Royal Holiday Baby by Leanne Banks Read Free Book Online

Proud of the home he’d designed and helped build several years ago, he couldn’t help wondering what Tina thought of it. She paused at the collection of family photographs in the upstairs hallway. “Is this your mother and father?” she asked. “And these other children? I think I remember you mentioning a brother.”
    He nodded. “Yeah, those are my parents, and my brother and sister,” he said, pointing to another photograph. He felt a twinge of regret. His relationship with his brother and sister had suffered after the death of his wife. He’d shut everyone out.
    Surprised at the onslaught of emotions he was experiencing, he cleared his throat. “Your room is down the hall,” he said and walked toward the largest of the guest rooms. His former wife had chosen the colors for this room. Shades of green and blue-green provided a soothing haven. His own blood pressure always seemed to drop a few notches when he stepped into this room.
    â€œOh, it’s lovely,” Tina said. “I love the colors.”
    â€œGood,” he said with a nod. “There’s a connecting bathwith plenty of towels. I’ll bring a couple of shirts for you. The remote for the TV should be on the nightstand. Anything else you need that you can think of?”
    â€œToothbrush and toothpaste,” she said.
    â€œI’ll tell Hildie to bring you some. Anything else?” he asked, feeling his heart tug at the vulnerable expression on her face. Giving into an urge, he extended his hand to her arm and gently squeezed. “You’re safe here,” he said. “I’ll make sure of it.”
    She took a deep breath and appeared to stiffen her spine. “Thank you. I’m afraid of how much I’m imposing.”
    â€œYou’re the mother of my child,” he said firmly. “This is no imposition. You’ve been taking care of everyone else. It’s damn time someone looked after you.”
    She blinked. “I have royal doctors and assistants. I didn’t mean to give you the impression that I have to do everything on my own because I don’t.”
    â€œMaybe,” he said. “But it’s pretty clear your family doesn’t put your health or your need to take a break first. Now that you’re pregnant, that needs to change. I can make sure that will happen.”
    â€œWhat about the paparazzi? They always show up,” she said, her eyes darkening with fear.
    â€œI have electric fences and gates. I don’t usually have to close those gates, but I can and I will. Plus there’s Hildie. She took on a brown bear one time. The bear turned tail and ran.”
    Tina stared at him for a long moment, then laughed. “Oh, my goodness, I can easily visualize that.”
    The sound of her laughter eased something inside him. He smiled. “I’m not stretching the truth. The only thing that scares Hildie is the dentist. I had to take her to fix a broken tooth. That’s how I found out you were pregnant.”
    Tina lifted her hand to her throat. “At the dentist’s office?”
    â€œI was in the waiting room killing time. I saw your photo in one of those gossip sheets.”
    She winced. “The bump article,” she said. “I received an anonymous tip from someone that the article was going to be published and left Chantaine just before the story hit. I was hoping to avoid the first wave from the media while I figured out how to handle everything.”
    â€œFrance wasn’t far enough,” he said.
    â€œNowhere is far enough,” she said woefully. “I’m afraid you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into by bringing me to your home.”
    â€œI’ve been through worse,” he said, his own personal tragedy never far from his mind.
    She widened her eyes. “With the media?”
    He shrugged. “With life,” he said. “Don’t worry about me. The media is