A/N: Will try to edit this chapter later but I had to give you all an update on this story! Enjoy!

A King's Heart

Questions And Answers

As usual, Naveen woke up to the smell of breakfast and the back of Tiana now in thigh-length Bohemian style house coat, cooking away.

She then went to the refrigerator and pulled out a medium side glass pitcher that contained orange juice and poured it into a glass cut. "Breakfast should be ready in a few." She handed him the glass. "You can wait in the dining room."

Naveen looked into her face and knew that she didn't have much sleep last night, despite her trying to pretend nothing happened. Instead of asking the same question of her being alright or not, he left her for the dining room.

Tiana walked into the room with the last of what she's cooked and just as always she's done for the past several weeks prepared his plate.

While they were eating Naveen thought about last night's kiss with Tiana. He's never kissed another woman before or after his wife and never have he felt such emotion and feeling like he did with Tiana. Whenever he and Thalia were together he always felt more force on her part. As if she wasn't into it as much as he was, but then again she was a princess who as brought up to be a good wife and mother and to please her husband's needs whether she was in the mood or not. But with Tiana, she was different. Never a princess or trained to be a certain way she always had the freedom to choose whomever she wanted to kiss or to spend her life with.

He didn't know why he was thinking of this right after she basically told him it was a mistake. Though the kiss was the best he's ever had. He smirked.

"What are you smilin' about?" Tiana asked.

Naveen shook his head. "Thinking of how good this breakfast is."

"You were thinkin' of that kiss weren't you?"

Again, Naveen loved the honesty this woman before him would often bring him. "I would lie if I say that I wasn't."

She smirked. "Must've been the best kiss you ever had."

"Again, I would lie if I say that it wasn't." He kept his smirk and laughed when she did her typical eye rolling response.

Just then, a knock could be heard from the door.

"Naveen?"

Tiana raised an eyebrow. "Who's looking for you this early in the day?"

Naveen recognized the voice as his valet and friend. "Just a friend of mine who—

The door unlocked and in came the valet. "Naveen I thought that…" He stopped when he saw Tiana sitting at the other end of the table. "My apologies." He then looked over at Naveen. "Your mother said to call her." And just as he came in, he hurried out the door, locking it.

Tiana ate the last of her breakfast before rising from her seat. "I see how it is." She walked through the large dinning room to her room.

Naveen looked puzzled and followed her. "Wait—what?"

"Your friend has a key to this apartment while I don't?" She said with her hands on her hips.

"Is that what you're upset about?"

She ignored him and went over to her closet where she pulled out a sky blue dress.

"Tiana—

"I have some things to do today so I may not be back before lunch."

"If you wanted a key then you could've just told me." He didn't see what the big deal was. It was only a key. He then looked out of her window and saw lightning flashing. "Are you sure you want to go out now? It looks vicious."

Tiana looked out the window and sighed, plopping on her bed. "I just need some air. Something to distract me from—

"Last night." Naveen finished, sitting beside her. "What you need is some sleep. You're doing too much."

"Naveen—

"I'm serious. You look exhausted though you're still beautiful. Just a little tired."

Tiana's eyes met the young king's and could clearly read them as the considerate, gentle and loving man that who was sitting before her. "You call me beautiful."

He nodded. "Yes, I did."

"You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen." She smiled softly at him and gently ran her hand across his jaw line.

Naveen's eyes never left hers as she studied more of his face as he wasn't sure what she was thinking at the moment. She looked lost, curious and bewildered about something. Could she share the same feelings he has for her?

"We've come into each other's lives at such…," She didn't finished and her hand finally left his face. "…I don't know what to really say about my behavior last night. I'm not one to being so forward, unless, well…it doesn't matter. But I do appreciate your friendship and you having me stay at your place."

"I enjoy having you here with me." Naveen took her hand and kissed it.

Tiana felt her stomach knot up again at his gentle kiss but also soon felt sleep come over her. "I guess the weather is making me feel this way."

"Tired?"

She nodded her head before lying down.

Naveen stood up, pulling the covers over her and placed a kiss her on the forehead. "Do you eed for me to close the window?"

"Mm-mm." She shook her head with her eyes closed. "I love the smell of fresh rain."

"So do I." He whispered. "Sleep well, mi benita."

"What's a mi benita?"

"It means my beauty in Maldonia."

