Princess (American Princess #1)(50)
Author: Courtney Cole

“Don’t be a stranger, Syd.”  Christian leaned down to kiss her cheek.  “Call me anytime and come up to a Princeton football game sometime.  I could use a familiar face from home in the crowd.”

“Maybe I’ll do that.  Good-bye, Christian. Drive safely.”

He looked back one time and then strode confidently down the hallway.  Sydney watched his retreating back with a reminiscent smile. She had been speaking the truth. She was glad that they had been together.  She had learned so much.

Digging through the couch cushions, she found the television remote and clicked the TV on.  The local news channel was running yet another follow-up story on the whole Ross family scandal.  It seemed that she would never be able to escape it.

The reporter dressed in a dark mauve suit matter-of-factly discussed the fall-out from the scandal.

“Yes, Maureen… today, Illinois Senator Randall Ross returned to Washington after a several month hiatus.  He has been in seclusion in his Highland Park mansion for months after his wife conspired with an Illinois policeman to murder her own family.

“Luckily for Senator Ross and their daughter, Sydney, their devious plan wasn’t carried out, although several others lost their lives in the brutal attack, including Ohio senator Paul Hayes.  Senator Ross returned from his hiatus only this week and says that he is feeling much better and is looking forward to once again serving his constituents.”

Sydney stared at the smiling picture of her father and sighed.  She loved her father and was so happy that their relationship had taken on a healthy, new life.  She was also thankful that Jillian and Harrison’s lies never saw the light of day.

But none of that changed the fact that she was probably never going to enjoy the political lifestyle.  She hated living in a fishbowl.  Even here, in the smallish town of South Bend, she was recognized where she went.  The only place she had any privacy was in her apartment. It was her very own fortress of solitude.

She grabbed Stephen’s book and headed for the bathroom, intent on taking a hot bubble bath. She ran the water and tied her hair up before stepping into the bubbles.  The apartment sized bath-tub certainly wasn’t her sunken marble tub back home, but it would work.

She didn’t even realize that she had fallen asleep until Stephen’s voice woke her up.

“So, do you come here often, beautiful?”

She opened her eyes to find Stephen bending down next to the bathtub, lifting the book off of her chest.  It was a wonder that she hadn’t dropped it into the water.

“You know, I know that author.  I could probably get him to autograph it for you. He’ll be so happy to know that you’re reading it for the millionth time.”

His warm, chocolate eyes were crinkled at the corners as he smiled at her.  She leaned up to kiss him on his warm lips and wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the jolt of electricity that she received every single time their lips met.  She was pretty sure that she would never tire of it.

A devious thought entered her mind and quickly before he could anticipate it, she pulled him down hard until he landed in the mountain of bubbles on top of her. Water sloshed out of the tub onto the floor, but she didn’t even notice.  She was too busy laughing in self-satisfaction.

“Now was that really necessary?” Stephen laughed as he gazed directly into her eyes, wearing his love for her like a badge.

“I think it was. I’ve missed you.  I never, ever want you to leave me again.”

“That’s something you don’t need to worry about, Syd. If I ever do have to leave you, it will always be brief.  And I’ll always come right back.”

Pushing the bubbles out of his way, he pulled her to him and kissed her until she believed it.  She finally broke away so that she could breathe and sighed contentedly. Money couldn’t buy happiness, but she had managed to find it anyway.   She closed her eyes and smiled.