Hand-Me-Down Princess (6 page)

“It’s nice.” Really she just wanted to get out of the corset and garters. It made sitting incredibly uncomfortable and was nothing she would have chosen to wear. But everything she wore for the wedding had been chosen for her. She prayed there would be some nice lady who she could ask to take pity on her and help with the closures in the back.

Prince Malachi exited the vehicle while she reached down to put the phone and tablet back in her bag. By the time she finished, he had opened her door and held out a hand. Jessabelle gave him a small smile as she took it. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He leaned closer, closing the door behind her. “My pleasure.”

Her hand remained nestled in his as he led the way up to a side door. They didn’t see anyone as they walked through the hallways and up two flights of stairs. So much for hoping she could find help getting out of the uncomfortable clothing. Would she, at some point, have to ask Prince Malachi for assistance? Her face colored as he opened a heavy wooden door.

“Our home away from home for the next two weeks.” Prince Malachi turned and grinned at her.

Rather than the formal atmosphere the apartment in the palace, this suite was far more relaxed. More informal. Plush couches and chairs inhabited a living area dominated by a stone fireplace and flanked by gigantic windows looking at the snow-covered Alps of northern Mevendia. One of the far slopes contained skiers winding their way down the fresh snow. Flames licked at the wood stacked in the opening of the fireplace. “It’s lovely.” If only the new apartment was more like this. He said they could decorate it however they wanted.

“There’s a kitchenette where we can make our own food or at least keep drinks and reheat something.” He walked around turning a couple of lights on. “Are you hungry? I don’t think either of us ate much at the luncheon.”

Jessabelle’s stomach chose that moment to rumble. Not that she could eat much in the stupid girdle.

Prince Malachi chuckled. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes, I’m hungry’ response.” He pulled open French doors, turned, and bowed slightly her direction. “Your dinner, Princess Jessabelle.”

* * *

Malachi stood to the side to allow Jessabelle to enter the room ahead of him. Yes, it was the master bedroom, but a table for two was set up next to one of the large windows overlooking the ski slopes in the distance. Closer to the residence was snowed over gardens with shoveled paths and frosted trees. The staff had been informed a few hours earlier but assumed the two of them would want to be alone together.

Two plates of salad had been left out. The chef would have known when Malachi and his bride would be there. The plates were probably set out as he and Jessabelle walked through the building. They ate in silence, though Malachi noticed something perplexing. “Do you not like the salad?”

Jessabelle shook her head. “It’s wonderful.”

“You haven’t eaten much.”

She shifted in her chair. “I wanted to save room for the main course.”

“You don’t even know what it is yet.”

She set her fork down and patted her mouth with her napkin. After a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, she spoke. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Okay.” Something told him he’d get more information with patience than pestering.

Sure enough a minute later, she spoke in a rush. “I couldn’t get out of the corset they put me in for the wedding. It’s too tight to eat much.”

Whatever he expected, that wasn’t it. “You need help?”

Jessabelle nodded but didn’t look at him.

A corset? Wasn’t that a bra like thing? “And you’d rather it not be me?”

She nodded again.

Malachi wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood up, holding his hand out to her. She cautiously took it and stood. “I understand why you would be uncomfortable asking for my help, but for reasons I’d rather not get into now, it is best that you do. For the most part, we’ll be left alone, so we won’t need to pretend much. But it does mean that we need to sleep in the same bed as long as we are in the same place and that I help you with this. I will do my best to preserve your modesty and promise to be a gentleman.”

Jessabelle closed her eyes and gave the slightest of nods. “All right.” She turned her back to him. “Um, it’s probably easiest if I take my shirt off. The corset covers me almost like a swimsuit, but it fastens all the way up the back and I knew I couldn’t reach all of them.”

All right then. “Whatever you think is best.” He reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Once we get this taken care of, why don’t you change into your pajamas? I will, too, and we’ll both be much more comfortable.”

He could feel her muscles trembling under his hands as she undid the buttons on the front of the shirt. His breath caught in his throat as she let it slip off. She was right, though. There were straps over her shoulders, and the fasteners started below her shoulder blades.

“If you could just get the top half done, I think I can manage from about here.” She twisted an arm around to show him how far she could reach.

Malachi swallowed hard and stepped closer so he could see what he was doing. His big fingers fumbled with the first couple but as it loosened, and he had more space to work with, it got easier. Each fastener revealed a bit more creamy skin, soft against his fingers as he accidentally grazed it. When he reached the middle, Malachi decided to keep going, to make it easier for her. The last one gave way and she took a deep breath, much deeper than he’d seen her take before.

She looked over her shoulder, her eyelashes lowered shyly. “Thank you. I feel like I can breathe again.”

Malachi took a step back, unsure what the swirling of emotion meant, and cleared his throat. “My pleasure.”

Jessabelle hurried away from him, grabbing her bag as she went toward the door to the bathroom.

He inhaled and exhaled slowly before going into the closet to change his own clothes. A pair of loose cotton pants with the Mevendian flag along with a t-shirt that was probably a bit too small given his recent work outs, but no way around that at the moment. When Jessabelle reemerged from the bathroom a moment later, she’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and changed into a soft gray outfit covered with cupcakes.

“Feel better?” he asked, keeping a respectable distance.

“Much. Thank you.”

“Then shall we get back to our dinner?” He held the seat for her then took his own. Malachi picked up his wine glass and held it out. “To my lovely bride. May today be just the first day of many we spend together, always getting to know each other better, being honest with each other, and, hopefully, learning to love each other.”

