A Royal Mess and Her Knight To Remember

“Let me give you a hint about women, Tim. Laughing at their kissing technique is bad form.”

Uh-oh. “I wasn’t laughing at you. Honest. Now come here.”

“For what? More kissing? You’d still be doing just that if you hadn’t laughed.”

“I laughed at me. Okay? I didn’t realize until now that I have been thinking about you all day.”

“And this is funny because…”

“It’s not funny, believe me.” He held her hands when she would have turned away. “It’s distracting.”

“Not exactly a compliment.”

“No?” He stepped close again. “How’s this for a compliment? You’re making me hot. All the time. I fantasize in the middle of a workday about you, about this, about us. About things I’ve convinced myself I don’t need.”

“I don’t need them, either.”

“Okay.” He took a breath. “So we both fantasize, but…”

She sighed. “There’s always a but.”

“But my life isn’t exactly laid out for this.”

“And mine is?” She laughed and shook her head. “No, it is not. Believe me.”

“Natalia, everything I am, everything I do, is this ranch. Women have tried to fit in here with me before, but they get tired of playing second fiddle to this place, and…well, I’m left alone and disappointed.”

“I’m sorry for that, more than sorry, but I’m temporary.”

“Exactly. So what the hell are we doing?”

“I don’t know. Scratching an itch?”

“Scratching an-” Shocked, he stared at her. “Where did you learn such a thing?”

“Oh, I see.” Her eyes chilled. “It’s one thing for a man to suggest an affair. But if a woman…if she has…”

“An itch?”

“Never mind! Just forget it.”

“Wait.” His head was still spinning. “Now I’ve insulted you.”

She sputtered, then laughed. Then, before he could so much as blink, she shoved away from him and turned her back, staring up at the moon, her arms wrapped tightly around the body he’d been molding with his hands only a few moments ago.

“Natalia.” A little wary, he came up behind her, set his hands on her shoulders, which she promptly shrugged off. “Let’s try this again.”

“Okay.” She drew a deep breath. “I’m sorry I brought it up. It was stupid.”

“No,” he said, looking at her beautiful profile. “It wasn’t.”

“But just because I thought about…scratching that itch, you should know, it wasn’t a declaration of undying love.” She dropped her gaze from the moon and landed those huge, dark gold, expressive eyes on him. “I wouldn’t expect you to love me.”

His heart twisted. “Natalia-”

“It’s a one-night stand, Tim, that’s all. Only technically, I have several nights, not just one.”

His body responded immediately, but it took his brain a moment longer. “You deserve more than that. You deserve time, and a man taking it to get to know you.”

“You want to know me? How’s this? I’m the middle kid. I’m usually pretty easygoing, that is when I’m not in Texas. And contrary to what I’ve shown you, I’m known as being pretty damn tough and fearless. And though you might not believe that by looking at me at the moment-” she broke off to glance down at her plain jeans and T-shirt “-I’m into clothes. I also love to ski. Unfortunately for me, Texas doesn’t seem to have many hills.” She smiled, but when he just looked at her, it slowly faded. “And I’m a princess, which brings us back to the delusional crazy woman thing. I’d nearly forgotten. I’m just another one of your pity hires.”

“Natalia-”

“No.” With dignity, she backed away. “In a few more days I’ll have earned myself enough to get where I need to go, which is all I really wanted. To see what it was like to be just me, without any expectations or preconceived notions. To support myself. Without the title. End of story.” She reached the gate. “I appreciate all you’ve done, but I think we should get back to the boss-and-employee relationship.” And with her head high, shoulders extremely straight, she walked toward the house.

Looking every bit like a princess in denim.

NATALIA MANAGED to avoid conversation with Tim before breakfast the next morning. She was no longer mad. Or even hurt.

But she did feel wiser. Apparently, in this so-called modern country, no matter what the men claimed, they didn’t want to be come on to. She’d remember that the next time her hormones kicked into overdrive.

She baked a dish she remembered from school, similar to the American quiche, which despite its plain ingredients, was quite spicy and exotic. It came out excellent, if she said so herself.

But Tim stared down at the plate she served him. “You, uh…didn’t decide to poison me for last night, did you?”

Sally lifted her head. “What happened last night?”

Natalia took a bite of the delicious, hot meal.

“Hello?” Sally said. “Last night?”

Tim looked at Natalia.

Natalia took another bite.

Sally frowned. “Oh, man.” She pointed at Tim. “You. You’re an idiot.”

He didn’t take his eyes off Natalia. “I’m well aware of that, thank you.”

Sally turned to Natalia with a questioning look.

Natalia simply continued to eat.

Until Sally leaned close. “Stop messing with his head or I’ll mess with yours.”

“So charming in the morning.” Natalia took another bite and smiled sweetly at the men. “Isn’t she? Are you always that way, Sally, or is it just me?”

“It’s you.” Sally lifted her fork, sniffed at the food, then set it down with a clatter. “You’ve never heard of simple scrambled eggs?” Shoving away from the table, she pulled a five out of her pocket and tossed it toward Seth. “I’ll expect you in the barn. Come supplied.” She left without another word.

Natalia left the table, too, and went into the kitchen to check on the bread. When she came back out, the food was gone. So was everyone else.

At least she was doing something right, she thought with a spurt of satisfaction at the empty table. Just because Tim and Sally obviously had no taste whatsoever meant nothing.

Back in the kitchen, she turned on the sink faucet. Contrary to what most people thought of a day in the life of a princess, she did know how to do dishes. She could also do her own laundry, bathe and feed herself. Shocking.

She looked out the window at the great day. She was up to her elbows in greasy dishwater, she was exhausted from getting up before the crack of dawn, but she wouldn’t have traded any of it for the world.

Not even the kiss.

Nope, no regrets. Besides, she’d be gone before she knew it. Back to her life, her very busy, fulfilling life, where she’d never look back-

Oh, who was she kidding? She would look back. She’d smile and get misty all at the same time, because she’d had the time of her life here.

All in spite of one gorgeous, sexy, stubborn Timothy Banning.

She stared out in the yard, yearning for a quick sight of him, maybe working his horse. Riding. Walking. Breathing.

She could watch him breathe all day long.

He didn’t feel the same.

How was that for humility? Amelia always said she needed more of that in her life. Well, she had plenty now, didn’t she?

In the pen in the yard, in front of her, the blind goat walked into the three-legged pig. The pig fell over and then struggled to get up, but he did get up.