Royally Unexpected 2 - Lilian Monroe Page 0,234

arms behind her head, letting her gaze fall on all the old pieces of furniture in the room. “What, all this luxury?”

“You know what I mean. What about Juilliard? What about singing?”

Cara takes a deep breath. She moves her hand to her stomach, tracing a small circle below her belly button. “I can sing anywhere.”

“You can’t get this kind of education anywhere. I don’t want you to give everything up and then regret it.”

Cara looks at me, smiling softly. “When I came here, I already felt like I’d given everything up. Every step that I took away from you felt like a mistake. It tortured me. The thought of being apart hurt more than I could have imagined. The only thing that kept me going was this baby.” She spreads her fingers over her stomach. “I knew I had a piece of you inside me.”

“I never wanted you to leave. Ever since our solstice sailing trip, it killed me to be apart from you.”

Cara smiles softly, shaking her head. “We’re just two clueless idiots, aren’t we? We can’t say what we really feel.”

“Watch it,” I growl. “You’re talking to your liege.”

“You going to arrest me?” Cara arches an eyebrow, then cracks a smile. She takes a deep breath, rolling over to place her head on my shoulder. Her fingers explore my chest, trailing back and forth across my pecs. Shivers of pleasure follow her touch, and I kiss the top of her head.

Cara sighs. “I used to feel like staying in Argyle was failure,” she says.

“And now you don’t?”

“Now, I think the failure is doing something that you feel you have to do. Me coming here, leaving home, doing something that wasn’t prescribed—that was just something I felt I had to do for my own pride. When I strip it all away, what do I really want?”

Silence hangs between us.

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “What do you want?”

Cara lifts her head, smiling. “You,” she says simply. “I want you.”

We head back to Argyle the next day. I keep checking to make sure Cara’s certain. That she knows what she’s giving up, and she definitely wants to come back.

Cara’s face is radiant, and she just smiles at me. “Theo, stop. This is what I want.” Her hand moves to her stomach and her smile widens. She tilts her head, staring at me. “Are you sure this is what you want? You’re not just doing this because I got pregnant and you feel like you have to?”

Her eyes drill into mine, and I feel like Cara’s more serious about that question than she’s letting on.

My heart thumps. I nod. “I want this, Cara.”

I never thought I wanted children. I’ve been so convinced that I’m better off on my own and that I didn’t want to share my life with anyone.

But now, the thought of having a child with Cara makes the whole world brighter. The rest of my life doesn’t seem like a prison of duty to the Crown. Happiness and hope bloom in my heart in a way that I never thought was possible.

With Cara, it’s possible. More than possible—it’s a reality.

I’m going to marry her and be the father of our children.

As we board the private jet that will take us back to Argyle, Cara settles into her seat and slips her hand into mine. She leans her head against the headrest, letting a soft smile drift over her face.

“You know, I thought that leaving New York would mean giving up my dreams. That’s not what it feels like at all. It feels like leaving behind the old me for something even better.”

“What’s that?”

“You,” she answers, squeezing my hand. “And a new life together.” Her smile slips for a second, and she takes a deep breath. “What about Luca?”

I sigh, staring forward as the plane starts to taxi. Cara’s hand is still securely in mine, and I’m not letting her go. Not for anything.

“Luca will come around.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“He will. He has to. I can’t imagine my life without you, Cara. We have a child to take care of now.”

“I don’t want to be the wedge that comes between you and your brother.”

“You’re not a wedge between anything. It might take time, but Luca will understand. He pushed you away, and things happen. We have a family now. You’re carrying the heir to the throne of Argyle.”

Cara sighs, nodding. “Okay.”

We fall silent. The plane turns onto the runway, and the pilot starts picking up speed. Within a minute, we’re

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