Chapter 24
Max
Of all the places I’d hoped Fabiana and I might share our first kiss, a ball pit in a child's indoor play area in a small town in the mountains didn't even make the list.
But you know what? I wouldn't change it for all the horrible tea in Malveaux.
Finally kissing her, feeling her soft, womanly curves pressed against me, understanding what it’s like to hold her in my arms and claim her mouth with mine, is even more mind-blowing than I'd anticipated.
And let me tell you, I'd anticipated nothing short of fireworks.
The feel of her, the scent of her, the way she responds to my touch. It makes everything worthwhile. If it hadn't been for the proprietor telling us that the road south is now open, I bet we'd still be in that ball pit together.
Although that moment was absolute physical perfection, what strikes me most is how right it felt.
How naturally she fit against me, how her laughter had dissolved into something deeper.
For over a week, I've been watching her sharp wit and professional armor loosen, and in that ridiculous ball pit, surrounded by plastic spheres in primary colors, I finally saw past all of that to the woman underneath.
Fabiana has quickly become so important to me, morphing from the woman I thought I loathed into someone who has filled my heart and my mind.
The transformation hasn't just been in how I see her, it's been in how I see myself.
Around her, I'm not performing. I'm not the prince who has to charm his way through every interaction or the disappointment who needs to prove his worth. I'm just me.
It's nothing short of intoxicating.
The woman who once wrote scathing articles about my every misstep now knows the real me, and she kissed me back with a passion that told me none of my imperfections matter to her.
I grip the steering wheel as I turn to look at her in the passenger seat.
She fell asleep a handful of kilometers ago, her face serene, beautiful.
My heart expands in my chest. This woman has captivated me, mind, body, and soul.
For the first time in my life, I'm not just attracted to someone.
I'm not just infatuated or temporarily enchanted.
This thing between us runs so much deeper than that.
I'm falling in love, completely and irrevocably, in love with a woman who sees me exactly as I am, and somehow finds that worthy of her affection.
The irony isn't lost on me that my greatest critic has become my greatest champion.
But perhaps that's exactly why this is so real, so solid.
She didn't fall for the prince in the tabloids or the charming facade I present at state dinners. She didn’t fall for the life and soul party prince and all his antics.
She fell for the real me.
The roads opened about a couple of hours ago, and eager to see her grandmother, we collected our things from the inn, bid the townsfolk goodbye, and headed south.
We’re now driving along the plains, past fields and small towns, their church spires visible from the road. The gray of the skies has given way to bright sun, and it’s hard not to let it feel like it’s a metaphor for our new, exciting togetherness.
She stirs, her eyes opening before she stretches her arms above her head, her hands reaching toward the ceiling of my car.
“Hello, sleepyhead,” I say, and as she smiles at me, her whole face lights up and my heart expands.
“Where are we?” she asks.
“We’re about an hour from the city. You’ve been asleep for a while.”
“Have I?”
“I think I wore you out in the ball pit.”
She presses her lips together, her iridescent green eyes sparkling. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. “It’s a date, but maybe we could choose a more romantic spot than a child’s play area next time.”
I’ve already made some plans while she’s been sleeping. A candlelit dinner on the balcony, overlooking the palace grounds. A horse ride to the lake, where we can picnic and swim together in the warm summer sun.
“Not a ball pit?” she teases.
I laugh. “Not a ball pit.”
We spend the rest of the journey chatting about inconsequential things until we reach the busy streets of Villadorata.
“Where do you and your grandmother live?” I ask as we come to a stop at a set of lights.
“Why don’t you drive to the palace? I can make my way from there.”
“I won’t hear of it.”
“Max. I need to collect my car. It’s only practical.”
“I can have someone drop it off for you.”
She shakes her head, her stubborn independence shining through. “It’s better this way. Then I can drive back to see you tomorrow morning.”
Realization dawns. “You don’t want me to meet your grandmother.” I try to keep the hurt out of my voice.
“I need to talk to her about a couple of things first,” she says carefully.
I pull my brows together as I study her face. “What do you mean?”
“Please don’t ask me. I promise to tell you everything, Max, just…not yet.” Her features are taut with tension.
As much as I want to know what she’s hiding, as much as I want there to be nothing between us, I need to give her the space she needs.
“Whatever you need,” I say softly.
She holds my gaze, and something moves between us. “Thank you. I will tell you.”
A horn sounds, and we both jump.
“The light’s green,” she says, and I press the accelerator, moving the car along the street.
We reach the palace entrance, and the guard waves us through. I drive around to the staff carpark where I climb out to collect Fabiana’s suitcase for her, placing it in her car.
“Thanks, Max, for everything, but especially for driving me to the station when I found out about my nona.”
I pull her against me and brush a kiss across her lips. “Anything,” I say in a murmur against her mouth, wishing we were somewhere private, and I could kiss her how I want to.
She smiles up at me, her eyes soft. “I don’t deserve you.”
I stop her words with my lips. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s the truth. You’re an amazing human being.”
I grin. “Well, now that you mention it…”
She laughs as she bats me playfully on the arm.
“When will I see you tomorrow?” I ask.
“I can come here first thing,” she replies without hesitation. “I’m still the journalist reporting on the real Max. I’ve got a job to do.”
“I’d hope there are some things you’ll keep to yourself, such as what a good kisser I am,” I tease.
She grins. “Oh, I think the world needs to know that. Plus, how good you are at making forts.”
She’s only teasing.
“I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you,” she replies. “As much as I don’t want to, I really must go.” She turns to leave, pulling her keys from her bag. Looking back at me, she says, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll clear my schedule. Give my best to your grandmother,” I say as I close her door over.
She winds down the window and her car shudders as she turns the ignition. “I will.”
Looking up at me, stunning in the late afternoon light, her eyes soft, I can’t resist kissing her one more time. Leaning down, I press my lips against hers, and immediately her hand slides around my neck as she kisses me back.
“Fabiana,” I murmur, overwhelmed by the feelings I have for this woman.
“Until tomorrow.”
I straighten up, my heart full of her. I watch as she pulls her car from the parking space. She throws me one final smile with a wave before she drives off, and I watch her leave.
I never expected to feel this way about any woman, let alone Fabiana Fontaine. But now that I do, whatever the thing she’s keeping from me is, I’m determined to make her mine.