Courting His Royal Highness by Amy Hahn

going to spend the entire evening alone with him and the next few weeks working closely beside him. Plus she had already shared one incredible intimate night with him. Damn, was she a lucky girl.
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Chapter Six
    “Trying to be gentlemanly again, Your Highness?” Chloe teased as Max pulled her carry-on from the overhead compartment and refused to hand it over.
    Max secured the strap onto his shoulder before reaching for his own bag. “What on earth do you have in here, Chloe? Your entire closet?”
    “A girl should never be without her necessities,” she pronounced as she slid past him into the aisle.
    “I’m interested in knowing what those necessities are,” grumbled Max as he followed her off the plane.
    Chloe glanced over her shoulder. “Men simply don’t understand how much effort it takes to be beautiful. Do you actually think we roll out of bed looking fabulous?” She batted her eyes at him playfully.
    His laughter joined hers as they stepped into the America West terminal at Sky Harbor International Airport. “I would bet my kingdom that you’re quite breathtaking when you first wake up.”
    Chloe tilted her head away so he couldn’t see the heat staining her cheeks. No man had ever made her blush so much. It was infuriating. She felt as though she had no control over her emotions. She stopped, looking for a sign directing them to the baggage claim area. Max plowed right into her.
    She laughed softly, enjoying the warmth and solid strength of his muscled body against hers. “Hey, watch it!”
    “Well, you should’ve warned me you were about to stop,” he whispered into her ear.
    The gentle caress of his warm breath caused her toes to curl in her open-toed sandals. For a brief moment she simply enjoyed being so close to him. His lips were tantalizing close to the curve of her ear. She fought the impulse to turn and entwine her fingers in the dark mass of his hair, bringing him closer for a soul-shattering kiss.
    “I think the baggage claim is that way,” she murmured. It took all her willpower to pull away from him. Somehow she managed. She wasn’t sure how, but she felt herself step away from him, leading him towards the claim area.
    It wasn’t long before he was walking in step with her.
    “I’ve never been to Phoenix.”
    “Neither have I,” she admitted. She glanced around at the Southwestern décor. “But I’ve heard good things.”
    “Me, too. Although I’m told it’s still blazing hot until the end of October.”
    “Guess we have a few weeks before it starts to cool down.” She stepped onto the escalator. “I like the heat.”
    He joined her on the stair. “So you’ve said. Don’t you miss the snow?”
    She shook her head. “Not really. Around Christmas I do.”
    “Not an outdoorsy person?”
    Chloe chuckled at the very idea. “Absolutely not. My family loved to ski and snowshoe and go sledding. I was never a big fan.”
    “Do you ski?”
    “I do.” She stepped off the escalator onto the lower level.
    “But I’m not very good at it. I’m more of a beach girl.” She pointed towards the carousel that would soon hold their baggage.
    He followed her lead. “Hence moving to California.”
    “Yeah.”
    “I’m glad you can ski.”
    “Why? Are you planning on taking me skiing?”
    “I’d love to take you skiing. Let’s make plans now. How about skiing in the Alps over the holidays?”
    Chloe stopped abruptly, almost causing Max to collide into her again. “You’re kidding, right? You mean the Swiss Alps?”
    His eyes twinkled at her. “I mean the Swiss Alps.” He dropped the carry-on luggage on the ground. “And I’m not joking. My family owns a ski lodge, and we spend New Year’s there. I’d love for you to meet them.”
    Chloe didn’t know what to say. She was officially being asked to accompany the world’s most sought-after bachelor on a trip. Thousands of women would die ten times over to have a chance like this. But how could