Page 11 of Summer on the Ranch (Royally Wed #1)

‘‘Sure. A couple every year. It was a big deal. Did the royal set do that sort of thing?’’

He was close enough that his broad shoulder occasionally brushed against hers.

She liked the contact and had to consciously keep herself from leaning into him each time.

‘‘No. There were formal occasions such as fund-raisers and balls, but nothing just for the teenagers. That would have been a lot of fun.’’

‘‘You sure were raised different.’’

That made her laugh. ‘‘It comes with the territory.’’

She turned the next page and froze when she saw a wedding photo. Mitch stood next to a pretty young woman in a white bridal gown. There were a half dozen bridesmaids and groomsmen, along with both sets of parents.

‘‘You were married?’’ she asked, not sure why she found the information shocking, but she did.

‘‘Yeah, it was a long time ago.’’ He took the album from her and closed it. ‘‘It’s late. You probably want to head on up to bed.’’

She shifted back into the corner of the sofa and angled toward him. ‘‘Don’t for a moment think you’re going to get rid of me that easily. I had no idea you’d been married before. Betty never said a word.’’

Mitch set the album on the coffee table.

He drew in a breath as if to speak, but instead was silent.

She studied the shaggy brown hair that tumbled down his forehead and the strong line of his nose.

While he was a very nice man and a good host, she couldn’t figure out why her chest had tightened when she’d learned he’d been married.

Nothing about their relationship explained the sharp pain inside or her sudden sense of being betrayed.

What was wrong with her? She and Mitch didn’t have a personal relationship.

His past shouldn’t matter to her at all.

Except it did matter, and in ways she couldn’t understand.

‘‘It was a long time ago,’’ he said slowly.

‘‘Betty teases me, but she’s also protective. She wouldn’t have talked about it with anyone.

’’ He paused. ‘‘I was twenty-four when Rose and I married, and although I looked like a man, I was still very much a kid. Most of the reason the marriage failed is I was a jerk. I wanted everything my way, and when that didn’t happen I disconnected. I’m not proud of what happened, but I accept responsibility for it.

By the time I’d grown up enough to figure out that marriage is a partnership requiring both parties to give back, I’d lost her. ’’

‘‘You’re divorced.’’ Alex wasn’t asking a question. She was still stunned by what she’d learned, but Mitch’s explanation made her feel a little better. She admired his ability to see his part in the failure of the relationship.

‘‘Have been for years now. She’s remarried and has a couple of kids.’’

‘‘Do you miss her?’’

Mitch thought about that question. He normally didn’t like getting caught up in the past. ‘‘Not in the way you mean,’’ he said.

‘‘I’m sorry that I was such a jerk and that I lost something that could have been pretty wonderful. But I’m not still in love with her.

I’m glad Rose was able to find someone to appreciate her. ’’

Alex cradled her cup of coffee and didn’t say anything. He wondered what she was thinking. Whatever it was, he doubted that he’d come out much of a hero. Time to change the subject.

‘‘So what about your sordid past?’’ he asked teasingly. ‘‘How many hearts have you broken?’’

The mug she cradled in her hands suddenly seemed to capture her attention. ‘‘Not as many as you might think,’’ she said, all the while staring into her coffee.

‘‘I know that’s not true. A beautiful princess such as yourself must have had dozens of rich, eligible young men interested.’’

She shrugged, still not looking at him. ‘‘I never had much opportunity to date, at least not in the way you understand the process.’’

‘‘The process? We’re talking about people getting together here, not battle plans for invading an enemy nation.’’ He leaned toward her. ‘‘I know what you’re hiding. You’re secretly embarrassed because you had a wild fling with the horse trainer. Come on. Admit it.’’

She finally raised her head and looked at him. Color stained her cheeks. ‘‘I assure you that’s not the case at all. I have always planned to marry for the betterment of the kingdom. When my parents arrange an appropriate match for me, I will become engaged.’’

