talking about her, about taking the risk of bringing her to Carvainia.
“Some risks are worth everything.” She pointedly slid her gaze to the recovering child.
With a tilt of his head, Aleks lifted his cards. “Indeed.”
Oblivious to the byplay between the adults, Nico said, “May I go first, Miss Sara?”
“Yes, you may.”
“Do you have any fours? I’m four.” He held up four splayed fingers. “My birthday was March tenth. I was sick.”
The reminder sent a spear through Sara’s heart. She’dmissed every birthday but one. “I’m so glad you’re better now. The next birthday will be a grand celebration, I’m sure.”
She handed over a pair of the requested card and watched like a proud mother as Nico triumphantly counted out a complete set.
“One, two, free, four .” He put the last card down with emphasis and grinned. “I’m going to win. Papa says a warrior prince must always win. When I’m big I shall be a warrior prince, won’t I, Papa?”
Sara shivered at the thought of her son at war. “Let’s hope for peace instead.” She quickly reverted to the game, asking Aleks, “Do you have any queens?”
“None at the moment,” Aleks replied. “Though I am searching. Go Fish.”
Nico giggled with glee and high-fived his father, the very small hand colliding against the large, strong one in a resounding smack.
With a short laugh, Sara drew a card from the pile in the center and added it to her hand. “Are the royals ganging up on the poor commoner?”
This time Aleks laughed, too.
“Beware of the guillotine. We royals can be ruthless.”
He confused her, this prince of Carvainia. One minute he was as cold as Antarctica and then for a brief, unguarded moment, he’d become the man she’d known and loved in college.
At the end of the game, he glanced at his watch. “I must go, son. Perhaps we can play again tomorrow.”
“Sara said tomorrow we could walk along the seashore and gather shells.”
“Oh, she did, did she?”
“With your permission, of course,” Sara hurried to add. “Little boys get tired of being indoors.”
“And what would you know of little boys?” he asked quietly.
Sara blanched at the intentional jab but she stared him down. “Not nearly as much as I’d like to. Thanks to you.”
His gaze hardened. “You have only yourself to blame.”
Suddenly, Nico clapped his little hands together. “Let’s make a picnic and go in the boat.”
Aleks stiffened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Sara won’t capsize the boat this time, will you, Sara?” Big dark eyes beseeched her.
Sara gulped, unsure of how to answer. From Aleks’s black expression he was no more enamored of the idea than she. Being with him in the sickroom was one thing, but an afternoon of fun with Aleks could open up a Pandora’s box of emotions. In her current state, she wasn’t sure she could handle them. Every glimpse of the real Aleks pulled at her like a powerful magnet. Even this new and princely Aleks had moments when she feared that she could love him, too.
And for a plain bookstore owner to love a prince could only bring more heartache.
“Will you, Sara? Say you won’t capsize the boat, so Papa will agree. Please.”
The child’s pleading pulled at her. Poor little man. He thought his father was reluctant because of the long-ago overturned boat. He had no idea that the incident had been one of her best memories, the prelude to a weekend of love she would never forget…or regret.
She treasured her memories of Aleks, but how much longer would she have to make memories with this sweet son of hers?
If Aleks’s behavior was any indication, not nearly long enough.
“I would do my best not to cause a problem,” she said.
“See, Papa, see? Please say yes. We will have a jolly good time.”
Sara could see the war raging inside the prince. He wanted to please his son, but he did not want to be with her. Nor did she want to be with him, though she suspected
“Some risks are worth everything.” She pointedly slid her gaze to the recovering child.
With a tilt of his head, Aleks lifted his cards. “Indeed.”
Oblivious to the byplay between the adults, Nico said, “May I go first, Miss Sara?”
“Yes, you may.”
“Do you have any fours? I’m four.” He held up four splayed fingers. “My birthday was March tenth. I was sick.”
The reminder sent a spear through Sara’s heart. She’dmissed every birthday but one. “I’m so glad you’re better now. The next birthday will be a grand celebration, I’m sure.”
She handed over a pair of the requested card and watched like a proud mother as Nico triumphantly counted out a complete set.
“One, two, free, four .” He put the last card down with emphasis and grinned. “I’m going to win. Papa says a warrior prince must always win. When I’m big I shall be a warrior prince, won’t I, Papa?”
Sara shivered at the thought of her son at war. “Let’s hope for peace instead.” She quickly reverted to the game, asking Aleks, “Do you have any queens?”
“None at the moment,” Aleks replied. “Though I am searching. Go Fish.”
Nico giggled with glee and high-fived his father, the very small hand colliding against the large, strong one in a resounding smack.
With a short laugh, Sara drew a card from the pile in the center and added it to her hand. “Are the royals ganging up on the poor commoner?”
This time Aleks laughed, too.
“Beware of the guillotine. We royals can be ruthless.”
He confused her, this prince of Carvainia. One minute he was as cold as Antarctica and then for a brief, unguarded moment, he’d become the man she’d known and loved in college.
At the end of the game, he glanced at his watch. “I must go, son. Perhaps we can play again tomorrow.”
“Sara said tomorrow we could walk along the seashore and gather shells.”
“Oh, she did, did she?”
“With your permission, of course,” Sara hurried to add. “Little boys get tired of being indoors.”
“And what would you know of little boys?” he asked quietly.
Sara blanched at the intentional jab but she stared him down. “Not nearly as much as I’d like to. Thanks to you.”
His gaze hardened. “You have only yourself to blame.”
Suddenly, Nico clapped his little hands together. “Let’s make a picnic and go in the boat.”
Aleks stiffened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Sara won’t capsize the boat this time, will you, Sara?” Big dark eyes beseeched her.
Sara gulped, unsure of how to answer. From Aleks’s black expression he was no more enamored of the idea than she. Being with him in the sickroom was one thing, but an afternoon of fun with Aleks could open up a Pandora’s box of emotions. In her current state, she wasn’t sure she could handle them. Every glimpse of the real Aleks pulled at her like a powerful magnet. Even this new and princely Aleks had moments when she feared that she could love him, too.
And for a plain bookstore owner to love a prince could only bring more heartache.
“Will you, Sara? Say you won’t capsize the boat, so Papa will agree. Please.”
The child’s pleading pulled at her. Poor little man. He thought his father was reluctant because of the long-ago overturned boat. He had no idea that the incident had been one of her best memories, the prelude to a weekend of love she would never forget…or regret.
She treasured her memories of Aleks, but how much longer would she have to make memories with this sweet son of hers?
If Aleks’s behavior was any indication, not nearly long enough.
“I would do my best not to cause a problem,” she said.
“See, Papa, see? Please say yes. We will have a jolly good time.”
Sara could see the war raging inside the prince. He wanted to please his son, but he did not want to be with her. Nor did she want to be with him, though she suspected
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