Page 23 of Winter Wedding for the Prince
At first, Rosa appeared to shrink under her ex’s scrutiny, reminding Armando of the conversation he’d overheard at the shelter. Her display of weakness lasted only for a moment, because the next thing he knew, she’d reached inside herself and found a backbone. Her shoulders straightened, and she met Fredo stare for haughty stare.
Shooting Fredo a side glance of his own, Armando made a point of slipping his hand around Rosa’s waist and pulling her tight to his side. “Well played,” he whispered. From Fredo’s vantage point, it must have looked like he was nuzzling her neck, since the man immediately blanched. “I had no idea he would be here.”
“Me neither. But then again, this is a large networking event, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“He doesn’t look very happy to see the two of us together.”
“It has more to do with seeing me in a capable position,” Rosa replied. “What are you doing?”
He’d leaned close again, so he could talk in her ear. “Playing with him.” The man could use a reminder of what he’d lost. “Every time I lean close, his eyes bulge like a frog’s, or haven’t you noticed?”
“I noticed. So has everyone else in the theater, for that matter. How will you explain to Mona if your picture ends up in tomorrow’s paper?”
Mona, whom he hadn’t thought about once since Rosa opened her front door. “She will understand,” he replied.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to cause trouble between you.”
And Armando wanted to put Fredo in his place. She moved to break free; he held her tight.
“I am positive,” he said. “I hardly think Mona’s the jealous type.” One of the reasons he’d selected her was her decidedly implacable nature. “Your ex-husband, however, looks as though someone stole his favorite toy.” Reaching up, he pretended to brush a stray hair from her cheek. To make Fredo seethe, he said to himself. Still, he felt an unfamiliar tightening at how her skin turned pink where his fingers touched.
“Insulted, more likely. I’m sure in his mind, I attended with you on purpose just so I could make him look foolish.”
“But that’s...”
“Ridiculous? Not to him. Do you mind if we leave now? The car is probably waiting out front.” She turned in his grip so that her back faced the orchestra, essentially dismissing the man they’d been talking about. Trying to dismiss the topic altogether, Armando suspected.
“Of course.” Casting one final look over her shoulder, he guided her from the box to the door where Vittorio and other members of the royal contingent waited patiently.
“Will His Majesty be heading anywhere else this evening?” Vittorio asked as they passed.
“Just home,” Rosa answered for them, forgetting she wasn’t his assistant tonight. “I mean, my apartment building first, and then His Highness will be heading home.”
“Actually...” Armando took another look behind him before looking back at Rosa. Despite her proud stance, the standoff with Fredo had taken a toll. The glow she’d maintained all evening had faded. He hated seeing her evening end on such a sour note. “We will both be returning the palace.”
“We will? Why?”
He smiled. Was it a trick of the light or were Rosa’s eyes always this soft and brown? What would they look like lit by hundreds of Christmas lights? Would they sparkle like chocolate diamonds?
He would find out soon enough.
“Royal decree,” he teased in answer to her question.
Her eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”
“It means it is a surprise.”
* * *
Normally, Armando wasn’t one for surprises. It had been years since he did anything remotely spontaneous, and while in the scope of things, this surprise wasn’t anything dramatic, he still found himself energized by the idea. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been excited. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, rapid pulse excited. Yet here he was, wrapped in a haze of exhilaration.
All over what was really something very silly. Didn’t matter. He still looked forward to his plan.
Because he wanted to be sure Rosa’s evening ended on a positive note.
It had nothing to do with wanting to see her eyes under Christmas lights.
“Have I told you that I do not like surprises?” Rosa remarked when the car pulled into the underground entrance behind the palace.
“Since when?” he replied. “I seem to recall you and your sister planning all sorts of surprises together before she and I got married.”
“Correction, Christina planned surprises. I was there solely for support and labor. My life was unpredictable enough. The last thing I needed was more unpredictability.”