"Pretty." Tiana smiled as she blissfully drifted into dreamland.

Naveen looked at her once more before leaving her room.

()()()()

Later Tiana woke to seeing that it was still pouring out. She then looked over at her clock that read 11:34 a.m. and knew that she should be preparing lunch for herself and Naveen.

"Naveen?" she called out his name as she left her room.

"He stepped out for a moment, Tiana."

She stopped when she heard a voice that wasn't her roommate's. Her eyes instead saw a young man who looked a bit like Naveen, minus the masculine physic. As her sleep finally cleared up, he was nowhere close to looking like Naveen, but his accent let her know that he too was from Maldonia.

"Who are you?" Tiana asked.

"I'm Naveen's va—friend."

She raised an eyebrow. "Va—friend?" she repeated, puzzled.

"I meant friend." He smiled; his eyes moving down to her very revealing night gown.

Tiana rolled her eyes and walked pass him into the kitchen, he followed.

"He requests that you do not prepare lunch for him this afternoon."

"Good enough for me." She opened the refrigerator door.

"Or for yourself."

"And why did he request that?"

"Because he ordered it?"

Tiana snorted. "You act as if he's a king with taking his orders."

"Well he is…um, he's very important to me. He's a wonderful friend who always looks out for those he love and care for."

"I know how generous he is." Tiana smiled at how true this man's words were of Naveen. "What's your name, kid?"

"Kid?" The man laughed. "I am older than you are, madam."

She raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't look like by much!"

"I'm twenty-two!"

"I didn't mean it literally." Tiana said.

"Oh…" He laughed. "How old are you? Seventeen?" He wiggled his eyebrows in a not so charming way.

Tiana simply rolled her eyes. "Whatever…"

"My name is Jason." He tried to take away the awkwardness between the two while also trying to remain a gentleman, but he couldn't help noticing her next to nothing attire. "So, what are you to his—I mean, Naveen?"

Tiana knew the man was attracted to her and also knew that he wouldn't harm her so with ease, she answered, "Just a roommate. A friend."

"Roomate…Friend?" He repeated.

"Mmhm." She left him in the kitchen and was pleased when she saw Naveen walking in through the front door, but the feeling changed when another man walked into the living room, his eyes wondering all over her.

Growing annoyed, she walked back into her room.

Naveen saw his guard's gaze following her and cleared his throat. "Watch who you're staring at."

The man quickly looked away. "My apologizes you're majesty."

"And try not to call me by my title name." Naveen ordered as Jason walked out of the kitchen with a slice of apple pie on a glass dish.

"This is some excellent pie. Where did you get this from?" He continued stuffing his face.

"Tiana baked it and I would appreciate it if you two wouldn't stare at her as if she's some harem concubine." Naveen's tone was stern.

"Did you see what she was wearing?" Jason smirked. "If I were you I'd already claim her in my bed."

Naveen gave him a warning look.

Jason shrugged. "Well, she would be asking for it."

"This is why women find it hard to trust men with that mentality. There's no excuse to look at or even attempt to harm a woman based on what she wears. Now I'd appreciate it if you two would leave before you ruin everything." He took the half eaten pie from the valet.

"Ruin everything?" questioned Jason with a sly grin. "Is there something going on between you two?" He started towards the door.

"No, there isn't but…," He set the plate down before taking the large grocery bag from the guard's hands. "…I want you two to leave. You've caused enough damage in the five minutes I've returned."

"She is very good looking, Naveen. It's no wonder you—

Naveen closed the door at the men's faces and soon saw Tiana opening the door from her room with a small smile. "I apologize for—

"It's alright. Their men." She answered.

"But they had no business being disrespectful to you."

Tiana snorted, going over to the large grocery bag. "I've been through way worse. And they were only looking anyway."

Naveen snatched the bag away from her

"What's in the bag?" She smiled, more than determine to see what's in it.

"Food?"

"I know that, but what kind of food?"

He smirked this time. "Ingredients."

"What kind of ingredients?"

"You'll see once I'm done making it." He gave her a playful grin.

She raised an eyebrow. "You know how to cook?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to say that I'm in your league! It's a traditional dish that my people make." He set down the bag, taking out the vegetables, flour.

Tiana watched as he went to work now in an apron. He looked pretty damn good making his homemade pasta.

