Affairs of State (Daughters of Power: The Capital #6)(20)
Author: Jennifer Lewis

His driver handed him the big bunch of pink roses he’d ordered. No doubt any nearby photographers would have a field day, but soon enough they’d all be scribbling the story of their engagement so it didn’t really matter what they were speculating. In fact he welcomed them heralding the happy news that he and Ariella would spend the rest of their lives together.

He climbed the steps to her building with glowing anticipation and rang the bell a little too long. The first sight of her face after a two-week absence almost made him shout. She was unquestionably the most beautiful woman on earth, with her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders and those big, soulful eyes fixed right on him.

When he flung his arms around her, still clutching the roses in one fist, he noticed she seemed a little stiff. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Yes.” Her answer seemed a little less than enthusiastic.

“I brought you some roses. I thought they might remind you of our English rose gardens.”

She smiled. “Your country does have the most beautiful gardens in the world.”

They were talking about gardens? He was dying to propose to her and get it over with, as the suspense was killing him. But something wasn’t right. She looked pale. “How are you?”

She ushered him into the apartment. Wordless, her shoulders slightly hunched, she seemed very tense. “Please sit down.”

He frowned. “I feel like you’re about to drop some kind of bombshell. I’m not going to fall down like an old granny.”

That gentle smile hovered about her mouth again. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, but just in case.”

“You do have a bombshell to drop?” His mind ran through the possibilities. Her father had asked her to go live in the White House and forbidden her from dating? She couldn’t take the press anymore and had decided to go underground? Aliens had invaded and…

“I’m pregnant.”

Ten

Ariella watched as Simon’s amused expression faded to a blank. “What?”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I took a test and it was positive.”

“We didn’t have sex until…two weeks ago. Is that even long enough to know you’re pregnant?” He stared at her in astonishment and confusion.

“Apparently so.” Did he think she was pregnant by someone else and had decided to pin the blame on him in the hope of a big royal payoff? Indignation stirred in her chest. “Don’t worry, I don’t expect anything of you. I know the timing is terrible and it’s the last thing we expected, but it’s happened and I intend to raise the baby. I’m financially well off, so you don’t need to worry that I’ll ask for money.”

“That’s the last thing I’m worried about.” He blinked, staring at her. “We used a condom.”

Apparently he still didn’t believe it was possible. “It could have leaked or broken or who knows what. They’re not very effective. At this point it doesn’t really matter. I’m definitely pregnant.” She’d done another two tests. Different brands, same result.

“Wow.” He climbed to his feet and came toward her. “Congratulations.”

She laughed. “You don’t have to congratulate me. We both know it was a big accident.”

“Still, it feels like an occasion for celebration.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

Oh, no. A leather box. Her heart seized as she realized what he was about to do. Could she refuse a proposal before it was even made?

He got onto one knee, confirming her worst fears. “Ariella.” His eyes were smiling, which seemed downright strange under the circumstances. “Will you marry me?”

She bit her lip, hoping to hold back sudden and pointless tears that threatened. She couldn’t seem to get words out so she simply shook her head.

He frowned. “You won’t? Why not?” His sudden indignation would be funny if she didn’t feel so sad. This must be one more sign that they weren’t meant to be. It didn’t seem to cross his mind that she might have her own opinion and it could be different from his. Probably being a prince trained you to think that everyone was on your side and wholeheartedly agreed with you.

“It would never work.” Her voice came out broken and raspy. “Your family would be horrified. They made it abundantly clear that they intend for you to marry someone else.”

“They’ll get over it.” His gaze turned steely.

“No they won’t. I’ve seen enough press coverage of your family to know they’re very set in their ways. I don’t want to be the outcast and black sheep for the rest of my life. Nor do I want the queen to take away your beloved estate or kick you out of your charity. You’ve built a life that you love and marrying me would ruin everything, so it’s not going to happen.”

The truth of her words echoed inside her. She truly didn’t want those things to happen, for Simon or for herself.

“Why are you talking about everyone else? I want to marry you. Now that you’re pregnant there’s all the more reason to do it, and soon.” He was still on one knee in front of the sofa where she sat. The whole situation seemed ridiculous. Especially as his words were undermining her conviction. Could they really just forget about his family and the reporters and the British public and her presidential father and do what they wanted?

No. They couldn’t. Life didn’t work like that.

He smacked his head suddenly. “In all this talk about a baby and my family, I think I forgot to mention the most important thing.” He took hold of her hands. “Which is that I love you. I never knew what love was until I met you. Every minute I’m not with you I’m wishing I was. When I am with you I don’t want to leave. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Ariella. I need to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you.”

Her chest tightened as he tried to put such strong feelings into mere words and those words rocked her to her core. What hurt most was that she felt the same way. Since Simon came into her life nothing else seemed very important any more. But the truth was that the world was still out there, and hoping and dreaming wasn’t enough to build a life on. “Love doesn’t last forever. It’s a brief flash of excitement and enthusiasm that brings people together. The rest of it is work. I know my parents—the ones who raised me—worked hard to keep their marriage strong in the face of all the tiresome details of life. My birth parents obviously couldn’t manage to do that.”

