Part 14 (2/2)
Sergei leaned forward, across his desk, his eyes commanding her attention. ”I am trying to make a King. Turning a carefree playboy into the steadfast future leader of my country is not a trivial task, especially when you are being fought at every turn. What I wouldn't give for a Petrescu with some drive.
”I have been preparing for this moment for the past decade Prince Sebastian has been doing his best to avoid it for just as long. But our country is on the brink of a crossroads. In the hands of Prince Vlad and his son it would not be a Sezynia I can be proud of. So no, I do not approve of all of the time he is spending with you when he should be taking the future and marriage much more seriously.”
”But that's exactly why you need me,” Kat said, leaning forward herself. ”He is never going to be happy about the necessity of a wife. With the choices you were presenting him, he would have given up on this pursuit weeks ago. Because I have no stake in the game he wants me. For whatever reason he likes me, he listens to me. I keep him . . . distracted from the gravity of his situation. And you need that. Because based on what I've learned, faced with the enormous responsibility of a country's future on his shoulders, one he's been avoiding for a decade, who knows what he'll do.”
Sergei was even more curious about the woman that sat in front of him now. A waitress that slept with the Prince yet didn't want his money or his gifts. And then here she was, showing a much shrewder view of the situation than he'd believed she was capable of. Maybe Sebastian had much better taste in women than they'd both thought; no need to fear a repeat of Violetta.
Sergei let the room stretch into silence. Kat was compelled to fill it. ”We can work together. I know what kind of woman the Prince wants to marry. You know what kind of woman he needs to marry. Together we might find one he won't run from.”
Sergei let a grin seep onto his face he would not underestimate her again.
Chapter 13.
”I have an idea,” Sebastian said the minute she opened the door.
”And I have a migraine,” Kat said as he breezed past her into the apartment. ”What part of 'not tonight' did you not understand?”
There was that cheeky grin. ”Kat, are we talking about something else?” His eyes danced devilishly as they looked her up and down.
”Stop that,” she ordered. He just laughed she smacked him in the shoulder and pushed him aside. ”Why are you here again?”
”I had an idea.”
”And it's such a rarity you had to run right over and tell me?” Kat dropped down on the couch, crossing her legs under her and laid her head back, eyes closed, fingers ma.s.saging her temples.
”Allow me.”
”What?” she asked, startled as his hands came down against her face.
”I have magic hands,” he murmured, moving his fingers in slow circles.
”Who tells you that? All the women you bed?” But the edge fell out of her voice as he continued making deliberate, languid caresses against her face.
”Yes,” he responded softly, just a breath was.h.i.+ng against her cheek. ”I'm sure in a few minutes you'll be agreeing.”
”Don't hold your breath.” But the tone betrayed her, all breathless, round, a sigh seconds away.
”So my idea . . .”
”Mmmhmmmm,”
”I think we need to resort to cliche. It is what works.”
”Okay. And that is?” One of his hands slid from her temples to the nape of her neck and she was hard pressed to argue with anything he might say.
”Throw a big party. Fill it with eligible women. Mingle and dance until we find one that sticks.”
”How many women would qualify as filling it?” She was running out of women as it was.
”You won't have to worry about that at all. The location will take care of that nicely.”
”And what location is that?”
His hands moved to her shoulders and she felt his breath waft slowly across the exposed column of her neck. ”Sezynia, Kisa. We're heading back to Sezynia.”
”Wait what?!” Kat sat up in surprise, her headache summoned back in full force as she smashed her forehead into Sebastian's chin. ”You're just giving up and leaving?”
”No,” he grumbled, running a stray hand across his chin. ”A tactical redistribution. Sezynian women wouldn't greet me with such mistrust and suspicion.”
”Maybe more. They know a lot more about you.”
”Yes but at least they don't think I'm perpetually a fraud when I tell them I'll one day rule a country.”
”That fact is still debatable.” Kat jumped up, regretted it immediately, and settled back down with a groan.
”What do you want?”
”Aspirin. Kitchen counter. Four.” She closed her eyes and laid her head back into the crock of the couch, a fetal position where Sebastian couldn't distract her with those lovely hands.
Sebastian was leaving. Sebastian was leaving? Sebastian was leaving! She knew this was coming. Theoretically he would either find someone to marry and return home for the wedding or go home in defeat for his birthday. But that was still weeks away. Kat thought she had tons of time to worry about that. Seems she was mistaken.
”When are you leaving?” she grunted, swallowing the pills he handed her without water.
”As soon as possible. We're leaving eight a.m. Thursday.”
”I'm sure everyone's happy to be going home.”
”Well the snow has just about thawed so it's the perfect time. Plus, as Sergei and Anastasia keep telling me, there is much preparation to be done and if I want to be King I need to start paying more attention to it.”
”Oh,” was all Kat could say. She rubbed a stray hand against her forehead it hurt even more now. She kept her eyes averted as she added, ”I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you.”
”Don't worry. I'm sure you'll have better luck in Sezynia.”
”What?” She sat up in surprise again. This conversation was turning into a study in dej vu.
”The women in Sezynia you won't have to convince of who I am. Though they might need to be convinced of my sincerity. I'm not actually known for that back home.”
”Wait. You want me to come with you?”
”Of course Kisa. I cannot do this without you. Sergei would start choosing for me again and we can't have that.”
”I've never been out of the country before.”
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