'Too damn good,' she thought as she watched him sauté the shrimp.

"I had no idea that you can cook." Tiana rested her chin on the back of her hand.

Naveen smirked. "I'm capable of a lot of things." His voice hinted in flirtatious.

"I see." She smiled, watching him using extra virgin olive oil. "So she had to be an extra virgin, huh?" She teased.

Naveen laughed as he began working on the spinach.

()()()()

Naveen placed a plate with beautiful noodles laced with shrimp, basil, and spinach with a hint of olive oil before Tiana.

She laughed when he put a handkerchief on her lap and handed her a fork. "Copy cat."

"Try it." He encouraged.

She did just that and put her hand over her mouth.

"Mmm…" She moaned.

"So?"

"It's delicious!" She ate some more. "So fresh, you must've gotten the shrimp and vegetables from one of those expensive shops in the centre of the Quarter."

"Um…?" Naveen raised an eyebrow. "I had help." He didn't want to share about his guard going in the store to help him pick out the right ingredients.

He joined Tiana, but in the dining room as they savored their lunch with a couple of glasses of Maldonian wine. The two spoke more about each other, learning that they have a lot more in common than they originally thought.

"So you mean to tell me, that you actually thought that American women are all wild out willing to sleep with any man in sight?"

"I was very young then and there were times when I would be curious. But I never went far enough to do anything with several of them," he explained with a shrug.

"Several?" She then playfully poked out her bottom lip. "I thought I was your first."

Naveen smiled. "You're definitely the first American girl I find…interesting." He quickly recovered.

"I'll take that." Tiana then rose from her seat.

Naveen's eyes travelled on her petite figure. She was slender, but had round hips, small waist, nice legs, amazing derriere…wait. 'Get a hold of yourself,' he mentally convinced himself.

"You wanna dance?" Tiana turned on the phonograph.

Naveen, with his glass of wine stood up ready to feel the woman in his arms. With one last gulp he set down his glass, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Tiana smiled. "You're getting pretty comfortable,"

"It's not everyday that I get to have a beautiful woman in my arms." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Charming," Tiana said, trying to hide her blush.

But Naveen caught on. "Are you blushing?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, yes I've finally got you to blush!" He joked as the music played on. He soon heard Tiana humming to it; her voice was like heaven to his ears.

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see

"You have a voice of an angel," Naveen whispered in her ear.

"So I've heard," Tiana smiled as the music continued on.

Naveen loved that the woman have pipes, and he was sure that her voice could even make his rival enemies call a truce and not mention her looks. Tiana has definitely been a wonderful influence on him and would later thank the higher sources for the rain that's kept them together this lovely afternoon.

"Besides being an excellent cook and singer, what else interests you?"

Tiana almost missed the question as she was so drawn into his comforting hold. "I've always enjoyed painting, reading and spending time with my girlfriends—until they decided to get married and began having babies,"

"You make it seem like that's a bad thing," Naveen noticed her tone on the subject.

"To each's own, I suppose." She looked into his honey coloured eyes. "You never told me much about you and Maldonia?"

Naveen nodded. "I work a lot—too much but I try to exercise, play my ukulele—

"You play the ukulele?" Tiana said, interested.

"I do." He answered.

"Can you play for me?"

Naveen heard the scratches from the phonograph, indicating that the song was finished and turned that off before going into his room to get the instrument.

Tiana watch the handsome king walk out of his room carrying the ukulele before sitting beside her on the couch. "It looks expensive."

"It was worth every penny." Naveen strummed the strings.

"What do you do for a living, if you don't me asking?" Tiana didn't want to seem like a gold-digger, but she's noticed everything in his possession looked like it was worth more than her, ten times over.

"You can say that I have an important job." He simply answered.

"You're not in the mob are you?" She asked an eyebrow.

Naveen laughed. "No, but that would be an interesting turn in careers for me."

"Then what do you do for a living? You have a nice place to live, nice clothes and don't get offended, but you are the best smelling man I've ever…smelled. There are women who would even envy you on that besides your hair."

Naveen still felt a bit uneasy on telling this woman who he really is. He trusted her to a certain point and was really enjoying his freedom as an ordinary man. But then again Tiana did share her interests and he knows that her family hates her, or at least her aunt does. Would she accept him if he told her more on his personal life or past?

"What I do for a living? I am a ki—

()()()()