Royal Affair by Alice Gaines

before she almost left.” Before
Friedrich had almost made the one of the worst mistakes of his
life—tearing Dev and Felice apart. He’d almost committed the same
blunder with his second son, Kurt. At least, he’d finally learned
and hadn’t been as stupid with his youngest, Ulrich.
    Dev thought for a moment. “You two spoke
that night?”
    He’d told her about Pamela and how he’d had
to leave her. He’d insisted Dev would have to do the same. He’d
shared his deepest secret with her.
    “I didn’t tell her she couldn’t discuss it
with you.” How could he have? They were husband and wife.
    “She never said anything about it.”
    “You have my permission to ask her,”
Friedrich said.
    Dev stood in silence, gazing up at his
mother. “Is it something I need to know?”
    “Not really.”
    “Then I’ll let it be confidential between
the two of you.” Dev stepped away. “I think I’ll go find my wife
and show her how much I love her.”
    “Always a good idea.”
    Dev left then, shutting the door behind him,
leaving Friedrich in thought.
    Felice had decided not to say anything—even
to her husband—about Friedrich’s having loved another woman. That
affair existed in the past now, and even if he should encounter
Pamela today, they wouldn’t share anything but memories. Marta had
clearly felt uncomfortable about Herr Grossman’s gushing about
Cecile. She didn’t need to know there’d been another woman in his
life.
    Cecile smiled down at him the way she always
did. She’d want him to love again. She’d told him on many sad
occasions. The time had come to take her advice.
    He blew a kiss to her the way he always did
and went off to think up an excuse for a formal family dinner.
    *
    Marta’s heart leapt when she recognized the
display. Friedrich’s private number. She hadn’t even keyed it in as
being his in case someone got access to her phone and realized the
two of them were talking. In the days following their rendezvous,
she’d had to pinch herself to prove she wasn’t dreaming. They’d
made love. He’d called her Liebling . They were to see each
other again.
    Nearly breathless, she fumbled a bit and
finally answered on the third ring.
    “Marta,” his deep voice said from the other
end. For heaven’s sake, at some point, she’d come to love the sound
of him.
    “Who else?”
    “Friedrich here.”
    “Who else?” If phones still had cords, she’d
be twirling her fingers around it.
    “I miss you.”
    She nearly melted on the spot. He’d somehow
turned her into a teenager again, and it felt so blessed good. “I
miss you, too.”
    So banal and uncreative. Hardly worthy of
the intelligent conversations she’d had with Alexander and his
friends. And yet, what else could she say?
    “Are you still wearing that floral perfume?”
he asked. “The one that smells like roses.”
    “That’s my shampoo, actually.” She’d make a
mental note to wash her hair before she next saw him.
    “Mmm. I’m imagining I’m smelling it now,” he
said.
    Of course, he’d have his nose close to her
hair in the divine minutes when he’d raised himself above her and
they were joined. Her skin flushed, sending heat everywhere, and
not just from embarrassment.
    “Did you call to replay our afternoon over
the telephone?” she said. Young people did that sort of thing these
days, or at least she understood they did. Intimacy of a sort, but
a little too untraditional for her.
    He laughed. “I’ll leave that kind of
conversation to my sons.”
    “And so, why did you call?” To invite me
to the palace for a repeat, please.
    “I wish I could see you again.” He sighed.
“I’m afraid we have a bit of a catastrophe here.”
    “Oh?” Drat, she hadn’t meant to sound so
disappointed. She might sound petulant, and she would absolutely
not act that way around Friedrich VonRamsberg.
    “Ulrich’s done something to hurt Dixie, and
she and her family left yesterday afternoon in what can only