Free At His Majesty's Convenience by Jennifer Lewis Page B

Domino backed out with a slight bow.
    â€œI feel like the world’s most incompetent assistant. Is the calendar on the computer?”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œIt’s password protected and I don’t know the password. Do you know it?”
    Jake looked thoughtful. “No.”
    â€œAny ideas what it might be?”
    â€œNone whatsoever. I guess there are some dark secrets between us.” He lifted a brow playfully. “Maybe you have it written down somewhere.”
    â€œThat’s another thing.” She frowned, apprehension twisting her gut as she prepared to tell him. “There’s nothing personal in here at all. It’s all business all the time, as if all the personal effects had been removed.”
    Jake blinked and his gaze swept the room. A furrow deepened between his brows; then he shrugged. “I’m not much for personal knickknacks in the office, either. Why don’t we take a break and go stroll around the palace? Then at least you’ll know where everything is.”
    Andi was a bit alarmed by the brusque way he changed the subject. One question burned in her mind. “Am I still your assistant? I mean, now that we’re engaged.”
    â€œYes, of course.” Jake looked startled for a second. “I’d be lost without you arranging my life.”
    â€œThen prepare to get lost, since I can’t arrange my own computer desktop right now.” Tears loomed again. Apparently they’d never been very far away. “I still don’t remember anything at all.”
    Jake took her into his arms again. His scent, familiar and enticing, wrapped around her as his embrace gave her strength. “The doctor said it would take time for your memory to return. Come on, let’s go for that walk. There’s no point getting upset over something you can’t control.”
    The palace was so large that probably no one knew exactly how many rooms it had or how to get to all of them. As Jake explained, it had been the home of several dynasties of Ruthenian royals, all of whom had left their own stylistic stamp, so the building had everything from fortified turrets to elegant rows of French windows opening out onto a terrace for alfresco dancing.
    As they walked about, on the pretext of discussing the decor, everyone stopped to offer their congratulations on their engagement. Some people hid their surprise, but Andi could tell it was a startling occurrence. Could they really have not noticed a romance occurring—over several years—right beneath their noses?

Five
    â€œJ ake, congratulations on your engagement.” The silvery tones emerging from his phone dripped with acid. Jake glanced across his suite to where Andi reclined on the sofa looking through a tourist brochure about Ruthenia.
    â€œThanks, Carina.” Lucky thing she couldn’t see how happy he was not to be marrying her.
    â€œQuite a surprise.” Her tone was cool. “I had no idea you were involved with your assistant.”
    â€œYou know how these things are. It seemed…unprofessional, but you can’t halt the course of true love.” He’d already explained the same to three other would-be queens, so it rolled naturally off his tongue.
    â€œIndeed.” She cleared her throat. “Daddy accuses you of toying with my affections, but I assured him that I’m a big girl and that he should still fund the new industrial development.”
    These veiled threats were becoming familiar, too.
    â€œI do hope he will. We look forward to entertaining you both at the palace again soon.” He was smiling when he hung up the phone. Right now everything was going as smoothly as could be expected. He was now officially off the hook for choosing the next queen of Ruthenia. No one had actually pulled support from any key projects or threatened to fund a revolution. It was probably a plus that he hadn’t offended one Ruthenian big shot by choosing the