‘‘You’re kidding,’’ he said, unable to believe what she’d told him. ‘‘Are you telling me that in this day and age you’d seriously consider an arranged marriage?’’

‘‘Of course. I’m the oldest daughter of the king of Wynborough. I have a duty to my people and my country.’’

He couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d told him she’d once been a stripper at a nightclub by the airport. An arranged marriage out of duty? ‘‘Am I ever glad I’m not part of your family,’’ he muttered. ‘‘Next you’ll be telling me that you’re still a virgin.’’

Color climbed Alex’s face, starting at her neck and spreading up to her hairline. She straightened and cleared her throat. ‘‘My personal life is none of your business.’’

He felt sucker punched. Alex a virgin? His mind reeled at the thought. While she looked younger, he knew that she was twenty-nine. No. That wasn’t possible. She had to have—

Then the truth struck him. Of course, he thought with some relief, she was embarrassed because she wasn’t a virgin.

Talk about a tough gig. Where exactly did the local princess go when she wanted to have a good time?

Mitch didn’t envy her that, nor would he have wanted to be the first guy to do the wild thing with royalty. Talk about a lot of responsibility.

He realized then that they had both been silent for several minutes. He cleared his throat.

‘‘It’s getting late,’’ he said.

‘‘You’re right.’’ She set her mug on the coffee table. ‘‘I should be heading off to bed.’’

‘‘Uh, yeah.’’ He stood up, but all he could think about was what Alex had just said. Bed. As in her bed. As her in her bed. What exactly did she wear there? Was her hair loose across the pillow, or did she braid it so it wouldn’t tangle in the night?

He had a sudden image of the two of them tangling in a very different way, arms and legs clasping and releasing while his fingers stroked her face, and his mouth—

‘‘Thank you for sharing your family history with me,’’ she said as she rose to her feet. ‘‘The album was very special.’’

‘‘You’re welcome.’’

He told himself to think about something else, that it was probably against the law to imagine a royal princess naked.

But he couldn’t help himself. Unfortunately, she wasn’t just beautiful and elegant.

She was also smart and bold and bossy as hell and he wouldn’t change one thing about her.

She challenged him. How was he supposed to resist that?

Except he had to. Alex was many things, but she wasn’t for him.

She started for the hallway. When he didn’t follow, she paused and looked back at him. ‘‘Are you staying up?’’

‘‘Just for a little while. I still have some work.’’

‘‘Did I keep you from that? I didn’t mean to.’’

‘‘You didn’t keep me. I wanted to have dinner with you.’’

She smiled that slow, welcoming smile that sucked the strength from his legs and sent heat flooding to his groin.

‘‘I enjoyed it, as well.’’

Her soft accent drove him crazy. He took a step toward her, then another. Even though he knew he shouldn’t. Even though what he was thinking was wrong. He told himself to stop it. He told himself she would be offended. He told himself that it might start an international incident and—

And he couldn’t take his eyes off her perfect mouth.

They were only a couple of feet apart. There wasn’t much light in this part of the room, so he couldn’t see her expression too clearly, nor could he guess what she was thinking. He figured the worst that would happen was that she would slap him.

‘‘I’ve never kissed royalty. Do you do it differently from regular people?’’

She flushed again, but didn’t move away. If anything, her body seemed to sway toward his. ‘‘I don’t believe so. I’ve never kissed a cowboy. Do you do it differently?’’

‘‘Most of us practice on our horses, so our women have to stomp their feet a couple of times to get us going.’’

‘‘Really? I had no idea.’’ She took a tiny step toward him.

‘‘Sure. It works every time.’’ He took a step toward her. Suddenly there wasn’t any room between them. ‘‘I thought you were going to bed,’’ he said.

‘‘I thought you were going to work in your office.’’

‘‘I think I’d rather kiss you.’’

Her blue eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t turn away. Instead, slowly, deliberately, she stomped her foot.