Page 96 of The Princess Trap

When she pushed aside the flight deck’s thick, cream curtain, the first thing she saw was Demi, head bowed, standing before the cockpit’s myriad controls. Then she looked down and saw Hans kneeling at Demi’s feet.

The bodyguard’s massive arms were wrapped around Demi’s waist, his face buried against her stomach. Demetria ran a soothing hand over his golden hair. “It’s okay,” she was whispering. “I’m fine. Everyone’s fine. Hans, you have to get up.”

Cherry slowly slid the curtain back into place.

“What are you grinning at?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Ruben’s voice. “Quiet,” she hissed, tugging him away from the cockpit. Usually, when she tried to move him around, he had the grace to pretend it was working. This time, though, hewouldn’t budge. Cherry watched in horror as, with a teasing smile on his face, he reached for the curtain.

“Ruben, don’t—”

Too late.Oops.

Hans and Demi leapt apart, and Cherry stifled a sigh. Oh, dear.

Ruben was staring at the pair as if he’d caught them practicing a satanic ritual. He spluttered uselessly for a second before choking out, “What on earth is going on?”

“Nothing,” said Demi.

At precisely the same time, Hans said, “We’re getting married.”

Even Cherry coughed at that, but it was a pleased sort of cough. She’d been worried that the pair might never pull their heads out of their arses and get on with things. Clearly, she’d worried needlessly.

Demi kicked Hans in the shin with a gasp of outrage. “You are the bane of my existence.”

“I love you too.”

“Will you shutup?”

“Quiet!” Ruben demanded. Apparently, he’d regained his senses. The look of utter astonishment he’d worn just seconds ago was nowhere to be seen. He pinned a hard look on his best friend. “Are you marrying her or not?”

“Yes,” Hans insisted.

Ruben looked to Demetria. “Did he ask you?”

She nodded mutely.

“Properly?”

“Um… Yes?”

“And you agreed.”

Demi slapped her hands to her cheeks. “Will you stop? This is very embarrassing.”

Ruben’s face softened slightly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Hans snorted. “Charming.”

“Shut up. I wasn’t talking to you.”

Demi intervened before a real argument could break out. “Yes, I agreed,” she said firmly. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine. We’re all fine! Now if you could justgo away, Ruben, that would be wonderful.” With those words, she strode towards the entryway and tugged the curtain back into place. Right in front of her boss’s face.

Ruben blinked. For a moment, he looked slightly shell-shocked. But then his lips spread into a grin. He turned to Cherry with a look of elation of his face. “They’re getting married!”

“Yes,” she replied, biting back a smile. “It would appear so.”

“I had no idea,” he said. “God, he’s my best friend and I had no idea. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me! I’m going to wring his bloody neck…” He trailed off with a frown. “You don’t seem surprised. Why aren’t you surprised?”