Charlotte & Nate (Royals of Valleria #4) by Marianne Knightly Page A
Authors: Marianne Knightly
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loved it, too.”
“Really?” she asked breathlessly. The King and Queen liked her cake? “Oh my God,” she said suddenly.
His hands shot out and gripped her arms loosely. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
“No. I mean, yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I didn’t curtsy or anything when you arrived. I think I forgot for a minute that you’re a prince.” And if that didn’t show her how little she qualified for Coco’s job, she wasn’t sure what would.
He, however, only laughed. His face broke out in a broad smile that brightened his face and had her breath catching. “I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. When his face softened and his hand lifted to her cheek, she really wasn’t sure what to do.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you, Charlotte.” Why did her name on his lips seem like velvety chocolate being poured on top of rich cheesecake – decadent and addictive?
She swallowed. “I’m fine. Thank you for checking on me.”
“Was that man bothering you?”
“What man?” Oh. “It’s nothing.”
His eyes narrowed. “It’s not nothing. You referred to something earlier today, to someone trying to seduce you, or put pressure on you. Was it him?”
“Does it matter?” She shrugged his hands away from her body and stepped back. He didn’t step inside, giving her the distance she needed. He seemed to have enough respect for her to cede her wishes and not push where she didn’t want it.
He gripped the frame of the door on each side. “Of course it matters. If he did something to make you feel uncomfortable, he’ll be gone by morning, I assure you. You should feel safe here. If you don’t, we should talk about it.”
“I’d rather not.”
“I rather would.”
“Then I would say we’re at an impasse.”
“And I say that everything’s negotiable.”
Charlie sighed. “I’m a woman working in a professional kitchen. Sometimes, the men I work with think that means they can try something they shouldn’t. It doesn’t mean I let them get away with it. Why are you really here?”
“I can’t seem to stay away.”
She huffed a laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. “Does that line really work?”
“It’s not a line, not with you, Charlotte.”
“And does that line really work?”
He ran frustrated hands through his hair. “I just can’t win with you.”
Anger bubbled. “I’m not some prize to be won.”
He gave her an assessing look. “You’re absolutely right. You’re not just ‘some’ prize, Charlotte.” Why did his words – which did agree with hers – make her feel sad and unworthy?
“May I come inside?”
That he asked meant a lot to her. “No funny business.”
“I promise you, I won’t be laughing. Is that a yes?” She nodded and he stepped inside. When he left the door a sliver open, she felt relief; she wasn’t ready to be behind completely closed doors with him.
He walked up to her and cupped her face, rubbing his thumbs idly over her cheeks. “You’re beautiful, did you know that?”
She never knew what to do with personal compliments; she’d gotten so few of them in her life. Professional ones, she could handle. Personal ones, however, she really couldn’t handle them from a man, much less a prince. “Prince Nathaniel.”
“You can call me ‘Nate’ if you want to.”
“I couldn’t.” Especially if she got Coco’s job. “I can’t.”
“Won’t, more like.”
“What are you doing?” Her body was remaining still, even while her hands itched to run through his hair. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I want to kiss you, Charlotte.”
She tangled her hands in the end of her robe. Holy hell, she was only in a robe. “Don’t.”
His dark brown eyes
“Really?” she asked breathlessly. The King and Queen liked her cake? “Oh my God,” she said suddenly.
His hands shot out and gripped her arms loosely. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
“No. I mean, yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I didn’t curtsy or anything when you arrived. I think I forgot for a minute that you’re a prince.” And if that didn’t show her how little she qualified for Coco’s job, she wasn’t sure what would.
He, however, only laughed. His face broke out in a broad smile that brightened his face and had her breath catching. “I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. When his face softened and his hand lifted to her cheek, she really wasn’t sure what to do.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you, Charlotte.” Why did her name on his lips seem like velvety chocolate being poured on top of rich cheesecake – decadent and addictive?
She swallowed. “I’m fine. Thank you for checking on me.”
“Was that man bothering you?”
“What man?” Oh. “It’s nothing.”
His eyes narrowed. “It’s not nothing. You referred to something earlier today, to someone trying to seduce you, or put pressure on you. Was it him?”
“Does it matter?” She shrugged his hands away from her body and stepped back. He didn’t step inside, giving her the distance she needed. He seemed to have enough respect for her to cede her wishes and not push where she didn’t want it.
He gripped the frame of the door on each side. “Of course it matters. If he did something to make you feel uncomfortable, he’ll be gone by morning, I assure you. You should feel safe here. If you don’t, we should talk about it.”
“I’d rather not.”
“I rather would.”
“Then I would say we’re at an impasse.”
“And I say that everything’s negotiable.”
Charlie sighed. “I’m a woman working in a professional kitchen. Sometimes, the men I work with think that means they can try something they shouldn’t. It doesn’t mean I let them get away with it. Why are you really here?”
“I can’t seem to stay away.”
She huffed a laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. “Does that line really work?”
“It’s not a line, not with you, Charlotte.”
“And does that line really work?”
He ran frustrated hands through his hair. “I just can’t win with you.”
Anger bubbled. “I’m not some prize to be won.”
He gave her an assessing look. “You’re absolutely right. You’re not just ‘some’ prize, Charlotte.” Why did his words – which did agree with hers – make her feel sad and unworthy?
“May I come inside?”
That he asked meant a lot to her. “No funny business.”
“I promise you, I won’t be laughing. Is that a yes?” She nodded and he stepped inside. When he left the door a sliver open, she felt relief; she wasn’t ready to be behind completely closed doors with him.
He walked up to her and cupped her face, rubbing his thumbs idly over her cheeks. “You’re beautiful, did you know that?”
She never knew what to do with personal compliments; she’d gotten so few of them in her life. Professional ones, she could handle. Personal ones, however, she really couldn’t handle them from a man, much less a prince. “Prince Nathaniel.”
“You can call me ‘Nate’ if you want to.”
“I couldn’t.” Especially if she got Coco’s job. “I can’t.”
“Won’t, more like.”
“What are you doing?” Her body was remaining still, even while her hands itched to run through his hair. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I want to kiss you, Charlotte.”
She tangled her hands in the end of her robe. Holy hell, she was only in a robe. “Don’t.”
His dark brown eyes
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