Heir Untamed - By Danielle Bourdon Page 0,33
or that out the windows. Dressed in the same clothes as he had been in at the castle, he looked every inch a Prince.
Landing and disembarking, Chey followed the entourage through a door on the roof and into an elevator. It skimmed down the shaft with enough speed to make Chey's stomach lurch. Done in royal blue and silver, it reminded her of the ruling family. Expensive, classy, ornate.
She understood why when the elevator opened into a private lobby, and from there to a hallway that seemed as if they'd stepped straight from the castle into the hotel. Rich furnishings, gilt mirrors and top notch design suggested the hotel paid homage to its King.
A small furor erupted as the security, followed by Mattias and Chey, entered an elaborate foyer that housed the information and registration desk. Employees greeted the men and waved, some gushing, others pointing. Several tourists paused to watch the entourage walk by.
Mattias, who carried himself regally, exuded the same magnetism that had very first drawn Chey's eye. She imagined there wasn't anything he couldn't do or achieve. This was a man used to the limelight, who owned the limelight, and passed among his people with confidence and the assurance they respected and loved him.
He inclined his head to several staff and a tourist or two, enduring a flurry of photographs with a smile. Exiting onto the sidewalk in front of the hotel, Mattias glanced back, catching her eye, and led her to a waiting limousine at the curb.
Chey, overwhelmed with the entire ordeal, gave Mattias an uncertain smile.
Flashes went off from nearby cameras as the paparazzi arrived. Restrained by the security team, the photographers called Mattias's name and shouted all manner of enticements to look their way.
Expecting Mattias to disappear into the limousine ahead of her, she found him gesturing for her to go first instead. Chey ducked into the lavish vehicle and got comfortable on the seat. She wasn't surprised to find a blue and silver theme inside the limo. A small bar took up a little space to the right and another seat curved opposite the one she sat on with the Prince.
Mattias waved to the throng and slid inside.
“How do you deal with that all the time?” Chey blurted.
Mattias laughed and glanced sidelong. “We grew up this way, remember? It's nothing when you've done it all your life.”
“I wouldn't call it 'nothing',” she countered with a faint snort.
“What would you call it?” He sat with his knees slightly parted, the expensive material of his pants rustling quietly every time he moved or shifted.
“I really don't know. The right words elude me. But I don't think just anyone can pull that off.” She found it easy to be candid with the Prince despite feeling somewhat out of her element.
“Perhaps not. It's easier for me than it is for you because it's what I know. You know photography, so you're comfortable with a camera. You handle it rather than let it handle you. Me? I wouldn't know the first thing about it. The last time I held a camera of any worth, I bumbled it and nearly dropped it on the ground. It's about comfort zones and practice. With time, you get better.”
“I don't know that I would ever get better in front of all those people,” she confessed.
“All what people? That was just a handful. For the festivals, births, deaths and all that, there are thousands.”
“You like to contradict me, don't you?” she said, glancing aside.
He laughed, a dimple creasing his cheek. “You make it a delight to do so.”
“I'm going to start returning the favor.”
“You already do.”
“I don't contradict you!” Chey gaped.
He just arched his brows.
“This isn't contradicting, it's debating.”
“It's contrary,” he argued.
“Which is hardly the same as contradicting.”
Mattias cut a sharp grin her way. “You're missing Kalev.”
“What?” Chey snapped a look out the windows. He was right; the city rolled by as the limousine cruised the streets, decadent and rich with history. There was an ancient feel to the air, even where the more modern buildings encroached on the old, as if all one had to do was close their eyes to be transported back in time.
Mattias began filling her in about the city. Who settled it, the violent past, when it came under siege by an enemy. He pointed out specific spots dedicated to the remembrance of warriors who had won their country back, and bade the driver stop numerous times so she could get out and take pictures.
He was an excellent