A Royal Mess and Her Knight To Remember

“I wanted to thank you,” she said, surprising him.

“Look, I’m sorry about the dress,” he said a little defiantly. “And the tux.” Okay, he wasn’t sorry about the tux. “But I wasn’t thinking about the clothing while trying to save-”

“I know,” Lissa said, and her smile was genuine. “Kyle, I meant it.” She leaned in, and kissed his cheek. “I really did want to thank you. And so does someone else.” She pulled back and gestured to the woman standing next to her. “Kyle, I’d like to formally introduce you to one of my bridesmaids.”

Kyle looked into the gold eyes he’d never forget. She wasn’t wearing any horrendous pink creation now, but cream slacks and a thin sweater to match, both of which seemed sedate, and almost boyish, after what he’d seen her in earlier.

He liked it.

Everything about her, from the tip of her leather shoes to the top of her head, screamed elegance and sophistication. Her hair had been tended to, the golden waves falling past her shoulders. She wore little makeup, but she didn’t need it. She looked natural. Stunning.

And very much like a princess. A very…angry princess.

“It’s one of my mother’s fondest wishes to have her best friend’s daughter in my wedding,” Lissa said. “You don’t know much about my family, Kyle, but my mother called some very famous people her friends.”

Kyle could care less, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Annie. A woman he’d drilled Kevin about, and now knew the basic facts. She really was royalty, one of the Three Jewels of Europe, so nicknamed by the European paparazzi. German was her first language, though she’d been taught English at the age of two by a British nanny, which explained her almost-British accent.

Yet, she was so utterly…real. Tough. Amazing. And he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

Annie seemed similarly afflicted, although he had to admit, while he felt his eyes soften as they landed on her, her eyes most definitely did not soften. In fact, they sparked fire.

Lissa, oblivious to the tension, continued, “Kyle, this is Her Serene Highness Andrea Katrine Fran Brunner of Grunberg.” Lissa turned to Annie. “And this is Kyle Moore, Annie. Kevin’s brother.”

When neither Annie nor Kyle moved, Lissa let out a little laugh. “You two do remember each other, right?”

Remember? He’d never forget. God, she was beautiful. So serene, so quiet and calm. Nothing like the kick-ass woman he’d traipsed with to hell and back today.

But then he looked into her eyes again, caught the flashing emotions, and saw his Annie.

His Annie? Oh, boy. Not good.

“Well, at least we won’t have that sort of excitement tonight,” Lissa said, smiling into the quiet tension. “No gunmen hanging around here, trying to ruin more wedding plans, not to mention wedding clothes.”

What would Annie say if she knew Kyle had grown rather fond of that ill-fitting pink satin dress? And that it had little to do with its inability to keep her perfect nipples hidden?

It gave him pleasure to remember how strong she’d been. He couldn’t remember respecting a female more, and suddenly his forced smile felt warm and real. He stood, getting ready to make a little joke about how well she cleaned up.

But she stepped forward and stabbed a finger into his chest. “I remember you just fine.”

Really? he wanted to say. Do you remember that first heart-stopping sensation when I kissed you, just before you punched me?

Do you remember how we both melted, for that brief moment?

Or how about afterward, when we were both safe and there was that strange sense of loss because our time together was over.

But Annie didn’t look like she would enjoy a trip down memory lane. Clearly, she was furious.

Confused, Kyle looked at Kevin, who was gesturing to the bartender for another shot. No help coming from that department.

“Why did you let me think you were the groom?” Annie demanded.

He looked at her again. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“Yes, but…I never told you I was the groom.” Because the idea was so ridiculous, he laughed, and she poked him again, harder. “Stop that,” he said, grabbing her finger.

“I made several mentions of the wedding,” she spat out, pulling her finger free. “And you…”

“And I…what?”

“You wore that tux.”

“Yes, but I sure as hell didn’t say I was getting married.”

“Yes, but…” She trailed off, staring at him, wide-eyed.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “You’re catching on, now, aren’t you? I was wearing the tux because I’m in the wedding, too. Just like you.”

She made a low sound that managed to perfectly convey that this was still all his fault.

Kevin, on his third shot of liquor now, snickered, but cut it off at a look from Lissa.

“Look,” Kyle said, trying to appease, “I had no idea you had me pegged as the groom.”

“Well you should have figured out what I was thinking and corrected me,” she said with another stab to his chest. “A woman would have.”

He grabbed her finger, and this time held on. “I’m not a woman.”

“I…” She swallowed hard. “I did notice that much.”

6

KYLE STARED AT ANNIE .

Annie stared back.

Kevin lifted his arm for another drink.

Lissa shook her head at the bartender.

Kevin just grinned, already happily drunk. He turned that grin on Annie, who merely lifted a brow at him. For whatever reason, that made him laugh. “So…you really thought Kyle was me?”

“Well…” Annie divided a look between brothers.

Kevin just kept grinning. “Hey, tell me the truth. Now that you see us both together, you’d never make that mistake, right? Because clearly…” He stood and spread his arms. “I’m the best-looking one.”

Lissa smacked Kevin on the back of his head.

“Hey,” he complained, then let out another stupid grin. “She loves me.”

“You should have told me,” Annie said to Kyle.

Frankly, he was still blown away by what she’d assumed, and it took him a moment. “If I’m ever engaged-” God forbid “-I won’t be lusting after a beautiful, scantily clad woman in pink satin while on the run for my life, believe me.”

“You-” She looked confused. “You…lusted after me?”

“And I sure as hell wouldn’t have kissed her,” he finished.

“You what?” Lissa shrieked.

Kevin, who’d just sat down again, nearly fell off the stool. “Whoa.”

“It was nothing,” Annie said firmly, lifting that gold gaze to Kyle’s. “Right?”

The earth had only moved, worlds had collided, hearts had bumped. “Right,” he lied as their eyes connected. Held.

Shimmered.

“Nothing at all,” Annie repeated, more slowly now, her gaze still locked in his. “And…”

Although they all were on the edge of their seats-especially Kyle-whatever else Annie had been about to say didn’t come.

It was as if it was just the two of them. As it had been earlier. Scared and dirty and alone except for each other.