Royals Untamed!. Annie West

ever shown it to her?’

      He shook his head. ‘I’ve been too focused on other things when it comes to Annabelle. We haven’t got around to anything like that.’

      Ruby nodded and bit her tongue. It was important that she find out about the relationship between Alex and his daughter. It wouldn’t do well for her to criticise, but she could already imagine the kind of recommendations she might make.

      ‘Well, if you show it to me some time maybe I can give you some suggestions on how to make it more appealing to a little girl.’

      He gave a little nod as they approached a gate in the high walls. Alex keyed in a code and the door swung open.

      ‘Won’t that set off alarms everywhere?’

      ‘No. It’s my code. They’ll know it’s me that’s opened the door.’

      The back entrance opened directly on to the sea cliffs. The breeze was startlingly stiff and she shivered. She should have brought a cardigan, but the light summer breezes on the castle balcony had been pleasing.

      Her bright pink dress whipped around in the wind and Alex pulled off his jacket and put it over her shoulders. The first thing she noticed was the smell of his aftershave as she slid her arms into the jacket and pulled it around her.

      ‘Do you do this often?’

      ‘Of course.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you think I spend all my time holed up in the castle?’

      ‘I have no idea, Alex. I have no idea what you do at all.’

      She heard him suck in a breath. She wasn’t trying to bring up the past, but if she wanted to help Annabelle she had to have a good idea about the environment in which she lived.

      The walk into the centre of the city was pleasant. It was less than a mile and they browsed at the shop windows, with several of the shopkeepers coming out to speak to them. One gave Alex some cheese, another some ham wrapped in paper.

      ‘Your favourite,’ he said with a smile.

      The clothing and jewellery shops were spectacular. No prices in any window. Ruby could only imagine how much things actually cost around here.

      She was surprised at how relaxed everything was. The palace was much more formal. People nodded to Alex in the street, but no one seemed in awe of him.

      They’d reached the casino in the middle of the city. ‘Would you like to sample some of the best cake in Euronia?’ he asked.

      ‘Is it better than the cake in Paris?’

      Their eyes met. It was a moment. A second for them both to remember that night ten years ago in Paris. Both of them were smiling, as if it were an automatic reaction to the memory.

      He leaned forward a little, the heat from his body emanating towards her. ‘The cake in Paris won’t even come close to the cake in Euronia.’

      She lifted her head. They were so close. ‘Is that a promise?’

      He slid his hand around her back and pulled out a chair for her. ‘Absolutely.’

      The café Alex had chosen was opposite the casino. She’d seen pictures of the place on the internet. Just about every visitor who came to Euronia visited this café and watched the coming and goings at the casino.

      ‘Aren’t you worried you’ll get harassed here?’

      He shook his head. ‘It’s Sunday. No cruise ships moor at Euronia on a Sunday and no bus tours run. Today’s the best day for me to take a walk around.’

      The owner of the café appeared and nodded at Alex. ‘The usual coffee and cake, Your Highness?’ Alex nodded. ‘And for the beautiful lady?’

      ‘You should go and look in the glass cabinet. The cakes are amazing.’

      Ruby stood up and walked over to the cabinet, spending a few minutes talking to the café owner before finally settling on a strawberry and cream sponge.

      It was surreal. Sitting in the warm sunshine of Euronia with Alex.

      These were the kind of things that had drifted into her imagination in the early days. Fanciful thoughts of what might have been.

      Alex seemed happy here—more relaxed than he was in the palace, which was strange, as that was his home.

      He drank his steaming coffee and devoured a piece of chocolate cake as soon as it appeared. He held out his fork towards her. ‘Try some.’

      She hesitated, then leaned forward, opening her mouth. ‘Mmm, it’s delicious. You’re right. The cakes here are nicer than in Paris.’

      He licked some chocolate from his lips and nodded towards her strawberry and cream sponge. ‘What? All of them?’

      She raised her eyebrows at him and waved her fork. ‘I’m warning you—Prince or no Prince. Touch my cake and I’ll spear you with my fork.’

      He threw back his head and laughed. ‘I’m sure you offered me a piece of your cake in Paris.’

      She winked at him as she took another bite. ‘I might have. But I was trying to impress you then.’ She smiled and shrugged. ‘Those days are gone.’

      ‘You’re not trying to impress me now?’

      ‘No,’ she said solemnly. She reached one hand over to his. Her other one was poised carefully. ‘I’m just trying to distract you so I can steal some more of your chocolate cake.’

      Her fork swooped in and she grabbed another piece.

      He held the hand resting over his. ‘That’s what I like about you, Ruby. What I remember. A girl who likes to eat cake.’

      She licked her fork. ‘It’s my best talent. It’s taken years and years of practice.’

      She liked this. He was relaxed here. He was much more like the Alex she remembered. Around the palace he seemed so much more uptight.

      ‘How long has the casino been open?’ She watched the stream of people entering and leaving.

      ‘Almost three hours.’

      She glanced at her watch. ‘But it’s only one o’clock in the day. I thought gambling would be a night-time kind of thing.’

      ‘Have you ever been to Las Vegas or Atlantic City?’

      She shook her head. ‘So people gamble here all day?’

      He nodded.

      ‘And is that good or bad?’

      He fixed his blue eyes on hers. ‘You mean for the people, or for the place?’

      She shrugged, ‘Both, I guess. I don’t really know that much about gambling.’

      ‘Neither do I. But tourism is one of the ways to bring money into Euronia. The new port means that cruise ships can easily moor here. We open up part of the castle for tours at different times of the year. We’ve spent money building five-star hotels that keep the rich and famous happy. And we have some of the most beautiful venues for weddings in the world. That, and the tax benefits, mean that Euronia thrives.’

      She listened to his words carefully, hearing the underlying pride as he said them. Ten years ago there had been financial predictions that Euronia would have to be taken over by another country to remain viable. None of those predictions had come true.

      ‘Is that why you went to Harvard and studied business—to find a way to help Euronia?’

      He gave a rueful smile. ‘If I’d had my way I would have gone to Harvard to study chemistry or physics.’

      She sat back in her chair. ‘Really? You like that kind of thing?’

      He nodded. ‘Of course I do. Doesn’t every little boy want to be an astronaut? I still want to. Science, maths or engineering—that’s