fail.
Now she was looking into the eyes of a man who’d misled her. Let her think that this was something it was not.
He pulled his gaze away from hers, having the good shame to look embarrassed, and ran his hand through his thick dark hair.
But even that annoyed her. She’d spent all weekend running her own fingers through the same hair and right now she knew she’d never do that again.
He reached up and touched her shoulder. ‘Sienna, I’m sorry.’
She pulled back as if he’d stung her and his eyes widened.
‘Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me again. Ever!’ She spun around and walked back inside.
She ignored everything around her. Ignored the soft sofas they’d spent many an hour on. Ignored the thick wooden table that they’d eaten more than their dinner from. Ignored the tangled sheets in the white and gold bedroom that told their own story.
She grabbed the few things she’d brought with her—and the few other things she’d bought—and started throwing them into her bag.
Seb rushed in behind her. ‘Sienna, slow down. Things weren’t meant to happen like this. I’m sorry. I am. I came to the hotel to get away. I came to think about some things.’ He ran his fingers through his hair again. ‘And then, when I got there, there was just...’ he held his hands up towards her ‘...you,’ he said simply.
She spun back around.
‘I didn’t realise right away who you were. I’d asked Oliver if he could send a surgeon to help with training. I’m the patron of the hospital and they only come to me when there are big issues. The hospital board were unhappy about all our neonates having to be transferred to France for cardiac surgeries. It was time to train our own surgeons—buy our own equipment. But once I’d made the arrangement with Oliver I hadn’t really paid attention to all the details. Our hospital director took care of all those because I knew I wouldn’t be here. I didn’t even recognise your name straight away.’
She felt numb. ‘You knew? You knew exactly who I was?’
He sighed heavily and his tanned face paled. ‘Not until yesterday when you mentioned you were a surgeon.’
She gulped. She knew exactly what he wasn’t saying. Not until after they’d slept together.
‘Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me you knew Oliver yesterday?’
He shook his head. ‘Because we’d already taken things further than either of us probably intended. We were in our own little bubble here. And I won’t lie. I liked it, Sienna. I liked the fact it was just you and me and the outside world seemed as far away as possible.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I didn’t want to spoil it.’ He started pacing around. ‘Do you know what it’s like to have the eyes of the world constantly on you? Do you know what it’s like when every time you even say hello to a woman it’s splashed across the press the next day that she could be the next Queen?’ The frustration was clearly spilling over.
‘You expect me to feel sorry for you?’
He threw up his hands. ‘The only time I’ve had a bit of a normal life was when I was at university. The press were banned from coming near me then. But every moment before that, and every second after it, I’ve constantly been on display. Life is never normal around me, Sienna. But here—’ he indicated the room ‘—and in Il Palazzo di Cristallo I get a tiny bit of privacy. Do you know how good it felt to walk in somewhere, see a beautiful woman and be able to act on it? Be able to actually let myself feel something?’
Her throat was dry. Emotion and frustration was written all over his face. He couldn’t stop pacing.
It was as if the weight of the world were currently sitting on his shoulders. She had no idea what his life was like. She’d no idea what was expected of him. Her insides squirmed. The thought of constantly being watched by the press? No, thanks.
But the anger still burned inside. The hurt at being deceived. How many other women had he brought here? Was she just another on his list?
She stepped up close to him again, ignoring his delicious aftershave that had wound its way around her over the last few days. ‘So, everything was actually a lie?’
He winced. ‘It wasn’t a lie, Sienna.’
‘It was to me.’
He shook his head and straightened his shoulders. ‘You’re overreacting. Even if I had introduced myself, what difference would it have made?’ He moved closer, his chest just in front of her face. ‘Are you telling me that this wouldn’t have happened? That we wouldn’t have been attracted to each other? We wouldn’t have ended up together?’
She clouded out his words—focusing only on the first part. It had been enough to make the red mist descend. ‘I’m overreacting?’ She dropped the clothes she had clutched in her hands. ‘I’m overreacting?’ She let out an angry breath as her eyes swept the room.
She shook her head. ‘Oh, no, Seb. I’m not overreacting.’ She picked up the nearest lamp and flung it at the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. ‘This. This is overreacting. This is letting you know how I really feel about your deception.’
His chin practically hung open.
She stalked back to the bed and stuffed the remaining few items into her bag, zipping it with an over-zealous tug.
She marched right up under his nose. ‘If I never see you again it will be too soon. Next time find someone else to train your surgeons. Preferably someone who doesn’t mind being deceived and lied to.’
He drew himself up to his full height. On any other occasion she might have been impressed. But that day? Not a chance.
His mouth tightened. ‘Have it your own way.’
‘I will,’ she’d shouted as she’d swept out of the chalet and back into the waiting car. ‘Take me back to my hotel,’ she’d growled at the driver.
Heavens. She hoped she hadn’t got that poor man fired. He hadn’t even blinked when she’d spoken. Just put the car into gear and set off down the mountain road. Her last view of Seb had been as he’d walked to the door and watched the car take off.
Now, it seemed all a bit melodramatic.
She’d never admit she’d cried on the plane on the way home. Not to a single person. And especially not to a person she’d now have to tell she was carrying his baby.
Her eyes came into focus sharply and she leaned forward.
The tickertape stream of news changed constantly. Something had made her focus again.
She waited a few seconds.
Prince Sebastian Falco of Montanari has announced his engagement to his childhood friend Princess Theresa Mon Carte of Peruglea. Although the date of their wedding has not yet been announced it is expected to be in the next calendar year. The royal wedding will unite the two neighbouring kingdoms of Montanari and Peruglea.
Every
