Page 35 of Falling for the King

The plush purple velvet L-shaped lounge she sat on ran along one side and nestled against the back of the carriage. Deep and comfortable it took up so much space no other furniture sat opposite it. Past the lounge a pair of wide velvet armchairs faced each other with a low wooden table between them. Three tasselled crystal standing lamps were placed throughout and velvet drapes crisscrossed the windows with the ones at the end of the carriage closed, offering privacy from the outside world. Finally, she focused on the mahogany bar that curved diagonally into the back wall with overhead cabinets filled with crystal glassware, and lastly to the man standing behind it. He should look out of place in this old fashioned yet opulent carriage paying homage to a bygone era. He didn’t. His charcoal trousers, snowy white shirt and red tie were hardly vintage but he had a timeless quality about him and an ability to be compelling in any environment, any situation.

He turned around and caught her stare.

‘You seem to know your way around,’ she said to fill the silence.

‘I watched my grandmother make this countless times. Now the crew always stock the ingredients even though she’s been gone for years and I’ve never made one before.’

‘So, I’m going to be your first.’ Her words designed to be playful and fun came out husky with a horrifying inuendo as she felt a blush race across her face.

He stilled.

‘Are you game?’

Unable to trust her voice she nodded.

Turning to his side he offered his profile and a view to the pot fixed on a burner next to an antique looking sink. Enthralled she could only gawk at domesticated Xavier until she bit down on her lip in recognition that she had to find something to focus on other than him.

‘Your grandparents are very revered.’

‘With good reason, they were truly wonderful … I spent a lot of time on this train with them before and after Max was born. I’d spend hours poring over maps tracking where we were going and peppering them, the engineers and guards, everyone with questions. And blowing the whistle, I did a lot of that as well. I must have driven them all crazy.’

She felt a smile broaden her face imagining him like that. ‘I’m sure they all enjoyed your enthusiasm.’

‘That’s one word for it.’

‘Any whistle blowing planned for this trip?’

He laughed a delicious rumble that everything within her responded to. ‘No, but I can arrange it for you if you like,’ he said stirring the contents of the pot and her.

‘No thanks.’ She laughed. ‘Did you spend much time with them? Apart from on the train?’ She was fascinated to hear more about his memories of his grandparents and upbringing, the unofficial version directly from him.

‘As it became obvious that my father was becoming … increasingly distracted by personal matters I spent a lot more time with them. They were eager to teach me, mainly by their example, the importance of duty, tradition, hard work. It played on both of their minds but especially my grandfather or Farfar as I called him,’ he said with a wry grin.

‘Farfar,’ she repeated liking the sound of it.

He paused. ‘Yes. He worried for the future of Maynet when my father became king and my mother his consort. I did all I could to allay those concerns.’

‘You were only a child.’ She pushed the words past the lump in her throat at the image of him as a child with all the expectations and responsibilities piled onto him.

‘I knew what I needed to do. What I still need to do.’

‘They’d be so proud of you, Xavier.’

He paused pouring the liquid into two mugs. ‘Thank you,’ he said softly before picking up one mug and carrying it to the table between the armchairs.

‘Here you go, an Elena special.’

Placing it on the gleaming surface he walked over to her as she wriggled to get out of the deep-set lounge. Holding out a hand she hesitated before accepting, electricity zapping between them as he engulfed her cold fingers.

Rising she got her balance and released his hand. Shifting his feet he stepped back waiting until she moved with shaky legs to the armchair facing forward. Self-conscious under his watchful gaze she took a sip and almost sighed as the jolt of heat and chocolate surged through her.

‘Wow, it’s good.’ She rubbed a fingertip over her top lip making sure she didn’t have any excess chocolate sitting there.

His eyes darkened before he smiled, a smile that crinkled his eyes and did funny things to her insides. Going back to the bar he took a sip making no attempt to sit with her.

‘Good. Not as good as my grandmother’s but close.’

She leant back, her shoulders loosening for the first time that day, the hot chocolate working its magic as companionable silence filled the carriage. The whistle blew, she jolted thankful she didn’t have the mug at her lips.