Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Stellan
I’m lost in a sea of tuxes and ballgowns. If one more old parliamentary representative comes up and orates to me about how I should fund his personal pet project the next time the parliament meets… I swear I will just open my mouth, look up, and scream GET ME OUT OF HERE as loud as I can.
All right, maybe not. But it’s good to know I have that as a backup plan.
Erik is by my side, plucking a stray hair from the shoulder of his tux. His gaze roves around the ballroom, always on the lookout. For what exactly, I don’t know.
“Are you looking for danger, political advantages, or hot girls?” I whisper out of the side of my mouth.
His eyes find me, crinkling with humor. “Who’s to say I’m not looking for all three?”
“I hope for your sake that you’re not expecting all three in one package…” I squint off into the corner of the ballroom. “Though I would very much like to meet her if you do manage to find someone that meets all your requirements.”
He chuckles. “It’s a deal.”
I turn around slowly, looking for a waiter. What I spot is Prime Minister Finley bearing down on me from some distance away.
“Let’s move,” I say, whirling in the opposite direction.
That’s when I almost trample Margot. There she is, with her heart shaped face, her pastel pink hair, and her little dark blue dress. My eyes widen a bit as I take in the flash of cleavage and the unabashed showing of her admittedly amazing legs.
With her hair pinned up, she looks like she could be a burlesque performer. God, she looks totally unlike anyone else here. And I do mean that in the best way possible.
“Margot,” I say, trying not to let everyone else realize that I’m drooling over her.
She just looks at me, her steps faltering. I reach out and stabilize her, realizing that something is out of place. It’s another second before it clicks.
She’s underdressed for this party. Not just underdressed, but… every other lady here is puffed up in a full ballgown. Margot seems scantily clad by comparison.
And I am watching her realize it in real time. Her cheeks turn bright pink. She looks around, sucking in a breath.
“Oh. I think…” She bites her lip, swinging her dark blue gaze over to me. “I think I misjudged the dress code.”
I snort. “You think?”
She flushes even further, her mouth screwing up. “How was I supposed to know? It just said fancy dress.” She looks down at what she’s wearing, a little shiver running down her spine. “Maybe I should go.”
As she turns away, my hand snakes out and grabs her arm.
I’m a little surprised at myself; it’s definitely better for me if she fails and recedes into the wings of this little show we’re putting on.
But she looks back at me with something like suspicion in her lovely eyes, a frown making her pouty mouth turn down at the corners.
I refuse to let her just walk away from me. Even if it is cruel, considering the circumstances.
“Stay,” I order her.
A mixture of uncertainty and derision is visible in Margot’s eyes. It’s strange; her elfin facial features show no hint of guise. Is she always so easy to read?
While she’s still making up her mind, Prime Minister Finley appears, looking like a silvering, disgruntled parakeet. He takes one look at the body language between Margot and me… and a smile creeps over his face.
“Your highness, who is your companion?”
Margot stills, looking to me to explain her presence.
I swing my head around in both directions. “You already know Erik, Prime Minister Finley.”
His eyes tighten on my face, which makes me happier than I can say. “I meant the young lady.”
I smile indulgently. “This is Margot Keane. Margot, this is Denmark’s prime minister.”
She looks a bit taken aback. Pulling out of my grip, she offers Finley her hand. “A pleasure.”
Finley shakes her hand for only a second. “Tell me, Margot. Was it your name that I read in the papers a few weeks ago? Something about being caught running away from Stellan’s hotel, wasn’t it?”
Erik clears his throat. “Prime minister, I have someone important for you to meet.”
Finley looks over at him, then back at me. He frowns and smooths the bottom half of his tuxedo jacket. “Yes, all right. I’m looking forward to catching up with you later, Miss Keane.”
He doesn’t wait for her response. He merely waves at Erik. “Lead the way.”
Margot releases the breath she’s been holding loudly, looking at me. “That’s the prime minister?”
“Ja,” I answer with a sigh.
She screws up her face. “He clearly sucks.”
One corner of my mouth kicks up. “Ja. He was raised by wolves, maybe.”
She huffs a laugh. “Don’t blame his lack of manners on bad parenting. I was raised by a mom who was an addict and the American foster care system. If I don’t get an excuse, neither does he.”
I look at her, a little surprised. “You were?”
“Yep.” She looks around, as if she’s already decided to leave and just needs to pick a direction. “I believe each of us gets a family of our own choosing. So maybe my mom sucked. But I’ve got Pippa, and she’s definitely more loving and accepting than my mom could ever be.”
I snag two glasses of champagne off of a passing tray. When I hand one to Margot, she gives me a glare that is instantly suspicious. I chuckle.
“It’s just wine.” I take a swig, nodding to the exit. “Come on.”
