“Well, they gave it to Carmen because they prefer a confident athletic girl to a curvy woman,” I say with a reluctant smile. “And even though I’ve been sleeping with a king, I am still an insecure little girl with little confidence.”
“It’s there,” he says, tilting my chin up to look at him. “It’s there because I’ve seen it. I see it when we’re together, alone, and I see it when we make love.”
It’s the first time he’s called it that, and I blush slightly.
He smiles. “You just need to tap into it. Do you want me to deal with this Carmen for you? Until you’re ready to do it yourself?”
I don’t exactly want to kill her, which I assume is what he’s saying. I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. If you had to take care of every person who’d hurt me, we’d be here all year.”
He smiles and leans down, kissing my cheek softly. “I don’t keep you around just because you’re smart, you know.”
I sigh. “That same day, the day I lost the promotion was the day I found out that Thomas was in fact seeing Carmen the entire time. He’d been playing me so she could get a leg up on the promotion. Oh and my apartment got broken into.” I groan and sniff slightly. “My grandmother's necklace was stolen. It was all I had left from her.”
“That sounds like a really bad day,” he murmurs, stroking my hand gently.
“It was the worse, the necklace hurts now more than the betrayal. I see Thomas was never good enough for me, I was just blind.”
He smiles, “You are blind, especially to your own beauty.”
I blush, and he chuckles. “That blush. Always means trouble.” He sits up straight and strokes my hair. “Why don’t you come and curl up on the sofa with me, and we’ll watch a funny movie while we eat snacks.”
“What about dinner?” I ask, rubbing my eyes a little.
“Snacks can be dinner tonight.” He stands up and offers me his hand, then leads me to the room with the projector.
He summons Mrs. Beth and explains that he wants all my favorite snacks prepared. I quickly butt in, “And can we have spaghetti and meatballs, please, with a lot of Parmesan.”
Mrs. Beth nods. “Of course. It will take me a while to whip everything up, but I will have some of the quicker snacks and drinks sent up right away.”
I smile and look around at the new features. A large day bed is in the center, facing the wall, and the projector has been mounted from the ceiling.
“I will,” he promises, as though I didn’t just ask for something lavish.
“You don’t have to,” I start to say, but he chuckles.
“I want to. It’s a good idea. Maybe one in the arcade as well.” He escorts me to the day bed, and I kick my shoes off to climb on top of it. “Do you want a comforter?”
“Maybe later to snuggle,” I admit. He goes to the other side, and we’re just getting settled and picking a movie when Maria walks in with a tea trolley filled with snacks and drinks. She sets it next to Kervyn’s side and hurries out.
I have a wonderful evening with Kervyn, including snuggling up to him and letting him gently stroke my back.
When I wake, it’s morning. I must have fallen asleep on the day bed because I’m covered with a comforter and tucked in. Despite his gruff outward appearance, he can be quite sweet.
I get up and go upstairs to shower, dressing in one of my new maternity dresses before I come downstairs to where Kervyn is having breakfast on the terrace. The weather is getting better and better each day, but today, the terrace is closed off by the special roller doors he had installed.
I sit down and smile at him. “Good morning.”
I reach for a plate and realize a copy of the newspaper is in front of me.
“There are some interesting stories in the stock section,” he says casually.
I narrow my eyes. “What did you do Kervyn Milov.”
“I technically didn’t physically do anything except make a phone call to my broker. I have to watch my investments and the kind of people that represent the companies I invest in. I hate that my broker is notorious for tipping off his other clients, though.” He looks at me. “Page six.”
I pick up the paper and go to the page. I don’t even have to scan the page because there’s a bold headline.
Major Corporation Stock Takes Nosedive after Investors Unexpectedly Pull.
I stare at him. “You did this?”
Kervyn flips his paper up as though he is busy reading it, but I can see his eyes aren’t scanning the page as usual.
“Is this what happens now? If someone upsets me?”
He doesn’t look at me, but he casually says. “If someone upsets my queen, I’m sure she can handle it herself, but sometimes I will step in when it’s for her and my company’s best interests.”
He lowers his paper to look at me. “There’s a beautiful boutique you go to that’s been dressing you. Nice girl, that. I have decided to invest in her a little more so she can open more stores for girls who don’t necessarily represent what that company is looking for.” He smirks.
I smile back. “I shouldn’t feel good about this. People will lose their jobs.”
“They will have to find jobs elsewhere. They certainly didn’t stick up for you when they knew you were the right one for the job.” He flicks his paper back up. “Also, when the baby is settled and the wedding is over, I thought you and I would take a nice holiday. I’m not fond of the Mediterranean islands, but the Caribbean holds a certain charm.”
“Can I plan a whole tour? Will you do everything I want?” I ask with a grin.
“I don’t like foot massages. People touching my feet is gross. Anything else, though, I might go for.”
I grin. “You really do know how to make a girl feel special.”