She frowned and stood up. She needed to put a little distance between them so she could think straight. It was hard to even speak with his big, masculine presence looming over her and his rich scent tugging at her senses. “There’s a fierce attraction between us.” She walked away from him, with her back turned. It was easier to speak when she couldn’t see his bold, chiseled features. “It takes hold of me and makes me forget about everything else when I’m with you.” Then she turned to face him. He’d risen to his feet and seemed to fill the space of her living room. “But that will fade. You were born with your whole life planned out for you. You’re already married to your family and your country. You can’t abandon them to marry someone who they disapprove of and who will never fit in. It was disastrous for your ancestor Edward VII and it would be disastrous for you.” Tears fell down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop them. “It’s better for all of us if we break it off right now.”

Simon exhaled loudly, like he’d been bottling up words and emotions inside him. “You’re right. I am married to my family and my country and I’d never give them up. I know it’s a lot to ask of you to embrace those things and love them as I do, but I am asking that.” He strode toward her and took her hands. She wanted to pull away and attempt to keep some distance and objectivity, but he held them softly, but firmly, and she wasn’t able to break free. “Marry me, Ariella.”

Her gut churned. Her nerve endings cracked with an effusive “Yes!” but her brain issued loud warning signals. “I don’t want you to marry me out of a sense of duty, because I’m pregnant.”

“I’m not asking you because you’re pregnant.” Amusement sparkled in his eyes. “I bought the ring before I knew about the pregnancy. I was planning to build up to my proposal and do some romantic beating about the bush before springing the big question on you, but your surprise announcement made that seem superfluous. I want to marry you, pregnant or not, Ariella Winthrop, and I’m not leaving until you say yes.”

“You’re planning to bully me into it?” She stiffened. Sometimes his boundless enthusiasm and confidence were appealing, and sometimes it was a little scary.

He softened his grip on her hand. “No.” He spoke softly. “There I go, running roughshod again. I apologize. I truly wish to embrace a lifetime of your moderating influence on my overly ebullient personality.”

He said it so sweetly that her heart squeezed. She did believe him. “I don’t think anyone could squash your bubble too much.” She chuckled. It touched her deeply that he’d congratulated her on carrying their baby. For the first time it occurred to her that maybe he wanted to be congratulated, too. “I’m sure you’re going to be a wonderful father, even if we aren’t married.”

“That’s true, I will be.” He hesitated. She could almost feel him bursting to insist that they would be married, but holding himself back, trying not to offend her.

“You’re a wonderful man, Simon. I’m totally overwhelmed right now with all the publicity about my father, and my mother and the TV special. It’s almost ridiculous that I met you at the same time. It would be crazy to leap into an unplanned marriage without thinking long and hard about the consequences. Perhaps at some time in the future we can discuss it again and…who knows?” She trailed off, running out of words. Part of her wanted to run screaming away from Simon and everyone else and hide from reality. The rest of her wanted to rush to him and throw herself into his strong arms and let him take care of her the way he so confidently intended to.

“I’m not leaving, if that’s what you were trying to hint at.” That familiar gleam of humor shone in his eyes. “Me and my ring will sit quietly in the corner until you come to your senses.”

“As if that was possible.” She couldn’t help smiling. “I doubt you could sit quietly anywhere for more than about three minutes.”

“Three whole minutes?” He rubbed his mouth thoughtfully. “You could be right. In the meantime, you should be eating for two so I think we need to go out for a hearty lunch.”

She laughed. “You’re impossible.”

“I’m all about making the impossible possible. They said I couldn’t raft up the Zambezi or ascend the north face of Mount Everest. They laughed when I talked about internet access in the Masai Mara. I proved them all wrong. If they say an American isn’t a suitable bride for a British prince, then I’ll spend the rest of my life proving them wrong about that as well, and have fun doing it.”

His passion made her heart swell. But he was talking as if she was just another mountain to climb. “You do make a compelling case for your own convictions, but you don’t seem to be listening to me.”

“How?” His look of confusion made her want to laugh again.

“I said I’m not ready to commit to anything right now. I’ve had the biggest shocks of my life these past few months and I barely know which end is up.”

His expression grew serious. “Point taken. I’ll stop pushing my agenda. Now, how about that lunch?”

“That, I’ll agree to.” And she let him take her hand and help her up from the sofa. His skin sparked arousal as it touched hers. She hid a silent sigh from him. Why did her life have to be so complicated?

* * *

She frowned when Simon’s driver pulled up in front of Talesin. The navy awnings created cool shade in front of one of the most exclusive restaurants in D.C. Unease trickled through her. “Are we eating here?”

“Their steaks are world famous. You need iron rich foods.”

“Why does everything you say make me laugh?” Then she glanced about. “Did you know it’s the president’s favorite restaurant?” What if they ran into him here? She hadn’t seen him since the dinner they’d shared after the taping, though he’d sent her several warm emails and they were talking about a weekend together at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

“Is it really?” He helped her out of the car. “I’ve been meaning to eat here for ages.”

“It’s probably hard to get a table without a reservation.” She remembered one tense afternoon of scrambling to book a room for an important client’s dinner there.