He was the monarch. The future king. He would always be that, Crystal or no Crystal. Future wife or no wife.
That truth settled deep inside him. He might be broken, might not have gotten the prize that he wanted, but he was whole enough to rule Glorvaird. To put his people's needs ahead of his own.
And for now, that would have to be enough.
An hourafter her brothers left, Crystal was a little surprised the castle guards let her drive onto the grounds. No one stopped her when she parked near the garage.
The sun was barely up. This early, she'd probably find Valentin on his morning run. At least she hoped so. It would give her the privacy that she dearly wanted.
She rounded the castle, letting one hand trail behind her, fingertips touching the cool stone.
He was out there, his bodyguard slightly behind. He wasn’t running. He was walking slowly up the beach toward the castle, his bodyguard trailing him.
Valentin was still a good distance away when the bodyguard said something to him. His head came up, and he looked at her.
Stupid bodyguard and his attentiveness to his surroundings.
She hung back by the corner of the castle wall.
She'd come this far, but she didn't know what she was going to say.
Valentin could've sent the bodyguard to send her away, but it was the prince himself who came to meet her. His T-shirt was soaked with sweat. How long had he been out here?
He hadn't shaved yet, and his hair was rumpled.
He'd never been more beautiful.
He stopped just out of arms' reach. "What are you doing here?"
She couldn't read his expression. He was unsmiling, his shoulders stiff.
She'd hurt him badly. What if he didn't want to give her a second chance?
Her lips wobbled. She tried to push down her emotion. She didn't want to cry all over him. But she couldn't hold it back.
So she whispered. "Valentin, I tried so hard not to fall in love with you. But I couldn't help it."
Hot tears stung her eyes, and she tried to hide her face. But his arms wrapped around her, pulled her close. "Oh, thank God."
He held her as she half-cried, half-laughed into his shoulder. He pressed a kiss into the hair above her ear.
"I'm sorry about yesterday,” he said. “I shouldn't have pushed. I can try not to be so demanding, but I'm a work in progress."
She leaned back and wiped her tears. "It wasn't that."
He was watching her with such tender concern that it made it easier to say. "I'm more down-to-earth than your other matches. I'm no supermodel."
His hand came up to cup her cheek. He hadn't laughed at her fears or dismissed them outright. "I only want you. I love you."
She lowered her gaze. "And... I've worked hard to get where I am. I still have to get my brothers through university. How will it look that I've snagged the most eligible of all my clients?"
His thumb brushed her cheek. When she looked back into his dear face, one corner of his mouth was turned up. "I hadn't even thought about that. Not very considerate." His eyes went unfocused for a moment as he stared off into space. Then, "Conrad will write up a press release from my office."
She gulped. That sounded very official. "What will it say?"
"The truth is usually the easiest. That I simply couldn't resist your charms and you're off the dating market, but that you're still taking on new clients. Selectively," he murmured. "Not too many that you don't have time for me."
"Was that a complaint? Already?"
