A Royal Mess and Her Knight To Remember

somehow, I think you’d be less terrified of a gun than what I do have.”

“Then maybe you should keep it to yourself.” Her pulse was definitely off the scale. And she didn’t want to see what was burning a hole in his pocket. Not one little bit.

“You are going to be kind, aren’t you?” he whispered.

“Kyle.” She backed up a step. “You’re scaring me.”

“Yeah. Good. I’m scaring myself.” He drew a deep breath. “Here goes. Annie…do you think you could rescue me one more time?”

“I haven’t rescued you, you’ve rescued me. Several times now.”

“No,” he said quietly, stepping back to her side, solemn and breathtaking. “You’ve got it backward. From the moment you came into my life, wearing that horrendous dress-”

She put one hand over her chest and the pink satin she’d nearly forgotten she was wearing. “You told me it wasn’t that bad.”

“I lied. It’s bad.”

“Well, thanks a lot.”

“I have something much more important to talk to you about than the dress, Annie.”

“Oh.” Her hand was still on his, and she prevented him from pulling it free of the pocket because…well, she wasn’t sure exactly. All she knew was that she could scarcely draw in a breath and she was fairly certain it was all his fault, but then he shifted and tried to free his hand. “Kyle…what are you doing?”

“He’s trying to propose, dearness.” Amelia appeared at their side. “Only you won’t be quiet long enough for the poor man to get his words out. Isn’t that right, Mr. Kyle Moore?”

“Uh…” He stared down at the slightly plump, undoubtedly regal Amelia Grundy. “Do I know you?”

“No, but you will. You’re the man who’s going to make my Annie happy forever after or I’ll beat you senseless with my umbrella.” She hoisted it out of her satchel and waved it for effect.

Kyle lifted his eyebrows, then looked to Annie, who felt sorry for him even if he was a big stupid lug. “This is Amelia Grundy,” she said. “My ex-nanny and current…”

“Keeper,” Amelia provided helpfully.

“Hey! You mean pain in my-”

“Annie!”

Annie smiled and hugged Amelia tight. “I love you, Amelia. And I’m happier than I can say to see you, but I need a moment of privacy here.”

“With this man?” Amelia eyeballed Kyle, who, though fearless in the face of the most ruthless of criminals, looked a little wary. A little unnerved.

A little…hers.

“Yes, with this man.” Annie smiled at him even as she spoke to Amelia. “Amelia, it’s quite possible I’m about to make a fool of myself.”

“No, actually, the big guy here is going to do that.” Amelia smiled up at a very confused Kyle with fondness and patted his back. “Make her answer your question, good man.”

“Yes. The question.” Kyle opened his mouth, then with an oath shut it again. “I’ve lost my place.”

“You wanted to know if she’d rescue you one more time.” Amelia smiled. “She hasn’t yet answered you.”

“That’s because the question didn’t make any sense,” Annie pointed out. Oh, yes, definitely her heart was going to burst right out of her chest, because suddenly she knew. She couldn’t just walk away. Couldn’t just go back to her life without doing the one thing she’d never really done before.

Risk her heart. Oh, sure, she’d told herself she’d risked plenty of times, and that no man had ever really been interested.

A big fat lie.

She’d never risked at all. She’d always simply sabotaged any kindling relationship before she could get hurt.

No longer. She was going to leave, she was going back to her life, but she wasn’t running away, and she wasn’t going to always wonder. She was going to tell Kyle the truth.

That she’d fallen in love with him.

That he was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

That she hoped he came and visited her sometime, not only so she could feel whole again, but so that she could have another heart-stopping, screaming orgasm like only he’d given her.

Well, she thought with a guilty glance at Amelia, maybe she’d keep that last part to herself.

Amelia lifted a brow.

Definitely, she’d keep that last part to herself. “Kyle.” Oh, man, she was starting to sweat. Who would have thought opening her heart would be harder than putting on pink satin? “I-”

“No, I’ve got to go first,” he said. “I-”

“Wait. Why do you get to go first?”

“Because I started first,” he said, not so reasonably. “Annie, don’t take this wrong, but I’m trying to do something here.”

“Well, so am I.”

“Children,” Amelia broke in, stepping between the two of them as they came together nose to nose. “Let’s not squabble. I’m sure we can settle this reasonably. After all, you’re both after the same thing.”

Annie’s breath clogged in her throat. “Amelia, I know you’re always right-”

“Oh, dearness, I do like a sentence that starts that way,” Amelia said with a smile.

“But-”

“Now Annie, you know how I feel. Butts are better-”

“-covered than discussed,” Annie said with her in unison. She had to laugh. “Yes, I know. But-”

“Stop.” Kyle lifted a hand to his head as if afraid it was going to fall off. “Please, just stop.” He took Annie’s shoulders and lifted her clear off the ground so that they were indeed nose to nose. “Answer this. Do you care about me?”

His eyes were dark, deep and full of many, many things, but it was the uncertainty that reached her. So much so that she reached out and cupped his face. “After last night, I should be insulted you have to ask.”

“I don’t mean physically, damn it. I know you care about me that way.” Before she could take offense at his confidence, he was solemn again. “I mean do you care about me…emotionally.”

She didn’t hesitate. “I care very much.” I love you, you ignorant fool. “In fact, that’s sort of tied into what I wanted to say to you.”

“Shh, he’s not done,” Amelia admonished, still standing right beside them, unabashedly eavesdropping. “Let the poor man finish.”

“Thank you,” Kyle said, not taking his eyes or hands off Annie.

“No problem. She’s terribly impertinent, always has been.”

“I can see how that must have been a huge problem,” Kyle said.

“Must have been?” Amelia laughed. “Oh, my dear. She still is.”

“Hey! She is still standing right here and has ears,” Annie said indignantly, waggling her toes, which were still a good six inches off the ground.

“Get used to it,” Amelia advised Kyle as if Annie hadn’t spoken. “And, oh, she’s getting her temper up now, isn’t she? She might as well be a redhead, really, for all her ability to control it.”

“Amelia!” Annie glared down at her friend, at the woman who’d been a mother to her since her own had perished. “I love you, but I’m afraid you’re fired.”

“This is the sixty-seventh time you’ve said that in our time together,” Amelia said, unconcerned, studying her fingernails. “And for the sixty-seventh time, your father pays me, not you.”

Annie tipped her head back and sighed loudly.

Kyle’s eyes sparkled. “So, impertinent princess, can I finish now?”

“Oh, please. By all means, finish. Heaven forbid I try to have a say in my own life.”

His hands tightened on her. His voice came sure and strong. It was only the flicker in his eyes that gave away his nerves, and caused hers. “Andrea Katrine Fran Brunner, will you m-”

“Excuse me,” Amelia interrupted. “You have to say Your Serene Highness when