All Chapters of The Royal's Baby Proposal: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

~ BAILEY ~ The interior of the palace is stunning. Every single square foot of it.Of which, there are many.Too much territory to cover, of course. As we make our way from Nick’s suites—basically a spacious home within the palace walls—to a courtyard where lunch is setup for our small party, I am completely blown away by the opulence and how each corner we turn is more beautiful than the last. Even when it seems that’s impossible, that we’ve reached the pinnacle of “spectacular,” and I’ve hit my threshold for glamour, I’m confronted by yet another breath-stealing vision.I imagine this is what Paris is like. From the postcards my mother has sent over the years, I suspect I’m spot-on. I’ll just never know, personally, because I’ll never visit. She’s ruined it for me.And, honestly, I really don’t have to travel to Paris when I can overdose on indulgence right here. With Nick.The lush lawns, the colorful flowers, and the full trees are a sensational addition to the ponds, the fountai

~ BAILEY ~ Turns out… It’s not me, Bailey Storm, who jacks the whole program.While dinner is exceptionally tasty and I am about as content as any pregnant woman can be, particularly when she’s dining with a king, there’s much more on the evening’s docket to fringe my satisfaction with a tinge of anticipation.I can only draw out the end of the meal for so long.I mean, a crème brulee and a thick slice of carrot cake are notably excessive.Though Nick doesn’t raise his brow. He knows I’m stalling.We have somewhere to be, shortly. And despite me claiming I didn’t mind him having a cocktail when I can’t, I realize my scarfing down decadent desserts is essentially the equivalent of draining a couple of glasses of champagne before I head toward the guillotine.Overly dramatic, sure. However…Here’s something even wilder about all this.I have no idea why I feel this way, but there is a gnawing sensation within me that is telling me I have much more at stake here than I’d considered when

~ NICK ~ I know Bailey is even more conflicted as we leave my father’s apartment.At the same time… There’s a sense of relief that seems to emit from her.Her breathing is a bit odd, though, as I tuck her under my arm and place my hand at the dip of her waist, keeping her close.Her breaths slow. Then speed up.“Is it the baby?” I quietly ask, keeping the alarm from my voice, so as to not further agitate her.“She’s all settled,” Bailey assures me. “Snug as a bug in a rug, as my dad would say.”Ah, there’s the golden nugget.“You’re making the direct correlation between my ailing father and yours. I’m sorry about that.”“There’s absolutely nothing for you to be sorry about, Nick. This is life. It comes with twists and turns. Some harsh realities. Bittersweet moments. Though… It’s not without its enjoyments.”She smiles up at me. Softly. Her eyes are still glistening with unshed tears. She holds onto them and that tugs at my heart. She doesn’t purposely want to make a scene—or make me

~ BAILEY ~Of all the lovers for me to take, I had to choose the one with the sort of skill set that left me wondering how on earth I’d ever catch my breath.Nick finesses us into a comfy position where I’m on my back, propped against the pillows. As usual, he has a forearm braced against the mound to hold himself slightly off me, to keep from crushing me.Also as usual… I want him to crush me. I want him plastered to me.But I get that he considers I’m in a “delicate condition.”That’s very sweet.He’s still inside me.That’s very hot.I can feel him pulsating and pushing deep.I know he lost it, right along with me. But he’s still burning, and the truth is… So am I.My pulse races. My heartbeats skip, wildly.I love that he does this to me.Every single time.It’s just a little embarrassing that I’m utterly boneless.My insides are sizzling, yet I feel fabulously limp and serene.In fact, it takes some effort to lift my arm so that I can sweep a lock of hair from Nick’s forehead. I

~ BAILEY ~I might be building the perfect bridge.Well, maybe not totally perfect. But darn close to it.An hour of reading to Antonio leads to a half-hour of him sharing a quaint story from his childhood. One that does not involve magnificent horses and banners flying, or silver platters piled high with glorious desserts, or anything else expensive and exquisite that screams privilege. It’s simply a remembrance from when he was a small child and had wandered off in the forest during a group hunting expedition. He was alone and had panicked that he might not be able to find his way back. But he learned a handy trick. Look to the sky.The sun at noon offers a southern alignment. Since it rises in the east and sets in the west, Antonio was able to gauge an appropriate direction by the movement and shadows. He navigated toward the hunting encampment by the western lakeshore. His father had not yet sent out a search team for him. He’d allowed Antonio the opportunity to get his bearings a