The Royal House of Niroli Collection. Кейт Хьюит

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СКАЧАТЬ will be told, but not right now. He’s not well, for a start, and the shock of it could trigger a heart attack. I’d like to see him come through the procedure first. And anyway, I still have work to do at the Free Hospital. Can you imagine what would happen to that if I suddenly put my hand up for the throne? I came here to be a cardiac surgeon, not a prince. Once my work is completed I will have to face the issues surrounding my parentage, but until that time I’d rather just be me.’

      She gave him a shadowed smile. ‘I have spent most of my life wishing I was someone else. When I was a little girl I used to dream of being rescued out of poverty. I would imagine someone coming up here and informing me I had been mistakenly swapped at birth and that I no longer had to play with dolls made out of paper and sticks but real ones, ones that looked like the princess I felt I was really meant to be.’

      His eyes were very dark as they held hers. ‘I know what’s happened might seem like a fairy tale to others, but let me tell you it’s not. I guess I’m trying to keep my head by looking at this from a clinical distance. Although I met the king and some of my supposed siblings earlier this evening they felt like strangers to me. They still feel like strangers.’

      ‘You have the same blood running in your veins.’

      ‘Genetics is only a fraction of the equation,’ he said. ‘The nurture of a child is far more of an indicator than DNA profiles. I can’t explain it any other way but I feel like the son of Clara and Giles Hunter. I always have, even though I’ve always been aware of being adopted.’

      ‘I’m sure your adoptive parents will want you to do what’s right for you. They will not be thinking of themselves but of what is best for you.’

      He gave her a crooked smile. ‘Like you, huh?’

      She held his gaze, even though her heart felt as if it were being squeezed. ‘What I want doesn’t come into it at all.’

      He frowned at her tone. ‘What is it you want, Amelia?’

      She looked up into his face, her eyes shining with moisture. ‘I want you to be who you are called to be. It’s your life and only you can make that choice.’

      ‘For now this is my choice.’ His voice was gravel rough and deep as his mouth came down towards hers. ‘To be with you.’

      But for how long? Amelia thought sadly as she lost herself in his kiss. It was too easy to forget about tomorrow when the heat and fire of the moment blazed so blindingly today.

      Alex lifted his mouth from hers a few breathless minutes later. ‘Have dinner with me tomorrow night,’ he said. ‘Bring some casual clothes and bathers with you to work so you can change at my house. We’ll go on a sunset picnic to one of the beaches away from all the crowds. I don’t want people staring at us.’

      ‘I’m not sure…’ She hesitated. ‘My father—’

      ‘Will want you to spend time with me,’ he assured her. ‘After all, he owes me, right? If I want to take his daughter out, then what can he say?’

      ‘Good point,’ she said with a smile.

      He grazed his knuckles over her cheek. ‘You see what dastardly means I have to resort to in order to get you to come out with me? I’ve never had to work quite so hard before. You are doing serious and very likely irreversible damage to my fragile male ego.’

      ‘I don’t think your ego has ever been in any sort of danger.’

      He gave her a quick grin. ‘No, you’re right. Not while you keep looking at me with those big hazel eyes of yours.’ He dropped a swift kiss to the end of her nose. ‘Till tomorrow, little elf.’

      ‘Till tomorrow,’ she echoed softly as she watched the fiery red glare of his tail-lights disappear into the darkness of the night.

      CHAPTER TWELVE

      AMELIA couldn’t wait for her shift to be over the next day. She checked her watch for the tenth time in as many minutes, scoring yet another speculative look from Lucia.

      ‘You seem very impatient to be out of here,’ the nurse observed. ‘Could it be that you have something special planned for this evening?’

      ‘No…no, nothing special.’

      Lucia smiled knowingly. ‘I don’t think Dr Hunter would like to hear you describe your date with him as “nothing special".’

      Amelia stared at her. ‘He told you about that?’

      ‘Not in as many words,’ Lucia said. ‘I just put two and two together. I saw the way he looked at you every time he was on the ward today. I met him in the canteen and asked him how he was enjoying the island and whether he’d been to any of the beaches. He said he was taking a friend this evening for a sunset picnic.’

      ‘So you immediately thought that friend was me?’

      Lucia’s smile widened. ‘It was a good guess, I thought, and, judging by the colour of your cheeks—spot on.’

      Amelia considered denying it just for the sake of it, but she knew Lucia well enough to know she wouldn’t be fooled.

      ‘You went to the palace with him last night, didn’t you?’ Lucia said.

      ‘How do you find out all this stuff?’

      Lucia grinned. ‘I have connections.’

      ‘Well, tell your connections to mind their own business,’ Amelia said. ‘I don’t want the whole island talking about one casual date.’

      ‘Two if you count the other night, which, young lady, I am quite peeved that you didn’t tell me about.’ She leaned closer and added, ‘Did he kiss you?’

      Amelia frowned. ‘I’m not going to answer that.’

      ‘No, you don’t need to as your face just did it for you,’ Lucia said with another cheeky grin.

      Amelia sent her a reproving glance. ‘Don’t go ordering the invitations and caterers. He’s only on the island for a month.’

      ‘So who’s counting the days?’

      ‘I’m just being realistic,’ Amelia said. ‘Besides, he comes from a totally different world. We have hardly anything in common.’

      ‘He’s a man—you’re a woman. That’s all that matters,’ Lucia said. ‘You of all people deserve to have a little fling. Who cares how long it lasts?’

      I care, Amelia thought as she reached for her bag. I care too much.

      Alex watched as she came towards him in the hospital car park, her small bag in one hand and a worried frown disturbing the elfin perfection of her face.

      He eased himself away from the car and took her bag, smiling down at her. ‘Hi.’

      She looked up at him with a nervous smile. ‘Hi.’

      ‘Are you OK?’

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