Page 70 of Tabloid Princess

He hung back at the top of the staircase at an open internal door and waited for me to take in the room in front of us. Cavernous and huge, the converted warehouse blew my mind.

“Wow.”

“It used to be an old factory during the industrial boom in the mid-nineteenth century.” His voice rumbled through me and I shivered. “But of course, places like this soon fell by the wayside. I was able to get it for an absolute steal.”

I turned and found him watching me closely. “A steal?”

His mouth twitched that adorable almost smile. “Sort of.”

I stepped in, knowing he was watching my reactions. The exposed brickwork of worn soft red contrasted with black leather sofas and bright Turkish rugs on the wooden floor. To the right an enviable stainless-steel kitchen dominated one corner. While in the far left, the opposite end to the kitchen, a large bed with white bedding was just visible. I swallowed hard.

“You sleep here?”

“And the first thing you notice is the bed?” His soft voice lilted closer than I expected, brushing my ear. I jumped a little, while a flush of goose bumps travelled down my arms.

A sudden scamper of feet on the wooden floorboards snapped my attention and I looked down to find a scruffy Yorkshire terrier racing towards me.

“Meet Gizmo.” The prince bent down and scooped up the ragged, fluffy mess.

“Gizmo? You named your dog after Gremlins?”

He laughed and ruffled the dog’s fur. “Look at these ears.”

Grinning, I stroked the pointy ears of the terrier. The name was a good fit.

When I straightened back up, I found Prince Oliver scrutinising me, that small question flickering in the depths of his thoughtful stare. “You came.”

“I did.” I nodded, that lump coming back to my throat again.

“Why?” He put the dog down and then slid his hands into his pockets.

“Do you have to ask?”

“I do.” The way he stood there, carved out of some fine marble, but with a look of almost trepidation on his face, unknotted my nerves a little.

“Brutal?” I asked, repeating my censorship question of our impromptu meeting in the ancient graveyard.

“The only way I like it.”

I licked my lips, noticing his gaze flicking down to the movement. “I couldn’t not. I knew I shouldn’t. But I couldn’t contemplate not coming.” I laughed ruefully. “That probably doesn’t make sense.”

His stare was deep and searching. “It makes a lot of sense.”

“Why did you ask me?” The dog licked my feet, but I tried hard to ignore it.

He smiled, half of his mouth pulling up into a smirk. “I couldn’t not.”

Chuckling to myself, I nodded slowly. “This sounds worrying on all levels.”

The smile he flashed stole my air. “It really does.” He reached a hand and pointed towards his simply giant warehouse/flat. “Come I’ll give you the tour.”

“Is it a royal tour?”

He smirked, making it look so sexy I almost keeled over on the spot. “Well, as the royal is in the room and I’m giving it, then yes, I guess it is.”

I wanted to ask him close to a billion questions. All of them burned my tongue, but I held back. The smirk grew.

“Can I ask something?”