“Your Majesty.”
Stefan stopped in the corridor leading to his wing and turned to the sound of Hector’s voice.
“Yes?”
His loyal assistant and guard smiled. “I’m to give you a message from your queen.”
A smile spread across Stefan’s face. Yes, she was his queen, his wife, the love of his life.
“And what is it?”
Hector cleared his throat. “I am to tell you, and I quote, ‘Tell my king that the last part of his dream is coming true, and he’ll know where to find me.’”
Stefan thought for about a half second before he laughed. “Thank you, Hector. Please make sure the staff stays out of the east wing tonight.”
With a faint redness to his wrinkled cheeks, Hector bowed. “As you wish, King Alexander.”
As much as he loved hearing that title and knowing it belonged to him, he was loving even more what his sneaky wife had in store for him. He knew just where to find her.
Arousal shot through him fast and hard as his long strides ate up the hallways leading to the destination.
Through the wall of glass, he saw her—his queen wearing her jeweled crown...and nothing else. She hadn’t been kidding about the celebration wearing only the crowns. He liked her style of thinking.
Stefan entered the pool area and began undoing the double-breasted buttons of his jacket.
“Queen Alexander, are you aware of the age and expense of that crown upon your head?” he asked, slipping out of the garment.
She smiled, rested her arms on the edge of the pool and peered up at him. “I have a pretty good idea, but I wanted to add a bit to this fantasy, too.”
Unlike her, he left his crown sitting on the bench where she’d draped her silk gown.
“And what’s your fantasy?”
“Making love while wearing my crown,” she told him, a sultry grin inviting him to join her. “I added some pins, so I think we’re safe from it falling off.”
When he slid off the last of his clothes and turned, he waited until recognition dawned in her eyes.
“Stefan?”
Unable to stop his grin, he took a step closer. “What do you think?”
“I can’t believe... When did you get it?”
He glanced down at the new ink on his chest. “A few weeks ago. I found some of your drawings lying on the desk. I was partial to the one with the crest and our initials. Since I already had the crest, I only had to add your work.”
“Come closer and let me see,” she told him. “I want to get a better look.”
He moved to the edge and hopped in, coming to stand directly beside her. “By all means, feel free to look all you want. Touching is allowed, too.”
Her fingertip traced the design that he’d had done in her honor, imagining her face when she finally saw it.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “I can’t believe you took one of my crazy doodles and turned it into something so beautiful. Meaningful.”
He grasped her bare shoulders in his hands and pulled her against him. “Everything about you is beautiful and meaningful, Tori. And I think this should be your royal wardrobe,” he told her. “The tiara and nothing else.”
Soft laughter spilled from her lips. “That’s exactly how I want you all the time,” she told him.
He nipped at her lips, tilting his hips toward hers. “I’ll see about setting that into an order.”
“Speaking of orders, how did you manage to find a loophole that would allow Mikos to take your place?”
Not something he wanted to talk about when he was aroused and his wife was wet and in his arms, but he did want her to know the lengths he would go to in order to keep her.
“When I told Mikos that our family would lose control of Galini Isle to Greece because I had to give up the title, he started doing some digging about the rules of divorce and taking the title for himself. Since Karina is pregnant, Mikos could act as ruler until the child became of age, and then that child would take over as ruler.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “And you were going to step aside?”
“Without a doubt. I would’ve turned this country over to Satan himself to get you back.” His hold tightened on her. “Mikos and I went to the head counsel and stated our case. They were more than willing to let him take the title temporarily until his baby was twenty-one if I chose to step aside.”
She searched his eyes. “I didn’t know I could ever love like this. Didn’t know that someone could love me so unselfishly. God, Stefan, I’m so glad you fought for us.”