the royal jet flies in.”
    “That many?”
    He followed her gaze and she saw a flash of surprise in his eyes, but he leaned back in his seat. “Give or take a few.”
    “Wow.”
    “Don’t overthink things.”
    “What do you mean?” She thought she knew, but talking to him, listening to his deep, calm voice, his soft accent, helped distract her.
    “Worrying ahead of time about what people will think or what might go wrong. You’ll step off this plane, see Adam and take it from there. One moment at a time.”
    “Of course we’ll be taking things slowly, but controlling my thoughts and anxiety is easier said than done.”
    “No. It’s exactly as easy to say as it is to do. In fact, your thoughts are one of the few things in life you do have control over. And thinking things over and over and round and round in your head, things you can’t possibly have any control over—that’s not easy. It’s also a hell of a waste of mental energy.”
    “You could be right. But I don’t think you really understand.”
    “I know I’m right.” He pulled a business card from his pocket, flipped it over and wrote on the back before handing it to her.
    She looked at the cell phone number scrawled elegantly across the card.
    “I may not see that much of you around the palace. That’s my private number,” he said on a sigh. “In case.”
    “In case what?”
    “In case you don’t know which fork to use. I don’t know. Just in case. Only a couple of people have it, so if you call, I’ll answer it.”
    “Thank you.” It struck her then that with their time in Massachusetts, London and on the plane she’d now spent more consecutive time in Rafe’s company than she ever had in Adam’s.
    “Abuse it and I’ll change the number.”
    Lexie smiled and lapsed into silence. She looked away from the window and at the hands clasped in her lap. After agonizing over what to wear, she’d settled on a skirt and short, tailored jacket. But maybe she should have worn the shift dress. It was probably hot out there. She glanced at Rafe. He wore an open-necked white linen shirt and cream-colored pants. He looked fantastic, as if he’d just stepped off a yacht in the Mediterranean. She chewed her bottom lip.
    He sighed. “What are you worried about now?”
    She hadn’t thought he’d been aware of her. She swallowed. “Would calling you to ask a really stupid question be considered abusing the privilege?”
    “A really stupid question like what?”
    “Like, do I look okay?”
    His gaze swept over her. “Fine.”
    “What’s wrong with it?”
    “I said it was fine.”
    “I know. So what’s wrong with it?”
    He shook his head. “Nothing. Adam will love it. You look very…regal. Quite proper. The pearls are a great touch.”
    “But you don’t like it?”
    He lifted a shoulder. “I’m shallower than Adam. The