"Roger Halliwell, Your Highness. Your new security detail." His accent was American; his manner overly familiar. "Flight got in early, and I figured, why waste time sitting in a hotel when I could start familiarising myself with the setup. Hope you don't mind the intrusion."
I withdrew my hand as quickly as politeness allowed. "Mr Halliwell. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."
"Call me Roger, please." He winked—actually winked—and turned to James. "Banks, right? Heard good things. Don't worry,I'll take it from here. Got my team all ready to roll. State-of-the-art stuff, not the old-school approach."
James's face had gone completely expressionless, a sure sign of his intense dislike. "Mr Halliwell. We hadn't scheduled the handover briefing until 0900 tomorrow."
"There's no time like the present, right?" Roger clapped him on the shoulder, oblivious to how James tensed at the contact. "Figured I'd meet the princess, scope out the situation. "I've got some great ideas for upgrading the security protocols around here."
"The current protocols are more than adequate," James said, his voice dangerously calm.
Roger laughed. "Sure, sure. No offence, buddy. Just bringing a fresh perspective to the table. Twenty-first-century solutions, you know?"
I watched James's jaw clench, the muscle there jumping visibly. "If you'll excuse us, Mr Halliwell, the princess and I were in the middle of something."
"Oh yeah? Weapons tour?" Roger glanced around, unimpressed. "Old stuff, huh? I'm more of an innovation guy myself. Latest tech, latest methods."
"How fascinating," I said, unable to keep the frost from my voice. "Perhaps you could share your insights with Dara tomorrow. After your scheduled briefing."
Roger finally seemed to register the tension in the room.
"Right, sure thing, Your Highness. Just wanted to introduce myself. Make a good first impression." He backed towards the door with another too-bright smile. "Tomorrow then. Looking forward to working with you."
After he left, the silence stretched between us until James finally spoke.
"That's who they're replacing me with?" His voice was quiet but laced with disbelief. "A showboat with more confidence than competence?"
"I didn't choose him," the words blurted out, before I could stop them. "Dara briefed me on the palace security team's selection during the flight."
"He's not qualified to protect you," James stated flatly. "I'll speak with Dara immediately."
"Would it make a difference?" I asked, moving closer to him. "Would you stay if they asked?"
His eyes darkened as he looked down at me. "It's not that simple."
"What if I asked?" The words were barely above a whisper, hanging in the air between us.
"Princess—"
"Evangeline," I corrected softly. "My name is Evangeline."
The distance between us had somehow shrunk to mere inches, the heat of his body palpable even without touching.
"Evangeline," he conceded, my name in his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. "I can't stay. You know that."
"But tonight you're still here," I said, gathering my courage. "And I know I'll regret it forever if I don't tell you how I feel."
His breath hitched almost imperceptibly. "Evangeline..."
"I don't want comfort or control," I said, moving closer. "I want you. Not because you're paid to protect me, but because of who you are. Because of how you see me."
I reached up, my fingers lightly touching his jaw. "I'm saying I want you, James. Just for tonight. Before everything goes back to the way it was."
For one breathless moment, I thought he might give in. His pupils dilated, his body leaning infinitesimally towards mine.
Then he stepped back, breaking the connection. "That would be a mistake."
"Why?" I challenged, heat flooding my cheeks. "We're both adults. No strings attached. One night, and then you go back to London, I stay here, and we never have to see each other again."
