Ivory Kisses✔️

2. Uh oh...

I stood there with my jaw on the ground, unable to figure out what the fuck I should say.

A prince. A real-life prince in front of me, and it suddenly made sense. The way he dressed and talked. How clear it was he came from money---and a lot of it. There was a slight accent he had, but I couldn't quite recognize where it was from.

"I'm sorry. Did you say 'prince'?"

His lips curved up, and Prince Alexios cleared his throat. "Yes. People address me as Your Royal Highness, but for you, I'll allow you to call me by name."

"You mean Alexios?" My brows arch slightly, still surprised by the abrupt turn of events.

"Uh-huh."

I suddenly felt obliged to offer him one of the ready canapés which I had denied him when he first went up to me, "Here you go."

"Thanks," he winked before graciously stuffing his mouth. "That's so good."

"Thank you," I replied. "So, what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're a prince. What are you doing at this Wedding?"

Alexios drew his brows together. "Are you saying Princes can't be invited to extravagant weddings?"

"I'm sorry," I stuttered. "I didn't mean in that way."

He laughed, wiping the corners of his mouth from the Satay sauce. "It's fine. I'm here for the bride. Few people know who I am, and I like to keep it that way. It saves me from being treated differently."

"Then why did you tell me?"

He lifted the canapé box and smirked, "Selfish reasons."

Alexios struck me as the type of guy who always got what he wanted and hated it when people told him no.

"Right, so you told me only to snag one of my Chicken Satay dishes?"

"It was well worth telling you, to be honest. This is almost the best thing I've had in my mouth."

I swallowed hard, in a trice wondering what else he's had between those gorgeous lips of his. My eyes were drawn to them, and they lingered longer than one's gaze should.

"Sorry," I apologized, glancing back at the canapés in front of me, "I'm glad you've enjoyed them."

"You're welcome."

"So, are you like betrothed or something?"

My question caught us both off guard. The fuck am I thinking?

"Betrothed? Did I walk into a 19th Century wedding or what?" he laughed. "I think you're asking me if I'm engaged, right?"

"Yeah. That."

Alexios licked his lips. "No. I'm not engaged to be married." His eyes focused on my curves beneath the white material of my work shirt, and even though it was a chilly night, my cheeks could have burned this place to the ground.

"Oh. Do you have a lady friend?"

The fuck is wrong with you, woman?

My question elicited a laugh from Alexios. "Are you serious?"

"I figured since you liked the 19th-century terms of endearment."

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "I don't have a girlfriend." He put emphasis on the last word. "I am completely, and utterly single, and alone."

"Are you courting anyone?"

"I'm trying to right now, actually, but you're making it extremely difficult for me."