Prince and Single Mom by Morgan Ashbury

her know that you and I had been spending intimate time together.”
    “Oh.” Oh, hell . Not that he minded Hannah’s disclosure to her daughter. How could he, when he’d done as much with his own son? But that other little tidbit she’d casually dropped had him feeling a bit guilty.
    “You don’t look as if you approve.”
    “I’m sorry. Of course I do. I hope I don’t act like a guilty schoolboy the next time I’m in her presence.” Smoothly done, if he did say so himself. Reaching for his glass of water, he bathed the prevarication from his throat. A new, intriguing thought occurred to him, one that pushed his disquiet, and potential embarrassment aside. “Does that mean you might spend the night with me?”
    “I might.”
    “Good.” He couldn’t resist picking up her hand and kissing it. He wanted very much to spend the night with her. To fall asleep with her in his arms, and awaken with her beside him in the morning. It might prove to be addicting. He was more than willing to take the chance.
    “I thought I’d like to see some of the city in the next day or so. I wondered if you’d like to show me a bit of your country?”
    “And I just thought how enticing the possibility of chaining you to my bed for a day or two would be, now that your daughter won’t worry about where you are. Speaking of whom, she seems to be keeping herself and that wonderful son of hers entertained.” In the back of Alex’s mind, he wondered if he should be worried about how well he could to shift conversational directions on a personal level. An excellent skill for a monarch to have, he wasn’t convinced it served a lover equally well.
    “He is wonderful, isn’t he? Thank you for playing with him today. I could tell your attention absolutely thrilled him.”
    He liked the way her eyes softened at the mention of her grandson. And here, at least, he could be completely honest. “No thanks are necessary. I had an enjoyable time with him. Your daughter has done an excellent job raising him. She—and you, for you raised her—should be very proud.”
    “Thank you, Alex, that’s a sweet thing to say. And as for where they are, she mentioned making a couple of friends yesterday, one of whom invited them to dinner.”
    Alex sat back while the waiter cleared the soup bowls, removed crumbs from the table with a small brush and tray, and then served the plates of salad. He declined fresh pepper, as Hannah did. Remarkable, really, how much they had in common when it came to food and music.
    And sex.
    “Something occurred to me this morning,” she said. “I really don’t know anything about your country’s royal family. But I heard the oddest thing. I heard that one of the princes had become a doctor. And I thought, well that can’t be right.”
    Alex couldn’t prevent the proud smile that took over his face. It came upon him whenever he thought about any of his children. Mindful of his words, he replied, “It is, indeed, true. Philip, the youngest son, is a pediatrician. His older sister is a teacher, and has recently accepted the position of administrator at the Royal Boisdemer Home for Children.”
    “Well, that’s extraordinary. For some reason, I had the impression that the youngest son was a bit of a roué , a playboy of the highest order.”
    “He most certainly is not!” Alex felt his indignation rise, but couldn’t stop it. “That young man is a fine, responsible human being, a credit to his family and his country. He’s no monk, mind you. Who could expect a young, unattached male to be? Especially one who works so hard taking care of young children, suffering with them and their families as he does when things take a turn for the worst or when, most sadly, one of those little ones dies. A roué indeed. The very idea is an insult.”
    He looked over at Hannah and saw, to his dismay, the hurt expression on her face. As he watched, she schooled her expression into one of bland politeness and carefully set