Page 53 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
Alejandro hadn’t noticed any changes in the kitten. He glanced down. Boots may have gained some weight. But they’d only been living at the palace a little over a week. That didn’t seem long enough for the kitten to grow.
Then again Alejandro felt as if he’d known Julianna for years not days. He felt so comfortable around her. “The princess has been sneaking Boots treats. That’s probably why.”
Elena nodded. “I saw the princess head down to the beach about a half an hour ago.”
“Thank you.”
Alejandro returned the kitten to the apartment and then headed to the beach.
Clear blue waves rolled to shore. Off in the distance, Julianna sat on the sand. She didn’t seem concerned about her white Capri pants getting dirty.
A seabird soared overhead. The white wings contrasted against the blue sky. Another bird swooped and dipped its feet into the water, but the talons came up empty.
Julianna wasn’t alone. Her bodyguard, Klaus, stood back. Far enough to give the princess privacy but close enough to react if needed. Alejandro acknowledged Klaus with a nod before approaching Julianna.
As he made his way toward Julianna, the wind caught in her hair. Strands went every which way. She pushed the hair off her face.
He would have liked to do that for her. He remembered how her hair felt, soft as silk, when strands had slipped out of her wig. But with Klaus behind them, Alejandro would have to keep his hands to himself. “Hello, Princess.”
Julianna glanced up at him. The combination of the sky and her short-sleeved shirt accentuated the blueness of her eyes. She smiled, looking pleased to see him. “Hi.”
“Enjoying the peace and quiet?”
“Yes. I was raised to fear being on my own, but I like it.” She raised a handful of sand into the air and let the granules sift from her fingers. A hill of sand formed. “Especially out here by the water.”
“I don’t want to disturb you.”
“You’re not.” She patted the spot next to her. “Sit.”
He did.
Julianna carved into the sand until a rustic castle took shape.
“You need a bucket and a shovel to build a proper castle,” he said.
She stuck out her tongue. “Who said anything about this being proper?”
He laughed. “My mistake.”
“This castle is different. Special.”
Her wistful tone intrigued him. “Tell me about it.”
“In this castle, you’re allowed to do whatever you choose. The only rule is to follow your heart.”
Alejandro shoved his hands into the warm sand to help her dig a moat. “A good rule for any castle, proper or not.”
She nodded. “Marriage is encouraged, but only if you’ve found your one true love.”
His hands worked right next to hers. If he moved his left hand, he could touch her. The bodyguard would be none the wiser. Klaus couldn’t see past their backs or hear what they were saying. Alejandro inched his hand closer. “Weddings must be rare.”
One side of the castle collapsed. She knocked the rest away and started over. “Divorces are rarer.”
A little farther… Anticipation built.
Alejandro wanted to touch her, to feel her soft skin against his once more, but doing so would be wrong. He moved his hand away from hers.
“That would be a different kind of castle.” While she occupied herself making another mound of sand, Alejandro pulled out his phone, typed in a text message for Ortiz and hit Send. “What about royal duty?”
“Royalty does not exist.”
That surprised him. Sailing aside, she seemed so keen on being a perfect princess and having little princes and princesses to keep the royal bloodline going.
“All people are created equal in my castle,” she continued. “Whether male or female, wealthy or poor.”
“Sounds like a nice place to live.”
“It would be nice.” Jules stared at the sand. “If I could build it.”
The longing in her voice touched his heart. “La Isla de la Aurora isn’t perfect, but it’s an enjoyable place to live. Though you won’t have the kind of freedom here as you’d have in your castle.”
She laughed. “It’s a fantasy. No place like that exists.”
