Page 122 of Tabloid Princess

I cut off his words with my mouth, happy to just let the moment be.

Twenty-Four

I woke to the feel of a heavy arm wrapped around my stomach. My dreams faded as I blinked into the sunlight filtering through the edge of the closed curtains.

“Mummy.” I stared at Daisy for a moment, utterly confused. Her gaze shifted to the man asleep at my side. “Oh, oh crap.”

I elbowed Oliver and pulled the covers up.

“Sweetie, can you give me a minute?” This would be my biggest parenting fail ever.

“Sure, Mummy. Shall I put some toast on for Ollie?”

He stretched and sat up, rubbing at his bedhead. Jesus, there couldn’t be anything more attractive than him all sleep smudged and ruffled. “That would be great,” he said. “How about I come down and we make Mummy a coffee?”

How did he make this all seem so normal?

She nodded and turned, walking back out of the room. I remained frozen.

“Are you okay?” He dropped a kiss on my shoulder.

“No. I just broke every parenting rule I have in place.”

“Leia.” His fingers reached for my chin and turned my face towards his. “She’s fine. She’s realised I’m a wonderful human being and is happy to have me around.”

I snorted. “You’ve bribed her with secret garden parties and horse riding.”

He flashed me a smile and it all but melted me. “Whatever works.” He stretched off the bed and I stole a glance at his sculpted body. I still thought it was morally wrong for one man to look like that and almost own a country. “Coffee?”

“Don’t you have a plane to catch?”

“In a while. Can I stay here until it’s time?”

“What would your security say?”

He shrugged, his smile rueful. “I don’t know. They’ve been parked down the road all night. I guess I’ll have to ask them.”

“Oliver. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” He pulled on his jeans and grabbed his T-shirt off the floor. “Why aren’t you and your team more worried about my neighbours? You’ve been taking risks coming here every night.”

He shrugged, but a flash of defiance crossed his face. “Call it magic.”

His answer rang with evasiveness, but before I could ask anything else, he ran down the stairs and left me on my own.

I turned taking in the state of the bed. Wow.

I found him in my small shabby kitchen, looking for all the world like the sun; making me the planet on a collision course with destruction.

“You stayed the night.” I tried to read his face as he handed me a mug. Apparently, I was bad assy today.

“I did.”

“Did you mean to?” We both watched out of the window as Daisy played in the tiny back garden.

“I didn’t want to leave if that’s what you are asking.”

We stared at one another. “Speak.” He shook his head. “Your questions are all over your face again.”