He has that formal European thing going on, but up close, there’s something different about it.
“Guess.”
“The UK?”
He looks genuinely offended. “I’m not British.”
“You kinda sound British.”
He scoffs. “The country I’m from has been speaking French since the thirteenth century. We’re Mediterranean.” He adjusts his cuffs like I insulted his entire bloodline. “The British wish they sounded this good.”
“All I’m hearing is fancy European.”
“And all I’m hearing is American ignorance, but I’m too polite to say so.”
I laugh, surprised by his bluntness. Most men at these events are too busy trying to impress me, but not him. “Did you just call me ignorant?”
“I said I was too polite to say it.” He grins. “There’s a difference.”
“It’s the inference that I’m offended by.”
We stand there for a moment, neither of us speaking as the electricity buzzes between us. The gallery noise fades away. Somehow, I feel like I’ve known him for longer than five minutes.
“I’ve never met someone quite like you,” he says, his eyes dropping to my lips for a second before returning to my gaze.
“That’s a terrible line,” I say, sipping my champagne.
“It’s an observation.” He tilts his head. “You don’t seem impressed by me.”
I give him the most sarcastic look. “Should I be?”
“Most people are.”
“Women just fall to kiss your feet?”
“In a way, yes,” he says. “But not you.”
Before I can respond, Princess Delphine appears at my elbow. “Addison, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” She glances at Louis. “There you are! Great! Glad to know you’ve already met my brother.”
I blink. “Your brother?”
“Prince Louis Adrian of the Montclaire Dynasty.” Delphine gestures at him like she’s presenting a museum exhibit. “Heir to the throne. Professional pain in my ass.”
I stare at him. “You’re aroyal?”
He shrugs like it’s nothing. “Surprise.”
“You, uh … I—should I curtsy to you? Is that how this works?” I ask.
Louis laughs, and it’s genuine. “Absolutely not. I hate the attention here.”
His phone buzzes in his pocket, and he glances at the screen before sighing. “I have to take this.”
I turn to Delphine with wide eyes. “I didn’t recognize him.”
“Well, he seemed to be enjoying the conversation, which is very rare for him.” She loops her arm through mine. “Apologies in advance if he was being a dick. He usually doesn’t know how to act around normal people. Prince complex.”
“He was perfectly normal,” I tell her.
