Page 55 of The Duke's Virgin

Charmed, I did as requested and led him over to the refrigerated units. “Water or soda?”

“Soda?”

“Ah…Coke. Pepsi. That sort of thing. It’s this English to English language barrier.”

“We could just speak German or French,” he said, sliding easily into the latter. “I noticed you’re quite fluent. Except under certain circumstances.”

Knowing exactly what he meant, I resisted the urge to make a face at him. “Does that mean you want soda?”

“Water is fine,” he said, going back to English.

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You bring it out,” he said with a wink. “What can I say?”

A few minutes later, we carried the bags out to the SUV, and I passed a water and the snacks for Ricky onto him. He dropped a kiss on my forehead then nodded to the vehicle. “If you’re ready?”

“You want to run inside first?”

“I’m good.”

I rolled my eyes but didn’t offer to go in with him so he wouldn’t worry about me being grabbed. It had happened to the daughter of one of my father’s business associates a few years earlier, and Ricky had been more watchful than ever since.

Once we were back on the road, I peered at the GPS. “It won’t be more than a couple of hours as long as traffic is decent.”

We sat back to munch on snacks, and although the silence was comfortable, it wasn’t long before he filled it, asking about college and what I’d studied before moving on to what I wanted to do with the degree I’d earned.

The rest of the trip flew by, passing through the America/Canada border with little hassle, although the agent on guard at the station did a doubletake after running our passports—I assumed because of Luka.

He asked us to wait a moment and called his supervisor over, and the supervisor spoke to Luka in French, likely because he assumed neither Ricky nor I would speak the language.

I smiled to myself but had to admire the thoroughness Luka’s staff had undertaken after learning of his change of plans. They’d already contacted the supervisors at the various borders who were to be watching for the passage of the Hereditary Grand Duke.

Luka assured him everything was well, and we were wished an excellent journey and ushered on our way.

We quickly fell back into our conversation, and the rest of the drive passed so quickly, I was surprised to see the Montreal skyline fill the horizon ahead of us.

An odd pang tugged at my heart—not sadness, exactly, because I knew how anxious he was to see Emmett. Bittersweet. Maybe that was what I was feeling. I’d accepted the fact that I wouldn’t see him after leaving Monaco, then again in Luxembourg, then he was dropped back into my life, but fate wasn’t going to keep playing this dance.

He’d lapsed into silence, and as the city grew larger in front of us, I did the same. I wanted to take his hand, but I didn’t let myself.

As he’d already said, his life had been predetermined before he’d even been born.

He wasbasicallya prince.

I was just…me.

The Ice Princess of Manhattan, surely, but still not a match for a duke.

* * *

There wereseveral suited men waiting at the curb as Ricky pulled the Navigator in front of the hospital. He’d lowered the screen a few minutes earlier to let us know that we’d be met at the door.

Luca had frowned.

Ricky explained that Luka’s assistant had been in contact with him and they’d arranged for several members from the Protective Policing arm of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to provide protection while the Hereditary Grand Duke was in Canada.

Luka looked like he wanted to scowl, and the expression deepened as Ricky added, “From the conversation, I’m thinking that the protection detail is being…strongly urgedby the Canadian government, Your Highness.”

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