Chapter Four

Leo

The soft crash of waves against the shore and the warmth of sand beneath us even in the winter makes me feel like we’re in our own world. Just me, Willa, and the endless stretch of beach.

I set down the last blanket, spreading it out carefully and pressing the corners so it wouldn’t get caught in the wind. She watches me with an amused smile, her hair catching the faint afternoon light, and for a moment, I lose track of what I’m doing. She makes me feel unsteady in a way I’ve never felt before, as if one glance from her is enough to make me forget everything else.

“This is beautiful, Leo,” she says softly, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. “I’ve never had a winter beach picnic.”

I smile, trying to keep my tone light even as her words make something in me ache. “Good. I wanted it to be special. A place just for us.”

She sits down, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them, looking perfectly at ease. I hand her a sandwich, laughing as she takes it with an exaggerated sigh of pleasure.

“Now, this is exactly what I needed,” she says, peeling back the wrapper with a grin. “Nothing beats a good deli sandwich by the ocean.”

Watching her do something so simple reminds me how different she is from anyone else I’ve known. She doesn’t need grandeur or extravagant gifts. She’s just here, in the moment, savoring the view. For me, that’s rare.

I pull out two plastic champagne flutes, filling them with just enough to toast. “To a beautiful day,” I say, handing her a glass.

“To wonderful company,” she replies, her gaze meeting mine with an intensity that stirs something deep inside me.

We sip, letting the warmth of the champagne cut through the ocean breeze, and for a while, we talk about everything. We talk about holidays, family, and memories from childhood. I don’t know if she notices that we are mostly talking about her. I hate that I can’t share all of myself with her. I think she would respect my privacy and not blast who I am to anyone, but now I’m afraid she’s going to be upset that I haven’t been completely truthful.

Willa begins telling me a story about one particular Christmas when she and her brother Luke got into trouble for building a snow fort in their backyard that somehow ended with a face-off between neighborhood kids and Willa with a broken arm.

“I don’t think Luke’s ever forgiven me for it,” she says with a laugh, shaking her head. “He’s always teasing me, saying I ruined his best shot at being the king of the cul-de-sac.”

She’s laughing, and I’m lost in her story, charmed by how open she is with me.

“And you?” she asks, looking at me with curiosity. “Any epic childhood snowball fights?”

I pause, trying to find the words. I could tell her about my childhood, about the traditions that come with growing up in a palace, but I’m not ready to let her into the world yet.

“Nothing like that,” I say with a smile, deflecting. “But we did have some epic games of hide-and-seek with the…household staff. They’d help us get into mischief.”

She raises an eyebrow, catching the faint hesitation in my voice, and I feel a pang of guilt. She deserves to know the truth about me, but for now, I just want this to be simple. Us, on the beach.

As we finish our sandwiches, I reach for her hand, tracing my thumb over her knuckles. She looks at me, her smile fading slightly as something deeper settles in her gaze.

“You’re full of secrets, aren’t you?” she says softly, studying me as if she can see past the walls I’ve carefully built.

I don’t know how to respond, so instead, I lean in, pressing my lips to hers in a slow, lingering kiss. She relaxes against me, her hand resting lightly on my chest, and I feel the warmth of her touch through the fabric of my sweater. The kiss deepens, her fingers sliding up to tangle in my hair, and I pull her closer, feeling the heat between us intensify.

We break about only briefly, catching our breath, and she laughs softly, resting her forehead against mine. “You know,” she murmurs, her voice low, “You’re kind of impossible to resist.”

I smile, brushing the hair from her face. “Good,” I say softly, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Because I can’t resist you either.”

We lie back on the blanket, her body curled into mine, gazing up at the sky as the sun begins to set. I can feel her heart beating as I hold her tightly in my arms. For a moment, I forget about the world beyond this beach, about the expectations waiting for me back home. Here, with Willa in my arms, I feel like I can be someone else —someone free, someone ordinary.

And maybe, just maybe, I can keep this going until I figure out how to tell her I’m the Crown Prince of Lanos. She probably won’t even know where it is. It’s a small, wealthy island near Greece that not many people have heard of. I’m so proud of my country and my family, but right now I would give anything to really be a businessman on vacation.