The By Request Collection. Kate Hardy

or did his body tense? “It...it was an emotional moment for me and you were comforting me—”

      “And things got out of control. Don’t worry. I didn’t read anything into it. That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

      “You did?” When he nodded, she added, “So we’re still good?”

      There was a slight pause. “Don’t worry. We’re still friends. Now let’s eat this amazing salad.”

      Knowing they were still friends should have made her feel better, but she couldn’t help but think about what she was missing. Her gaze followed Demetrius as he carried their lunch to the table next to the windows. If only her life were different.

      * * *

      Just stay focused.

      Zoe stifled a yawn.

      Instead of reporting to her shared office at the palace each day, she now spent her days at the mansion. Piece by piece her vision for a relaxing atmosphere where family members would feel comfortable visiting with residents was coming together. When she wasn’t pointing out where things went, she was painting her vision of a serene beach on the ballroom wall—the drawing Demetrius had finally settled on from her sketch pad.

      However, Zoe had cut her day short and returned to the beach house. She’d thought of something she wanted to add to the mural, but she needed to do some research before she sketched it out.

      For the umpteenth time, her fingers paused over the keyboard as her thoughts drifted away. Memories of the steamy lip-lock she’d shared with Demetrius played over and over. Even though they’d both agreed that it had been a mistake, she had a hard time defining that passionate, toe-curling kiss as a mistake. And she wanted more. Lots more.

      The chirp of a bird out on the deck drew her out of her daydream. No matter how amazing that kiss had been, it couldn’t be repeated. They were wrong for each other. After all, he was a royal prince bound by duty to produce the next healthy heir to the throne. And she, well, she was a mere commoner with no nobility in her past, no prestigious connections, nothing to offer the crown except some faulty genes.

      Stirring up the burning embers between them would only lead to trouble.

      The chimes of the doorbell rang through the beach house.

      She rushed to the door. A smile lifted her lips in the hope it’d be Demetrius. But he didn’t normally ring the bell or wait to be greeted at the door. So who else could it be?

      She swung open one of the expansive teal doors and there stood two uniformed men from the palace staff. Each held a cardboard box.

      The older of the two men was the first to speak. “I believe you inquired about some extra Christmas decorations.”

      “I did. I want to surprise De—erm...Prince Demetrius. I thought he might enjoy a bit of holiday cheer.”

      When she’d passed the butler in the hallway the other day, she’d mentioned that the palace looked lovely. And she might have added that it’d be nice to have some of the extra decorations for the beach house. To be honest, she hadn’t thought the man was paying her a bit of attention. Obviously he’d heard every word she’d said. She made a mental note to thank him.

      “Where would you like these?” the younger man spoke up.

      “I’ll take them.” She held out her arms for the box in his hands.

      “It’s okay, ma’am. We’ve got them. There are more in the truck—”

      “More?”

      “Sì. Lots more.”

      “Oh my. I didn’t expect so much.”

      “You did ask for the extras, didn’t you?”

      “Um...I did. Come on in.” She stepped out of their way. Luckily the beach house was quite spacious. “You can place them in the living room.”

      It took a few minutes for the two men to haul in boxes of all shapes and sizes. After Zoe saw the men off, she walked back into the living room and her mouth gaped open. What was Demetrius going to say when he saw all of this?

      She smiled, thinking of the old Demetrius. He would have thought it was great. He loved to find reasons to celebrate. He’d have popped some bubbly, turned on some festive music and been the first one to explore the boxes. Boy, she missed that part of him.

      This new Demetrius had her stumped. She never knew what to expect from him. Just like that kiss that had come out of nowhere. What did it mean? Did it mean that he wanted them to start over? Or had it just been a fleeting thing?

      Not wanting to dwell on those troubling thoughts any longer, she started opening boxes. There were ornaments, table decorations and wall hangings. But when she came to a pencil tree, she stopped. It was perfect. Now she just had to find a spot for it.

      Zoe set to work. She placed the seven-foot Christmas tree next to the fireplace. The tree was adorable with a real bark trunk that was anchored in a red bucket. The short limbs were lined with white lights. All she had to do was plug it in. The twinkle lights lit up, sending a soft glow through the shadows now filling the room.

      In another box, she found candles, which she lined along the mantel. After some digging in the kitchen, she found a lighter. With a chill in the air, she decided to go ahead and burn the logs in the fireplace. The apartment she shared with her mother didn’t have such a luxury. And Zoe did love how the light from the fire danced upon the walls while the wood snapped and popped.

      Onward she went digging through the boxes, amazed at the variety and quantity of decorations. No expense had been spared. She pulled out her cell phone and selected some Christmas music. She started singing along as she continued to create a holiday retreat.

      “What’s going on here?”