cousins died. Something she said to me whenever I complained about being in a London boarding school and missing my home and friends.”
“What’s that?”
“‘With great power comes great purpose.’”
Sadness hints at the lines of his face as he recalls his mother. Or at least what he can remember of her after having lost her when he was only ten.
“I’d like to think I’ve lived most of my adult life according to that motto. That my family may possess a great deal of power in this country, but that we use it for good. For a purpose. And you can, too. But only if this is what you truly want.”
He reaches into his pocket before extending his hand toward me, revealing a single penny in his palm.
“What do you say? Should we toss a coin to help you decide?” He narrows his gaze on me.
Nostalgia tugs on my heartstrings. After all, it was a coin toss that led me to join Anderson on our Route 66 adventure in the first place. But I didn’t toss the coin so it would tell me what I should do. I did so because, while that coin was in the air, it helped me realize what I really wanted.
I stare at the penny in his outstretched hand, smiling at the memory of the cocky stranger who tried to impress me with his knowledge of the plot to steal Lincoln’s body.
How I knew my life would never be the same from that moment.
How I knew I was at a crossroads of my life.
Just like I am now.
I lift my eyes to his, a dozen emotions swirling within his depths. “I’m not going to toss that coin, Anderson.”
He briefly closes his eyes, his shoulders falling. “I understand. I—”
“I don’t need to.”
He flings his gaze to mine.
“You’re my true north.” I rest my hand over his heart, the compass tattoo hidden beneath the fabric of his suit. “No matter the obstacles thrown our way, I will always come back to you.”
His entire body goes slack as the tension rolls off him. He covers my hand with his, keeping it firmly on his chest.
“They can try to tear us apart all they want. But even when you try to smash a compass to pieces, do you know what happens?”
“It will still point north,” he answers with a hint of a smile.
“It will still point north. No matter what happens in these next few weeks or months, you can be sure of one thing. That my heart will always bring me back to you.”
His grip on my hand tightens as he presses his mouth to mine, pouring all the emotions he’s experienced today into his kiss. Happiness. Worry. Despair. Desperation. Frustration. And love, which shines through above everything else. I have to believe this once-in-a-lifetime love we’ve found in each other will be enough for us to navigate the rough waters ahead.
When he pulls back, he’s no longer the haunted, tortured man he was mere seconds ago. He’s back to being the cocky, confident man I couldn’t help but fall in love with.
“What do you say we finish what we started earlier?” He waggles his brows, leering at my chest as he lasciviously licks his lips.
“Why, Your Highness…” I bring my mouth back toward his. “That may be the best idea you’ve had all day.”
Before I can utter a single syllable, Anderson jumps to his feet and scoops me into his arms. Laughter falls from my throat as he rushes me through the gardens and into the house, peppering kisses along my neck. My squeals of joy echo through the halls. I doubt anyone on the household staff has ever seen anything like this, considering their stunned expressions as we pass.
They’d better get used to it. Because I’m not going anywhere.
Chapter Ten
Anderson
I lower myself to the edge of the bed, pushing a few strands of Nora’s hair behind her ear, admiring her as she sleeps. I need to wake her up, but hate the idea of disturbing her. Not when these few quiet seconds may be the last she has for the foreseeable future.
Today, life as she knows it will change.
As if it didn’t change when she stepped off the plane yesterday and was bombarded by an angry mob who doesn’t think she’s good enough to marry their prince.
Now, in mere hours, my father will publicly announce his approval of our engagement, as well as our wedding in eight weeks.
Gone is the quiet life she once led. Her privacy…gone. Her