Because there was no way Kelsey could be allowed on the internet.
…
Elias made sure to stay at the prince’s elbow.
Striding through the halls of Alcarsa Palace together meant he had to add on a couple of layers of formality. At least, to any observers they passed.
They were walking too fast, however, to be overheard. So Elias let it rip.
“Did you get whacked in the head with a mallet when you fell off your polo pony last weekend?”
“Destiny isn’t a pony. He’s a full-blood Arabian that stands at seventeen hands. And I didn’t fall off. I got unseated.”
“Either way, your brains have to be semi-scrambled. I heard you put fifty litva into the Harbor Protection’s pool for tonight’s soccer game.”
“Betting’s not illegal. I’m going to go down there and watch the game with them. A few wagers will make it more interesting.”
True. Plus, he appreciated this gift-wrapped chance to hassle the prince. As a friend. As a citizen and an employee of the royal family, however, Elias knew better. “But you bet against Moncriano’s team. What if word gets out?”
Christian gave an evil grin, full of teeth and threat. “I hope it does. Then the coach will finally realize he used his balls for brains when he traded our three best defenders. The team is a disgrace this season.”
They stopped in front of the double doors to Kelsey’s suite. Elias nodded at Lathan, who was bowing to the prince. “It’ll probably get loud in there for the next few minutes. How about you take your break now?”
Lathan shook his head. “I couldn’t possibly desert my post.” But Elias caught the way the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement.
Damn it. Sir Evan must’ve blabbed. Lathan wanted to stay and listen to the show. “You eavesdrop like an old woman.”
“I collect information.”
Annoyed, Elias used the side of his fist rather than his knuckles to deploy a volley of knocks. “Your Highness? Are you decent? May we come in?”
“I’m still jet-lagged, so the chances of my behaving with total decency are down to about fifty-fifty.”
He and Christian exchanged faint smiles. Apparently, the grand duchess hadn’t scared the stuffing out of her. Yet. Elias opened the door for the prince and followed him in.
It was after nine, so he’d expected the princess to be up and about to launch into Sir Evan’s formidable schedule. But he hadn’t thought about jet lag making her sleep later.
He also hadn’t prepared himself for the sight of Kelsey in bed.
Her hair was mussed, mussed in the way it’d be if he spent the night in bed with her. Sunlight flooded the room, so her violet eyes practically sparkled. And oh, sweet Lord, the ideas it gave him to see her centered in the four-poster bed amidst tumbled covers and a stack of pillows.
His mouth went dry. His pulse jack-rabbited up. Elias could all too easily imagine how soft and warm and pliable she’d be underneath the duvet. Hell, he could all too easily imagine swiping his tongue across her lips to taste the marmalade he saw glistening on the corner of her croissant. Undoing those lavender buttons with his teeth to slide a hand under her top and knead her breast while they kept kissing…
Mallory’s squeal pulled him out of his lust daze. Holy hell, how had he not noticed that her sister was over by the window? Then there was a thud as her knee hit the table as she tried to jump up and curtsey at the same time. It knocked over the chair, and almost knocked her sister on her ass.
Good physical comedy more than made up for the coffee he hadn’t gotten to finish.
“Your Highness.” On the second try, Mallory sank into a deep, flawless curtsey that looked utterly respectful even in pajamas and bare feet.
“Good morning, Miss Wishner. Kelsey.” Christian gave both sisters his half-assed, official smile, along with a nod of his head.
Guess he was nervous about laying down the law to Kelsey after their less than stellar meeting two days ago. Hard to be strict with someone while you also wanted them to instantly connect with you. Clearly, Elias needed to get a move on that conversation-topics list for the prince.
Kelsey didn’t budge or smile. “Two of us are dressed wrong for this meeting,” she said dryly. “How about you give us an hour to shower and get dressed, and then we’ll regroup for whatever this is?”
“I’m afraid this can’t wait.”
“I’m not fully caffeinated.”
“Join the club,” Elias muttered. Shit. That was probably too familiar, too relaxed of a comment to make in front of Christian. Luckily, the prince’s attention seemed to be focused on the other Miss Wishner, who had moved behind the heavy draperies swagged at the French doors. Her head angled sideways around them as she unhooked the tasseled rope pulling them back.
“Mallory, what are you doing?”
“I don’t have a robe in here. I can’t stand in front of the prince in my pajamas.”
Kelsey rolled her eyes. “Last Halloween you wore a bikini with hay sticking out of it to prove scarecrows could be sexy. Since when did you turn into a prude? I’ll bet you five dollars—wait, what is it you use for money here? Euros?”
Rubbing his forehead, Christian winced. “Not yet. Ask me again in six months to see if the answer’s changed.”
Elias couldn’t believe she’d managed to step right onto that conversational land mine. Maybe he should make a list of topics for Kelsey of questions that shouldn’t be asked…yet.
She poked at a thick white binder with her foot from under the covers. “I’ll bet you five whatevers that there’s nothing in this protocol manual that says it’s against the law to wear PJs in front of the prince. Right?”
Christian put his hand on his lapel and inclined his head. “In fact, when in my bedroom, I quite stringently uphold the opposite of that rule.”
Mallory’s eyes widened. Kelsey waited a beat before crawling to the foot of the bed where Christian stood. “Did you just make a dirty joke?”
“Yes.” This crown prince who regularly handled conversations with world leaders, Nobel prize winners, and working-class people equally smoothly cast Eli a panicked, “oh crap, what have I done” glance. Then he extended his arm, palm upraised, toward Kelsey. “Unless it offends you, in which case I’d write it off as something going wrong in translation.”
A wide smile broke across her face. She planted a palm in the middle of his chest and pushed. Caught off guard, Christian staggered back a step.
“Are you kidding? That proves you’re getting comfortable. Breaking down the formal walls. You made a thoroughly inappropriate joke. That’s the best thing that’s happened to me since we landed.” Her gaze slid up, over his shoulder to where Elias stood near the fireplace. “Or at least the second best.”