Page 22 of Prince She Shouldn’t Crave (Royal House of Halrovia #2)

Lena awoke to the first sounds of birdsong.

She snuggled into the warmth of the bed, wondering why she was awake so early.

The sun hadn’t yet risen, everything lay dark outside.

She should still be fast asleep, after a night of lovemaking with Gabe.

Perhaps it was that they’d planned to wake earlier than normal, so she could leave for her own room without being seen, though she still had plenty of time before the house began to stir.

Her phone pinged with a message. That had to be the reason.

Usually she turned off her alerts at night so she wouldn’t be disturbed.

She’d forgotten last night, because she’d been otherwise…

occupied. Lena smiled. Heat drizzled over her at the memories, like being immersed in a warm bath.

The all-consuming pleasure she’d experienced.

How she’d felt seen, desired, wanted . Gabriel stirred beside her, rolled over, still asleep.

Even in the darkness of early morning his face was peaceful, hair flopped over his forehead in a boyish kind of way.

She grabbed her phone and turned the volume down so as not to wake him.

Checked the time and almost groaned. Four.

Ugh. Not fair. Another alert came in. Silent this time.

That was unusual. After their conversation yesterday, she was worried it was her mother or brother.

She opened her notifications and saw a stream of them.

Her heart picked up its beat. She swallowed. What was wrong? She went to the texts first. None from her mother, thank goodness. That was a problem for another day. But there were a few from Gabe’s private secretary, Henri.

Have you looked at your post?

Did he mean the video? And why would he be awake now after hitting the clubs last night? Of course, he’d looked as though he’d wanted to party. Maybe he was still out? It didn’t matter now.

She decided she’d check the alerts she’d set up for Gabe first, opening her email. A number of newspaper headlines popped up. Lena began to read.

‘Oh,’ she said softly.

Gabriel stirred again, and his eyes blinked open. When he saw her awake he gave her a wicked smile, full of intent, that made her toes curl.

‘Good morning,’ he murmured, his voice gravelly and rough. ‘Why are you awake?’

‘Forgot to turn off my phone notifications and they’ve been…something.’

‘Problem?’

‘No… I don’t think so.’

‘Then what is it?’ he pressed.

‘Oh, just Henri getting in touch with me…’

He snorted. ‘Your job never sleeps. Neither do you, apparently. I obviously didn’t do my own job well enough last night.’

‘You did a superlative job last night.’

Gabriel settled his hand on her leg. His fingers tracing a distracting circle on her inner thigh.

‘Then why are you looking at your phone right now?’

‘Henri suggested it might be a good idea.’

‘That does sound like a problem.’

‘Not really. The press picked up my football post.’

The article showed stills from her video. The headline From Throne to Field: Prince Gabriel’s viral kick proves he’s still got it .

Gabriel let out a heavy sigh. ‘What do they say?’

‘Um…this one says you’ve still got it.’

Gabe snorted.

‘I feel affronted. I didn’t think I’d ever lost it .’ He then gave her a slow smile, one that might be described as panty-melting, had she been wearing any. ‘What would you say?’

She smiled right back. ‘I wouldn’t presume to make any assumptions, Your Highness.’

‘Are you going to put down that phone now? I can think of some ways that might help us get back to sleep for another hour. Or, if you don’t want to go back to sleep, ways that might be able to make us very happy for a while.’

‘I just need to finish…’ She waved her phone at him.

‘You’re detrimental to my ego. If you didn’t read between the lines, I’m offering to make love to you. That you’re not jumping at the opportunity is leaving me suitably chastened.’

‘I think what I’m doing right now might help your ego.’

Lena scrolled through the video she’d posted. Hundreds of thousands of views. Thousands of comments. Another text from Henri, saying the international press were getting in touch.

‘All I can say is, it might be good we’re going home this afternoon. You don’t have much on by way of official duties this morning, apart from the planting?’

It was a final farewell at the palace, where Gabe was to plant a tree to signify the enduring ties between Halrovia and Lauritania.

‘No.’

‘Well, I think the press might want to ask you some questions.’

‘About what? Me kicking a ball?’ Gabriel asked.

‘With respect, you did a bit more than just kick a ball.’

She showed him the post. The numbers of views and comments climbing and climbing.

