Page 16 of The Prince Who Loved Me

“As if being heir to a throne wasn’t scary enough—”

“If fifteen of my relatives die.”

“—any woman would have to compete with the starlets you’re always linked to in the gossip magazines. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone. I wouldn’t want to do it.”

“I’d give it all up for the right woman,” he said quietly.

“Really?” She rested her chin on her hands, elbows on the arm of the chair, and sighed. “I wish a man would give up all that for me.”

“So you want to try again for dinner this week?” he asked. “I promise not to ghost you afterward.”

“I have a couple more dates set up. Three men have been dicks, but that doesn’t mean they’re all going to be. And I’m learning a lot about myself in the process. Think I’ll kiss a frogand he’ll turn into my Prince Charming?”

He gave her his best royal stare, hiding the fight against the primitive force that demanded he show her what it felt like to be kissed by a Prince Charming. “Ribbit.”

She snorted out a laugh and rose from the chair. “I’m going to get some water. You want anything?”

“I’m fine,” he lied.

“Be right back.”

Maybe Brandi was right, that his tabloid exploits made him difficult to date. She would compare herself to what she thought she knew about his woman and find herself short.

He leaned his head against the wide back of the chair. While he was conscious of the privilege afforded him as a royal and took it seriously, he also longed for anonymity.

His role in the family was as a beloved son, brother, and favoriteoncle, but his role as a member of the ruling family wasn’t pivotal. There were plenty of others to take his place. After he had filled a younger son obligation and served a few years in the Casagnes military, he had argued for the right not to be tethered to the castle. It had been taken both his mother and his father’s secretary to convince His Majesty that Sebastien could live his own life and still serve the crown. Such as it was.

Now he spent most of his time in the United States, traveling home a few times a year to keep updated on his charitable causes or visiting other places when requested. The compromise were the two bodymen who followed him everywhere and filled any need Sebastien may have.

Brandi came back with her water and a large cupcake already split in half. “Here.”

“Aunt Eulalee’s been baking again.”

“I think my mom brought these from the bakery. Her contribution to the homemade meal.” She sat down on his paisley chair again, this time leaning against the back snuggedagainst him, and took a large bite. Frosting decorated her upper lip.

Sebastien had to squash the urge to kiss it off her. It was getting harder to resist these temptations. Now. He should say something now. They were cozied up and warm and about to dive into some deliciousness. It was the perfect scenario. He opened his mouth to speak.

“I have something to tell you,” Brandi said.

“Yes,” he answered.

She gave him a whap on the stomach. “I didn’t say anything, yet.”

Right, because she wasn’t going to say what he had been about to suggest. “What, then.”

“You know the lawyer was here. He had more of Grandma’s estate to pass on to us.”

“Yeah, Wendy mentioned something about it.”

“Did she say what it was?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Look.” Brandi took an envelope out of her back pocket and held it in her hands, resting her forearms on her bent knees. Her name was written across the front in a large, flowing script. “I haven’t opened it yet.”

“Are you going to?”

She tapped it a few times, then tucked her head against his shoulder and angled the envelope toward him. Her hair tickled his arm.