Page 45 of Reluctantly Royal

“That you know of.”

“No. Ever. Everyone in my life has always wanted somethingfrom me, something from being close to a prince. The only time in my life I was ever allowed to be just a man was when I was in the military. There I got to be Lieutenant Luc Greiner. Hell, when we were away on maneuvers most of the foreign soldiers didn’t even know I was a prince.Thatwas the life I wanted to lead. That was the future I’d planned for myself.”

“And then your brother died.”

I gave a Gallic shrug. “And everything changed. I was back in the palace. Back in the world of politics and ribbon-cutting—and back-stabbing assistants, apparently.”

Hannah took a deep breath as she examined her fingers in her lap. After a moment, she looked up at me with shiny eyes. “I don’t see how this is ever going to work, Luc. You’re a prince who’s worried about assistants and global politics.I’m an unemployed cosmetologist who’s—let’s just say that my worries are a lot more local than yours. I just, I don’t see how this can ever work. You live on the other side of the world, for crying out loud.”

My heart did a freefall in my chest. Hannah was my first glimpse of happiness since in almost a year. I wasn’t ready to give that up. “But I’m not there yet. All I’m asking for, Hannah,is the opportunity—while I’m here—to see if there is something more between us. Can you give me that much?”

“Breakfast!” An overeager hotel employee wheeled in a trolley loaded with food. He looked at me standing over Hannah, who had her arms crossed over her chest with a mutinous expression, and the tactless employee’s eyes bulged. Dimitri was one step away and grabbed his arm, stopping himshort.

I shook my head. Giving a sigh, I waved my hand toward the balcony. “Please set it up outside.”

“Are you sure? It’s awfully bright outsi—” The rest of his sentence was cut off as Dimitri all but dragged him and his table to the balcony doors.

“What do you say? Are you willing to date me, baggage and all? Or would you rather say goodbye?”

Hannah bit her lip, then after a moment rolledher eyes and shrugged. “Well, as long as you’re not making me any promises, I guess we can see where this goes.”

“I think that’s the sweetest thing a woman has ever said to me. Come on, let’s go eat breakfast, smart-ass.”

“Now who’s the one being all sweet?” Hannah took my hand and let me pull her up until she was standing right in front of me. “Is smart-ass a term of endearment in Monaco?”

I was still laughing as I bent down and kissed her.