‘You did say you were happy to go viral,’ she said, a little breathless. She’d done well before, but never achieved anything like this.

‘I’m guessing we’ve achieved it.’

Lena liked that he saw them as a team. For the first time in a long time, she truly felt part of something.

She nodded as he lay back, hands behind his head, something like a smug smile on his face.

She’d never seen that expression before.

Gabriel seeming so…satisfied with himself. It was a good look on him.

‘Oh, no, they’re at it again,’ she said.

‘Who?’

‘People are saying you’re a thirst trap.’

‘A what?’ Gabe looked bemused for a moment. Shook his head. ‘Don’t worry. No need to explain it.’

Gabriel’s phone began to ping as well.

‘Why are people not asleep? Why are we not asleep? Or, even better, doing something entirely more enjoyable?’ he said, reaching for his phone.

She noticed he didn’t grab his glasses. In fact, she realised she’d never actually seen him in glasses before. Or really reading much at all.

‘What does Cilla want?’ Gabe muttered. ‘And why is she awake right now?’

Gabe opened the text, and his phone read it aloud to him.

OMG Gabe. Exclamation mark. His Royal Hotness. I told you Lena’s the best. Exclamation mark. Call me when you’re awake.

That was strange. Why would he want his phone to read out a message?

Gabe took a deep breath in. Let a slow breath out.

‘Did they really call me His Royal Hotness?’ he asked, incredulous.

‘Yes,’ Lena said, sitting up. Looking down at him. Something niggling at her.

Gabriel began to chuckle, then laugh. ‘None of this is real. It’s ridiculous.’

‘Your phone. It read that text message to you,’ she said. ‘Is that what you do when you don’t have your glasses? Is your sight that bad?’

She found it hard to believe. He did most things without issue.

Kicked a ball into the back of a net just fine.

Maybe it was just a problem with reading and not long distance…

Except Gabe had suddenly stopped laughing, as if the sound had been cut off.

He sat up himself. Scrubbed his hands over his face.

His palms scratching over his morning stubble.

He put down his own phone. Took her hands in his. Looked at her. His face serious.

‘My phone reads my messages because I have trouble reading them. I have dyslexia.’

Gabe didn’t know why he revealed it at this point, only that he wanted honesty, because she’d been honest with him the night before. She’d told him about her virginity when she hadn’t needed to say anything at all. And this morning she’d asked. He wouldn’t lie. Not to her.

‘Who knows?’ Lena asked.

‘My family. Pieter. My private secretary…’

She dropped her head, looked at where their hands were joined.

‘So, the glasses?’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. Meaning it. ‘Not real. They have plain glass, not prescription lenses. They’re a ruse. A deflection.’

‘And your earbuds. Do you listen to music?’

‘Occasionally. Mainly they’re for listening to documents. I have a screen reader too.’

His heart rate kicked up a notch. What did she think of him on learning this? That he’d kept it hidden from her. He remembered when the word was first mentioned to his parents. Their thin-lipped, stony expressions. Yet he didn’t see that with her…

Lena frowned. ‘Do you have any ability to…?’

‘Yes. But it takes time. When I’m stressed, or trying to do things in a hurry, it’s not as easy for me. I use aids to simplify things.’

She pulled her hands away from his. Put her phone on the bedside table. He felt as though there was a distance growing between them and he craved the closeness again. Lena fixed him with her assessing gaze. Cocked her head.

‘Why haven’t you told anyone?’

Wasn’t that the question? His parents had been the ones who thought it should be kept quiet.

That people might wonder about his ability to rule, given he was still quite young with no track record.

They had claimed it might cause unnecessary concern to the Halrovian people.

Even though the doctor said there were numerous scions of business with the condition.

Then his ex-girlfriend had happened, and the secrecy over his diagnosis had seemed to increase.

He’d wondered, much later, whether one of the real reasons was it would ruin the illusion of their family’s perfection…

‘I was diagnosed quite late. In my teens. People thought I was lazy at school. It turns out that wasn’t the issue at all. Back then it was the decision of my parents and their advisors.’

Lena reached out and placed her hand on his forearm. Squeezed. He relished that small touch. ‘This is exactly the kind of authenticity people want to see from you. Why did your parents hide it? Were they ashamed?’

He shook his head in vehement denial, even though a kind of uncertainty pricked inside him.