Accidental Surrogate

Ella

Conner opens my car door and gives an odd little bow as I get out of it.

“What on earth was that?” I ask, grinning at him.

Conner, to his credit, blushes a little as he gives me a shrug. “I don’t know, you’re a Queen now. Aren’t I supposed to bow?”

I wrinkle my nose at him. “I have no idea,” I say, laughing, pleased when he laughs with me and closes the car door behind me. “But since neither of us know, maybe we should cut it out?”

“All right,” he says with a grin, looking up towards the restaurant where Calvin asked me to meet him. I’m a little thrilled, honestly, to be out of the palace for the first time in weeks and also pleased that this was kept quiet enough that there is no press here to capture the moment.

“I’m glad you’re here, Conner,” I say quietly, taking a deep breath to steel myself.

“Anytime, Luna,” he murmurs, and he keeps close by my side as I walk up the stairs.

I’m relieved to see, when I get inside, that the restaurant is dark and only about half full, all of the patrons gathered in deep booths so that I can only see the tops of their heads. I smile to myself, thinking that the Prince chose his venue well.

“This way, Highness,” a young woman says, smiling at me and leading me not into the dining room but towards a small elevator. The three of us are a bit packed in, but the ride is short – just to the second floor. When the door slides open, the young woman smiles and gestures forward into a very small, very pretty private dining room. There’s even a little balcony terrace outside that looks absolutely gorgeous in the moonlight.

Calvin is sitting alone at a table, looking at his phone with a half-full glass of wine in front of him. When I step into the room he looks up and he smiles.

And damn it, but I have to admit…he’s really good looking. Not as good looking as Sinclair – I mean, at least not to me but the way that smile lights his face, and those cheekbones, and those violet eyes?

Damn.

But I don’t have much time to think on it as he stands up and holds out a hand to me, inviting me to the table.

I smile myself, not needing to force it as I cross the room to take his hand. That buzz of electricity passes between us as he leans forward, murmuring a greeting and intending to brush the barest kiss against my cheek – nothing inappropriate, nothing that wouldn’t pass between an ambassador and a Queen

But he flinches back at the last moment, and I smirk a little, considering that he probably got a whiff of precisely how much Sinclair has marked me as his tonight.

hesitates as if tempted, but then he pulls

at the

the hell is

towards my seat. Then, to my surprise, he looks beyond me at Conner, who is

turn to look at

in recognition of the graciousness of the invitation. “I’m fine over here,” he gestures towards a little couch

away. I smile a little as I

voice hesitating a little,

say, though… well, I’m not really sorry, am I? My mate needed a little reassurance and I’m happy to give it to him, even if it’s at Calvin’s

trying to assess what he can do to make me comfortable. “I know that nine in the evening is late for a dinner in

solicitousness – because I honestly get the impression that this dinner so that we can talk, but if I’m hungry?

hungry,” I say, leaning forward with a laugh. “And thirsty, if there’s

waiter I didn’t see. The waiter comes forward and fills

lately,” I say quietly, raising the glass to my lips

leaning forward in his curiosity. He

long sip of his drink. “Rafe’s

I stop, and burst into laughter, because Calvin chokes a little on his wine and

“Is that should I not have said that?

clears his throat and looks down at the table, embarrassed, though I see him smiling and shaking his head. “No,

I correct,

looking up at me a little now, growing more comfortable. ” It’s just honestly, I’ve

I say, leaning forward and looking at him with wide eyes, setting my glass down on the table next to me. “I mean, did you

says, laughing and rolling his eyes at me. “I understand the mechanics of how young babies are fed, it’s just…” he leans back, running a hand through his hair, “honestly, Ella, women in my world never, ever talk to men about that sort of thing.

him, holding his

and I laugh with

says on a sigh. “And I agree. It is…crazy, that in my world women and men are so separate. It is something which I’d like

how easy this conversation already is. Because even if we’re talking about a really complicated subject

and I tell him everything, readily, easily – all about Cora, and my sweet baby Rafe, and growing up in the orphanage and the strange way I met my mate. Some details I keep back –