Why could she not focus on anything but Landon right now? “Is there any way you could wait inside, even for five minutes?”
No matter how quiet he was, she knew he was there. He was staring, possibly even thinking how boring it was to watch the little downtrodden royal brat.
“No.”
She turned, frowning his way. “I’m not going to climb down the trellis and run away.”
He shrugged. “You might.”
“Landon, don’t be ridiculous. It’s impossible in this dress. You can stand in front of the door,” she tried to bargain with him.
He didn’t move, simply stood rooted in place, a mass of muscle in a thousand dollar tux. “No.”
“What do you honestly think is going to happen? It’s not as if there are assassins hanging out in the palm trees, waiting for that one moment you turn your back.”
“You never know. Assassins could lay in wait anywhere. I haven’t checked the palm trees, but that wouldn’t shock me.”
“So you’re just going to follow me everywhere?”
“Yes.”
“What happens if you have to go to the bathroom?”
He didn’t even crack a smile. “I hold it or you get real well acquainted with the men’s urinal.”
“I’m not going into the men’s room.”
“Then it’s good I didn’t drink a bunch earlier.”
“This is ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to talk to Tal.”
He sent her a single, firm nod. “I’ll take you to him.”
Because Landon knew damn well that Tal would agree with him. “I scarcely think someone has come to Her Highness’s coronation ball to try to kill me. If they’ve come to hurt someone, it’s most likely the others in the royal family. Really, Landon, study a little more history.”
He stiffened, his whole body tightening. His eyes turned cold again. A sickening feeling slid through her, and she knew that she’d just hurt him. “I wasn’t very good at history, Princess. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m just a dumb grunt following the orders of my CO. If you have a problem with it, you should take it up with Dane.”
Alea winced and looked away. What had she done? An apology sat right on the tip of her tongue. Why? This wasn’t her fault….but it wasn’t his either. He was just doing his job. But damn it, she was being followed twenty-four seven. The only place she was allowed to be alone was her bedroom, and even then, the minute she opened the door, one of them waited outside. She felt like a prisoner in so many ways, and it was wearing her out.
As he stared a hole right through her, Alea felt her resolve weakening. She yearned for those blue eyes to glow with the warmth they had just minutes ago.
The door to the balcony opened, and a lean figure slid through. This man didn’t have a problem with his tuxedo. She was fairly certain that Oliver Thurston-Hughes had been born in a tux. The very noble Brit wouldn’t have done anything so common as to have been born naked.
“Alea? Darling, are you out here?” He nearly bumped into Landon. “Bloody hell, who are you?”
“I’m over here, Oliver,” she said before Landon could reply.
A broad smile came over the handsome Brit’s face, and he stepped around the guard, utterly ignoring him, then walked toward her. “I’ve been looking all over for you. That receiving line was complete hell. I’ve never seen so many people.”
Oliver had been at the last British royal wedding, so Alea doubted that, but he was always polite. Oliver would never say a social function wasn’t the greatest event he’d ever attended. “I was happy when it was over. My face hurts from smiling. Where’s Yasmin?”
He shrugged an elegant shoulder. “Last I saw, she was dancing with the Prime Minister. She’s been looking for you, though. Alea, it’s so good to see you.” He smiled warmly. “You’ve been a virtual stranger ever since…”
His words trailed off, and she could see the way he paled when he realized what he’d nearly said.
“Since she was taken hostage and forced to endure something most people wouldn’t survive?” A sarcastic voice with a low Texas accent cut through the awkward silence. Now Landon decided to get chatty? “I’m sure she’s sorry she didn’t just pause her recovery to call you up the second she got home.”
“No one asked you,” Oliver shot back. “Why is he here? You’re not seeing him, I hope?”