“No, it isn’t.”
His head shifted on the pillow and his eyes locked with hers. It was like his ‘doctor’s’ gaze: serious, studious, assessing. She wondered what he was looking for and if he found it in her eyes. Could he tell that she loved him? Could he tell that her heart beat so often for him, yearned for him, wanted him?
She couldn’t ascertain his feelings, something she did regularly as an agent with other people. So often, she’d used people’s emotions against them for her own ends that it was hard for her to do the same now to Ethan. She didn’t want to manipulate him or analyze him; she just wanted to be with him. Maybe she was also a little afraid to look too deep, because she wanted him to love her just as much as she loved him, and she wasn’t sure he did. So, instead, she just wasn’t going to look that closely at all.
He cared for her, that much she could absolutely say—she wasn’t just an easy fuck for him. He was a prince and a doctor and a Naval captain for Christ’s sake, he could get a woman any time of the day if he wanted one. No, he wanted her, that much was true. She just wasn’t sure how much.
“Can you tell me what your brother wanted? It doesn’t sound like it’s something you want to do.”
“I can’t tell you now, but maybe one day.” The serious left his eyes and he huffed a laugh. “It’s not that I don’t want to do what Nate asked, it’s that I don’t want to leaveyouto do it.”
She smiled, liking that answer a whole fuck of a lot. “When are you leaving?”
He glanced over her shoulder to the clock on the nightstand, then back to her. “I can wait an hour, maybe two.”
She giggled. “Are you sure that’s enough time for what your devious lips have in mind?”
“No,” he said, and the smile faded on her lips. “No, it’s not enough time, but we’ll make it work. For now.”
He slid over her and his hands began weaving magic on her body again.
The words were on the tip of her tongue as she came once, twice, then again and again and again, yet she never said them. It was only later, when he’d slipped into the shower and left her alone on the bed, that she whispered them out loud.
“I love you, Ethan Santoro.”
* * *
ETHAN
Fifteen months ago…
VRS Overseer
Location: Off the Australian Coast
Secret Royal Wedding of Prince Nathaniel to Charlotte Wyler
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Ethan watched as the second of his siblings to marry kissed his wife for the first time. He’d officiated yet another royal wedding, except this one was in total secret and their mama would likely kill them all when she found out, then revive them so their papa could have a go, too.
Still, watching Charlie and Nate so fucking happy and in love, he couldn’t say he regretted his decision to officiate. No, he didn’t regret it at all.
Admiral Fraser was nearby, the witness to the ceremony, and he and Ethan both clapped as the couple kissed, then eventually broke apart.
Charlie was practically glowing, and Ethan had never appreciated until now how much she loved Nate. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
While Nate went to thank the Admiral, Ethan leaned down to give his new sister a kiss on the cheek and brought her in for a hug. “Welcome to the family.”
She gave him a squeeze and stepped back. “Thanks, Ethan. I know what kind of position we put you in today, and you should know we both appreciate it.”
“When will you tell everyone?”
“Soon. Maybe. We just want to enjoy being married first before we bring everything else into it.”
‘Everything else’ was anything royal. Politics and perception, official declarations and ceremonies—all of that would follow once their wedding was revealed. Your life wasn’t your own as a royal living in the palace, and he knew that better than anyone. Even locking yourself away in the Royal Wing wasn’t a guarantee of privacy because of the staff that worked there, but it was better than anywhere else.
“Whenever you tell them, if I’m not there, please make sure to tell me so I can deal with the fallout.”
Nate clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We will. Thank you, Ethan. We do appreciate this.”
