The Royal's Obsession Read Online Free Page B

“She is the best part of me, and throughout my life, in times of trouble, she has always been there.”
    A comfortable silence fell over them. There was something delicate between them, a peace that had been hard-won from the quarreling they had done earlier.
    Finally, Anastasia had to break it.
    “I wish I could stay here longer, but I need to get some food. I’ve not eaten for hours, and now my stomach is making sure that I know it.
    Augustine shook his head, chagrined.
    “And I took your shrimp cocktail. I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intent.”
    She laughed a little, waving it away.
    “Well, I know where to get another one if I want it,” she said. “But regardless, I need to stuff some kind of food in my face. Maybe I’ll see you again?”
    “Count on it,” he said.
    Almost hesitantly, he reached for her hand, and this time, she had no convenient shrimp cocktail to thrust at him. She allowed him to take it and watched as he raised it to his mouth. The kiss was gentle and chaste, just a dry brush of his lips over her knuckles, but when he did it, a spark of electricity flickered to life between them.
    That spark lit something bright inside her, and when he pulled back, from the speculative look in his eyes, she could see that he felt it too.
    “Um, I really need to go,” she muttered, backing away. “Need to…catch up with Trinity, see some of my other friends…”
    He laughed a little. “I know how it is. Go. Get fed.”
    She turned, walking away quickly. Her cheeks were burning, but she wished she could say that it was just embarrassment. There was something else there, though, and she was afraid to look at it too long.
    Augustine watched her go, a slight smile on his lips. She might have been a little awkward and a little shy, but the truth was he couldn’t remember having been as engaged as he was with Anastasia for a long time. There was something captivating about her, and when she had spoken of her love for the ocean, she had simply glowed.
    He had been wary about this trip that his brother and sister-in-law had proposed. Right up until the last moment, he had nearly told them that they should take his yacht and simply sail themselves. Now that he was here, however, now that he had been introduced to Anastasia, he found that he was glad he had come after all. He was especially glad that Trinity had invited her.
    He turned his gaze back to the sea. Perhaps the next time he saw her, they would simply nod and pass by. Perhaps…well, perhaps something else would happen. He was ready for every possibility.

Chapter Three
    The next morning, the yacht docked in a small harbor on one of the innumerable islands that huddled around the coast of Greece.
    “Where are we?” asked Anastasia. “I’m not sure I can find this place on my phone’s GPS.”
    Trinity grinned at her. “This is Santa Olivine. There are dozens of little communities like this one scattered across the coast. They may not be on any map, but they’re wonderful places to visit. Come on, there’s plenty to explore.”
    Dressed in a light white sundress that would help her keep off the harsh rays of the sun, Anastasia dubiously followed the rest of the group. From the small dock, they ventured into the village. It was a small place, but there was an unmistakable air of prosperity to it. The houses were well appointed, and the market was busy with people selling everything from strings of fish to handwoven blankets.
    “People come from the other islands to trade here,” mentioned Apolo. “Santa Olivine is getting enough of a reputation that it even draws people from the mainland.”
    Anastasia found herself fascinated by the wares of the people in the market. Many of them sold agricultural goods—fruit and honey and wool. One woman had black plums that were the sweetest she had ever tasted.
    It was the textiles that truly took her breath away though. According to a woman who was only too happy to share her life’s work, Santa Olivine