Page 33 of All Hale the Queen

Antonio rolls onto his back, pulling me with him so I’m draped halfway over his body. Staring at the ceiling, he says, “My story is a bit different from yours. It was back in Ireland. I was only about twenty-five and still in the military. A group of us was invited to a party one Friday night by a member of the peerage who owned a large castle.” He pauses for a moment. “I met a woman there.”

I trace small circles across his chest. “What was her name?”

“Maeve,” Antonio replies with a smile in his voice that makes me a bit jealous of this Maeve. “We were quite taken with each other. I was in my dress uniform, and I cut quite the dashing figure, if I do say so myself.”

Smiling, I picture a younger Antonio in a fancy uniform. “I bet you did.”

“Anyway, we ended up leaving together. I had a hotel room nearby, and we spent the entire weekend holed up there. There was a lot of… physical activity,” he says delicately, “but we also clicked on many levels. We talked and laughed for hours everyday and night, and I thought I’d found the woman I was meant to be with forever.”

His hand strokes absently up and down my side, and I keep quiet as he gets lost in his thoughts. “I’d never really believe in love at first sight. My father told me once he knew as soon as he saw my mum that she was the one for him, but I always dismissed that as rubbish. Until I met Maeve. I told her I loved her the morning after our first night together.”

“Was she your first sexual experience?” I ask, earning me a deep laugh.

“No, I was quite randy in my youth. But it was the first time I’d had real feelings for a woman. She said she thought she loved me too. I was in hog heaven, and we started formulating all these plans for a future together.”

Antonio blows out a long exhale. “Her driver came to pick her up on Sunday morning. That should have been my first indication that she came from wealth. Well, maybe the second, given that she was wearing what was obviously a very expensive designer dress. The plan was that I would come over that afternoon to meet her family.”

His voice grows taut. “The next red flag was when I pulled up to her family’s house, though I guess house isn’t the right word for it. It was more of an estate. They lived in a country manor, complete with manicured grounds, horses, and a garage that would hold at least eight cars.” Antonio’s chuckle is wry and holds little humor. “And there I was pulling up in my used Toyota with a missing fender.”

“They didn’t accept you,” I state, knowing where this was headed.

“Oh, they most certainly did not. I was led by a butler into the drawing room, which I stupidly thought was for actual drawing. I was afraid there was going to be some kind of art test or something.”

I can’t help my laugh, and Antonio joins in before speaking again.

“Maeve’s father was titled, a baron, which he reveled in pointing out. But I was undeterred. Knowing he was probably just concerned for his daughter, I told the esteemed baron that I intended on courting his daughter properly and that I could provide for her. I’ve said a lot of stupid things in my life, but that has to be right up there with the dumbest.” His tone holds a heavy measure of bitterness. “I was sitting in one of the grandest homes I’d ever seen, talking about providing for a woman who already had everything.”

I nuzzle my face against Antonio’s chest, and he presses a sweet kiss to my hair. I was beginning to understand his comments about not being good enough for me.

“I’m sorry, Antonio. I was fortunate enough to grow up with money, and my parents were the same. Very snobby and elitist. I vowed not to be like them when I grew up, especially with my own children. Helix and Phoenix are both married to women who came from blue collar backgrounds, and I couldn’t love my daughters-in-law more. I think they’re perfect.”

Antonio links his fingers with mine, resting our joined hands on his abdomen.

“I love that about you,” he said, and my heart jolts at his use of the L-word, even though I know he didn’t mean anything by it. “Unfortunately, the baron held no such notions. He let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I would never see his daughter again. With a snap of his fingers, two guards arrived to throw me out. Maeve was also in the room, and I looked to her, expecting her to jump up and defend me. Or even to go with me. Anything.”

He’s quiet for a long moment, and my chest tightens with sadness and sympathy.

“She just stared at the floor, refusing to meet my eye. I saw a tear drop onto her pink dress. She had changed when she gothome, and she was wearing the prettiest little frock.” Antonio’s voice is hazed with remembrance. “I watched as her tears splatted onto the fabric, leaving tiny stains. Of course, I wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but the guards manhandled me from the room. I could have easily fought them off if Maeve had given me any indication she wanted me to, but… she didn’t.”

Releasing Antonio’s hand, I press a hand to his cheek, tilting his head until he’s facing me. “You didn’t stand a chance with those people. And that’s not on you. It’s their loss because I think you’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever met.”

His green eyes soften, and he hauls me up his body until I’m on top of him, our faces level. “Ophelia darlin’, that whole thing screwed me up for life. I have major hangups about dating wealthy women. But what I feel for you…” Roaming his gaze over my face in the dim light, he shakes his head. “It hurt when Maeve rejected me, but if I lost you, it would absolutely devastate me.”

His words are delivered with so much sincerity, I have to swallow down the turbulent emotions racing through my veins.

“I’m not Maeve,” I remind him quietly. “My parents are dead, and I answer to no one. I do care about what my sons think, but I’m my own woman, and I make my own decisions.” I press a tender kiss to his lips. “I choose you, Antonio. All day, every day.”

With that validation, he rolls us until he’s pinning me to the mattress. His fingers gently swipe away the hair that’s fallen across my eye with the movement as our gazes lock together.

“And I choose you.”

***

I’m feeling mighty fine on Sunday morning. Antonio and I haven’t declared our love, but I’m pretty sure it’s coming. I think we were close to that point last night. He’s a cautious man, and I’m sure he’s not going to say it until he feels more confident in us, but I can be patient.

“Mornin’, love,” he says, coming into the kitchen where I’m making coffee. His arms snake around my waist, and I feel his erection against my backside as he kisses the side of my neck.

“Are you naked?” I ask with a laugh, twisting my head to find his mouth.