Jessabelle smiled, just a bit, as they clinked their glasses. Dinner passed quickly as they mostly ate without talking. When they finished, Malachi poured both of them a bit more wine and held out his hand. She took it and he led her to a large, comfortable chair, big enough for the two of them. He sat down and tugged on her hand. It only took once for her to sit next to him.

Because she wanted to or because she felt she had to?

Malachi didn’t know but he put his arm around her shoulders, silently urging her to lean in toward him. The fire snapped, crackled, and popped in front of them as dusk turned to night outside.

“So this is our wedding night,” he mused. “Not quite what either of us imagined, I expect.”

“No.” She took a sip of her wine then stared into the maroon liquid. “Would you like it to be different?”

How to answer that without coming off as a cad? “Do I wish things were different? Of course. I wish we’d been given the chance to get to know each other even if we didn’t have any possibility of changing the eventual outcome.” He ran a finger up and down her arm as he took a sip from his own glass. “I do think I’d like to kiss you tonight. If that’s okay with you.”

“Yes.”

She agreed instantly, but some hesitation colored her voice. “Are you sure?”

Jessabelle nodded. Malachi set his glass of wine on the side table and reached for her, turning her chin up a bit toward him with one finger. He could see something in her eyes, but he couldn’t tell what it was before they fluttered closed. Her lips parted slightly as he leaned in, covering them with his own.

The kiss was soft, gentle, barely more than a brush. His every sense heightened as he returned to press his lips more firmly against hers. She responded to him, hesitant at first, then with more enthusiasm. One distracted side of his mind remembered she still held her wine glass, but the rest urged him to wrap his other hand around to the back of her neck to keep her close.

Malachi wanted to deepen the kiss, to press further, but forced himself to keep it light. When he knew he could do so no longer, he backed away, giving her one soft final kiss. “That was nice,” he whispered, never taking his eyes off her delectably kissable lips.

She nodded but didn’t speak, blinking rapidly a few times before turning to face the fire again. If only he could find more chances to do that.

Chapter 6

Prince Malachi had taken a phone call from his security team, leaving Jessabelle alone. She remained where she’d been sitting, next to his empty space, staring into the flames. The kiss had caught her off-guard. It didn’t surprise her that he would want to, but it did surprise her that she’d been so intensely affected.

And in a few minutes, she would be sharing a bed with him. On one level, she’d expected it for days, but she’d also thought he would expect much more than sleep. As tired as she was, she didn’t know if it was time for bed yet.

At that moment, Prince Malachi returned from the outer room, his face a study in nonchalance. “Is everything okay?”

He shrugged. “My father isn’t happy we left. He’ll survive. There’s nothing that says we
had
to stay at the palace tonight, just tradition and the traditional breakfast with him and my mother in the morning.”

Great. The king’s daughter-in-law for less than twelve hours, and she’d already irritated him again.

Prince Malachi smiled softly at her. “I bet you’re pretty wiped out, aren’t you? You probably haven’t slept well in a while.”

Jessabelle twisted her new wedding band around and around as she gave a slight nod. She hadn’t slept well since the day her father came home and announced that he’d signed a marriage contract with the king, giving her to Prince Malachi.

“Why don’t you go ahead and get some rest then?” His eyes were probably the kindest eyes she’d ever seen. He moved toward her holding out his hand. She took it and let him help her up. “I think I’m going to read for a little while, if that’s okay with you.

Another brief nod.

Prince Malachi leaned over and brushed a kiss against her cheek before whispering, “You can sleep under the sheets. I’ll sleep on top.”

Jessabelle felt her eyes widen slightly but she blinked and nodded before heading to the bathroom. With her teeth brushed and face washed, it was time to slip into bed. Prince Malachi sat in the same spot as before. All but one light was off though the fire still burned. She took a deep breath for courage. “Good night.”

He glanced up and smiled, two perfect rows of teeth visible in the dim lighting. “Good night. Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sleep well.” She sat on the side of the bed, ready to get in when she realized something. “Um, is there a side you prefer?” Jessabelle had seldom slept in anything bigger than her single bed at home.

The prince looked up at her again. “No. Pick a side. If either one of us would like to trade in a few days or even later on, we can talk about it.”

He turned back to his tablet. Jessabelle pulled the covers back and slipped in. At least it was warm, not too cool like she’d feared. Regardless, she snuggled down into the comfortable bed with the sheet, blanket, and comforter pulled up to her ear.

For the first time in weeks, she slept well.

When she woke, she felt refreshed. Jessabelle knew she’d woken more than once during the night and sensed Prince Malachi’s presence next to her, though she didn’t remember feeling him.

Speaking of her husband, she realized he was no longer there. Rolling to the other side she saw him walk in from the other room. Already dressed in chinos and a dark green button down shirt, with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

He smiled at her. “Good morning.”

She could get used to that smile first thing every day. “Good morning.”

“Did you sleep well?”

Jessabelle nodded. “Yes, thank you. Did you?”

His smile turned into a full-fledged grin. “I slept next to a beautiful woman. What do you think?”:

Beautiful? Her? No one thought she was beautiful. Ever. Not even her father had ever told her that. A memory niggled at the back of her mind. Perhaps her mother had? Once upon a time.

Prince Malachi sat on her side of the bed. “What is it, Jessabelle? Is something wrong?”

She forced herself to tell the truth. “No one has ever called me beautiful before. Certainly not first thing in the morning.”

“Never?”

She shook her head.