A Royal Christmas Proposal. Leanne Banks

I’m putting my big guy to bed. I’m glad you won’t be concentrating as much on alarming the house. Leo may not be able to hear the alarms, but it would be startling for Nanny and me.”

      “I hear you,” he said. “Listen, do you mind if I take a swim in the pool at night? It’s one of the ways I like to stay in shape.”

      He felt her gaze dip to his shoulders then she blinked and cleared her throat. “Of course not,” she said. “Excuse me while I put Leo to bed.”

      Treat felt something wrap around his ankles and watched Sam wind around him. He frowned.

      “Looks like Sam likes you,” Princess Fredericka said.

      Treat watched her as she retreated down the hallway. He shifted from one foot to the other and narrowed his eyes. Sam looked up at him and gave a meow. He glared down at the cat, but the cat continued to mark him. Glancing toward the hallway, he thought about the woman who’d just left the room. He’d expected a snooty princess. At first glance, maybe she was. But in less than twenty-four hours, he’d glimpsed something else. A princess trying to teach herself and her baby son sign language? She wasn’t what he’d expected.

      Treat felt a strange gnawing sensation in his gut. He hadn’t felt anything like it in a long time. In fact, he hadn’t felt much of anything for a long time. He’d made sure not to invest in anything too emotional. His life hadn’t allowed for it once he’d suffered that last professional football injury. Treat hadn’t gotten truly involved with a woman in several years. He’d been too busy trying to make a living. Once he’d switched to security, he’d decided to make his fortune with it. The past few years he’d worked non-stop with his partner to build their security business. Now, he was making the step to take the business international.

      He needed cooperation from Princess Fredericka and he also needed not to get emotionally involved. No problem, he told himself.

      * * *

      Another near-sleepless night, Ericka thought as she rubbed her face when the sun shone through the crack of her window coverings. She wasn’t sure when Leo had fallen asleep for more than an hour, but she planned to check out night lights and anything else that might help him. She’d finally turned on a lamp in the hallway. She wondered if that had helped.

      Nanny was more than ready to step up, but Ericka had a hard time handing over Leo’s care when he seemed so distressed. Now, however, she had calls and plans to make and she wouldn’t feel quite so guilty handing Leo over to his nanny. Ericka was so exhausted that she knew she needed help.

      Lying on her back in her bed, she took several deep breaths and stared up at the ceiling. She needed to open the blinds, she told herself. She’d recently read that exposure to light during the first thirty minutes of her day would make her feel more awake.

      “Wake up, Ericka,” she urged herself and dragged herself from her bed. She thrust herself under a shower, brushed her teeth then stumbled toward the kitchen where Nanny sat at the table.

      “You should have woken me. That’s why I’m here,” she said, offering Ericka a cup of coffee.

      “He was just on the edge,” Ericka said, accepting the coffee and taking a long draw. “He kept going to sleep and waking up. Then going to sleep and waking up.”

      “You should have awakened me after the first time,” Nanny said.

      “I think it became a challenge,” Ericka said.

      “Oh,” Nanny said in a dark voice. “That’s bad. No one should ever challenge a Devereaux.”

      Ericka laughed and took another long drink from her coffee. “You’re so right.” She paused a half beat. “The security man suggested I do something with light to help Leo. Something about his sight being a strong sense. So I’m going to do some research.”

      “This from the American?”

      Ericka nodded. “Who knew?”

      Nanny shook her head. “I would not have expected that.”

      “Neither would I have,” Ericka said.

      Nanny lifted her hands in the sign language for applause. “Good for you. Good for Leo.”

      Ericka smiled and echoed the sign language. “We’re working on it,” she said. “In the meantime, it’s time for me to go to work.”

      “Drink another cup of coffee,” Nanny said.

      Ericka extended her mug up toward the woman, who refilled her cup. “I’m so glad I don’t have to meet face-to-face with anyone today. Thank goodness this is a phone day.”

      “Take a nap midday then have juice and a cookie,” Nanny said. “It will be good for you.”

      Ericka chuckled, but she couldn’t help thinking Nanny had a good point. Maybe, if everyone took a nap after lunch followed by a snack of juice and a cookie, then the world would be a better place. She would be less cranky. That was for sure.

      She made several calls throughout the day. Coffee kept her going. Just before dinner, she signed off and typed some final notes on her laptop. The conference planning was coming along. She was pleased with her progress.

      Ericka stood and shook her body to release her stiffness and tension. A short dip in the pool would do her good, she thought, and she went to her bedroom to change into a bathing suit. It was dinner time, but she was more interested in the sensation of sinking into water than eating. Thank goodness the pool was heated.

      Ericka stepped down the stairs into the pool, pausing before the last step. The water was cooler than she’d expected. She finally took that last step and let out a little squeal. Sinking down to her neck, she shivered, but quickly adjusted.

      She took a deep breath then plunged her face in the water and began to swim. She made it to the far wall and turned then swam back. Out of breath, she paused and chastised herself. “Go,” she muttered to herself and swam another lap. She returned and grasped the side of the pool, gasping for air.

      A warm hand covered hers on the side of the pool. “Are you okay?”

      Surprised, she inhaled water and coughed. And coughed. And coughed. She felt a splash beside her and a thump on her back. She hacked a couple more times then took a low, careful breath through her nostrils.

      “Did you have to startle me?” she finally managed, looking up at Mr. Walker who was fully dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. Drenched, he stared down at her, his shirt clinging to his perfectly muscled body.

      “I thought you were drowning,” he said. “You kept gasping for air but ducking your head under the water.”

      “I was pushing myself to go a little farther. I realize it may look pathetic in your eyes, but I haven’t had a lot of physical exercise during the last few months.”

      “Oh,” he said, watching her as she continued to catch her breath.

      “Have you ever had a baby?” she asked.

      His mouth twitched in a cockeyed smile. “Not that I can remember.”

      Ericka took a deep breath and headed toward the steps. She felt his hands on her waist guiding her. “That’s not—”

      “No problem,” he said, continuing to help her up the steps.

      Her heart raced at his touch and she didn’t like the sensation. “Let go of me. I’m fine.”

      He didn’t release her until she was steady. She resented the fact that she wasn’t steady one minute earlier. She resented him, too.

      “I was just taking a swim,” she said.

      He stepped up beside her in his wet street cloths and looked down at her. “Maybe you shouldn’t do as many laps next time.”

      “I didn’t do that many,” she retorted.

      “Cut yourself some