I head for the big double doors of the ballroom, keeping my gaze slightly downcast. I’ve long since mastered the art of being able to leave a room without talking to anyone. When I get out of the ballroom and into the hallway, I pause for a second to let Margot catch up.
She gives me a hard look. “Do you always expect that when you snap your fingers, other people will jump?”
Raising a single eyebrow, I give her a hard stare. “Yes.”
She glares at me. “Look. You clearly have a…” She waves her hand over my body. “Like a whole thing going on here. Cocky, handsome, bad boy, brooding… whatever. To each his own. But I think we can dispense with the bullshit. Don’t you?”
I don’t give her an inch. Instead I just roll my eyes and casually head for another set of doors on the other side of the hallway. I call back as I fling the doors open. “So you think I’m handsome?”
She makes a strangled sound, following me into a darkened parlor. There is no furniture except for one couch, which I promptly fall on. Margot looks around the room, then opts to sort of lean against the back on the sofa.
“I clearly meant that… you were going for… that sort of thing,” she bites off.
I can’t help but notice the outline of her ass in that velvet dress. Just looking at her right now makes me thirsty. I have to say something, something to let her know she doesn’t get to me.
Even though she so clearly does. She starts pacing, from her spot behind the couch to a spot right in front of me.
God, I have never wanted her more than right now. Her color is high, her dress is slutty, and she’s stalking around the room in a fit of pique.
I frown, scanning Margot from head to toe. “God, you really are underdressed. Are you even wearing panties?”
She turns bright red, standing up straight and avoiding my gaze. “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she snaps.
“Well… yes, actually.” I smirk at her. “That’s why I asked.”
To my complete shock, she actually balls up her first, moves right up to me, and smacks me on the shoulder. “You are such a jerk!”
My eyes widen.
No one other than my brothers has ever dared to breathe too hard in my direction, much less actually hit me. I’m surprised a second time when I burst out laughing. I throw my hands up, playing innocent. “It’s strictly for scientific observation!”
Margot scrunches up her face and hits me again. Only this time I grab her small hand in mine before she can land a blow.
She glares at me, tugging at her hand. “You really are the worst. Do other people get to witness this side of your personality, or am I just the luckiest girl in the world?”
I smirk, refusing to let her go. “You’re a brat. Did you know that? Every single inch of you is just a spoiled little brat.”
She yanks at her hand, which makes me grip it harder. “When did I have the chance to become spoiled? Hmm? Was it when I was growing up in that group home? No, maybe it was when I was busting my ass and working two jobs to put myself through college.”
The way she’s looking at me makes my blood sing. My heart starts hammering a staccato beat in my chest. My cock stirs, making its needs known. I give her a dry rumble of a laugh.
“I don’t know, but you are. You’re also rather defiant.”
She tosses her head haughtily. “You know next to nothing about me. How can you stand there and judge me?”
Margot’s eyes are throwing sparks as they burn into mine. Her chest heaves.
“We are not equals. I was born to the throne… I was born to rule. What were you born to do?” I tug on her hand hard and her small hips jerk against mine. The contact sears me through.
She actually laughs at that. My eyes stray from hers down to her mouth. Her lips are bewitching. “You’re crazy.”
I bring my hand up to grip the back of her head, barely aware of my intentions. Before I know it, I lean forward and press my lips to her lips. She only has a split second to respond; she turns her head just a little so that my mouth ends up only catching the corner of hers.
Margot’s eyes widen.
For a moment, we are frozen just like that. Me, knowing I have made a huge mistake. Her, probably wondering how to get out of my embrace.
That second seems to stretch forever… but it shatters when she raises her hands to my chest and shoves me. She’s smaller than I am so in effect she pushes herself away, sputtering.
“What are you doing? Are you insane?!”
I can’t help but agree with her, honestly. What was I thinking? Taking a deep breath, I try to ease some of the tension that has been building between us. I shrug my shoulders and play it cool.
“It seemed like the thing to do.”
She makes a disgusted sound and backs away from me. “It wasn’t.”
A narrow my eyes. “I won’t apologize.”
Margot gives me a bitter look. “Of course not. Why would you apologize about anything at all, ever?” Straightening her dress, she turns and starts to leave the room.
I stop her with a word. “Margot.”
She stills, although she doesn’t turn back toward me. When she answers, her words are tart. “Yes, your highness?”
My lips twitch. “You look good in that dress.”
She whips her head around and glares at me, then leaves the room with a disgusted sound on her lips. I lean my head back and close my eyes.
For just a moment, I enjoy my solitude. Then I hear Erik.
“Stellan?”
I open my eyes to find him poking his head in the room.
“Haj,” I greet him.
“You need to meet with the French ambassador. And there are also a whole entourage of people here from Morocco to meet with you.”
I sigh. “Ja. I’m coming.”
And just like that, I’m swept up in the royal machine again.