"We slept."
"For maybe three hours.That's not sleeping, that's napping with ambition."
I kissed the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo mixed with something that was just Betty."Would you like me to apologize?"
"No."She propped herself up on one elbow to look at me, her hair falling in messy waves around her face."But I would like you to explain how you look this good on three hours of sleep.It's unfair.I probably look like something that crawled out of a swamp."
"You look beautiful."
"Liar."But she was smiling when she said it.
"You look thoroughly—"
"Don't say ravished.That's creepy."
"I was going to say satisfied."
"Still creepy, but slightly better."She kissed me, slow and soft, and I was contemplating the merits of canceling both our morning schedules when someone knocked on the bedroom door.
"Your Highness?"Thomas's voice, unreadable."I have your morning briefing when you're ready."
Betty went rigid against me."He knows you're in here."
"Of course he knows.He's my personal secretary.He knows everything."
"Does everyone know?"
"Probably.Palace staff notice these things."I called out: "Give me twenty minutes, Thomas."
"Of course, Your Highness."
His footsteps retreated, and Betty buried her face in my chest with a groan."This is mortifying.Everyone's going to know we had sex."
"We're married.They'd be more concerned if we weren't having sex."
"That's not how it works.There's having sex, and then there's the walk of shame back to your own rooms wearing yesterday's clothes while the entire palace staff pretends not to notice."
"You could wear my clothes."
"That's even worse.Then I'd look like I'm doing the walk of shame in a prince costume."She sat up, and I immediately missed the heat of her against me."I need to get back to my rooms before Carmela sends out a search party."
"Stay for breakfast."
"I don't have clothes."
"I'll have something brought from your rooms."
"Archie."She looked at me seriously."Last night was amazing.Like, genuinely life-alteringly good.But I'm not ready for everyone to know the exact details of our relationship."
"What details?That we're attracted to each other?That we're acting like a married couple?"
"That we went from barely speaking a week ago to sleeping together.People are going to have opinions about that."
She wasn't wrong.My mother would have opinions.The Grand Duchess would have opinions.Half the Mediterranean diplomatic corps would have opinions about whether this meant the alliance was strengthening or whether Betty was using sex to manipulate the situation.
"What if I don't care about their opinions?"I asked.
"You should care.You're a prince.Your life is other people's opinions."She started gathering her clothes from where they'd been scattered across the floor."Besides, I have actual responsibilities today.Italian lessons, that fitting for the state dinner dress, and I promised Petra I'd review the palace staff schedules with her."
