Chapter 13

Derek and Casey found their suits to be very formal and uptight, but thought it was worth it.

"I can't believe we're going to be meeting the Prince of Wales, The Ambassador of France, and all the main people in Europe! Who exactly where the people that lived in our house?" Casey shook her head as they drove back to the estate.

"You know I don't know, but they must have been pretty important." Derek smiled and squeezed her hand he knew she was nervous.

"This is so crazy! Did Adam work out the whole situation with them?"

"Yes, dear—quit worrying! Everything will turn out fine." He kissed her temple and she leaned against him

"I hope so."

THE NEXT EVENING

Derek and Casey looked stunning in their new suits as they entered the Imperial Palace where the Ambassador lived. They had never been so nervous in their lives, but their acting skills were helping them keep a good front.

"Good evening, Mr. Brighton and Miss Romanoff." The butler invited them in and lead to the parlor.

The palace was massive and elegantly decorated. Casey and Derek were astonished as they stood in the parlor that was twice the size of their own.

"Mr. Brighton, how good of you to come this evening." The ambassador shook his hand and turned Casey

"Miss Romanoff, you are stunning! It is a pleasure to meet you." He motioned for them to come to the other side of the room. "Now I know your situations and we are keeping security high, and the other's known to an extinct. But they do believe your names are what you say so keep up the acting." He winked and led them into the main part of the parlor where now the rest of the party was joined.

"Miss Anastasia, I would like to introduce you to my nephew Finn Collins." The Ambassador announced Finn.

"It is a please Mr. Collins." Casey smiled as he took her hand and lightly kissed it.

"The pleasure is mine Miss Anastasia." Finn replied with an Australian accent. He was a weathered blonde, with rugged good looks, and the perfect gentleman. Ashley was impressed.

Derek had caught the whole affair while being introduced to Lady Worthshire, the Prince of Wale's sister. He was quite impressed with her himself, but not as impressed as he was with as her, as she with him.

"Lady Worthshire, would you excuse me?" Derek dismissed himself and went to Casey's side and whispered in her ear.

"Who was that?" he asked taking her arm and walking her into the dining room.

"That was Mr. Collins. The ambassador's nephew." She quietly answered

"I had an encounter with the Prince of Wale's sister: Lady Worthshire." Derek responded

"Oh, really and what she like?" Casey asked feeling a hint of jealousy.

"A stuffed peacock." He answered quietly

Casey chuckled and they were seated. The dinner was eventful and the talk was political and nothing of interest, but Casey couldn't help her gaze keep falling upon Mr. Collins. She tried to mentally smack herself, but she had never felt this side of being famous before. It was a totally different ball game than being famous in the U.S.—they were royalty in Europe and were beginning to experience the benefits.

Derek on the other was anything but entertained by Lady Worthshire—he had his lady. Frankly, he was losing her to her an Australian hunk with a sum of money the size of Washington. "Two can play her game." He thought, but he knew it wasn't the right thing to do, but Lady Worthshire was the most eligible Lady in Wales. She beautiful no doubt about it, but she had an air about her. Derek decided he could overlook it for a while and have a nice evening with her.

After dinner they were free to do what they would like for entertainment.

"Miss Anastasia, would you like to join me in the art gallery?" Finn asked offering her his arm

"I would love to." She took his arm thinking that it couldn't do anything, but help their reputation.

"Then let us go." Finn escorted her to the galleries and gave her the grand tour of it.

Derek on the other hand was taking Lady Worthshire through the gardens for a moonlight walk. It was a little more than he had planned, but if Casey wanted to see other men then he was going to enjoy Lady Worthshire's presence. As wrong as it felt he was enjoying himself—he found her to be rather lovely to be around. But he found himself comparing her with Casey, and he tried not to.

"It's a lovely evening. Is it not Mr. Brighton?" Lady Worthshire asked as they stood by the fountain in the middle of the garden.

"Not as lovely as you, Miss Worthshire." Derek replied without hesitation, "Where did that come from!" he thought to himself regretting he said it.

"Mr. Brighton, you do have a way to a woman's heart. Flattering, but you could use a new line." She smiled flirtingly and took a step closer.

"The way to a woman's heart is through the woman herself not with words." Derek smiled and inched closer.

"Now that Mr. Brighton was a good line." She smiled and closed the gap between them bringing their lips together. The kiss was like nothing she had experienced and she was enjoying it. He brought his hand up around her neck and angled his head to deepen the kiss. Derek ended the kiss after he realized what he was doing—he didn't pull back to where she would notice something was wrong.

"wow." She chuckled and laid her head on his chest.

Derek chuckled and fireworks went off. "This would have been the end of a perfect evening with Casey," he thought to himself holding the Princess of Wales wishing he was holding another.

IN THE GALLERY

"Finn, you know just about everything there is to know about art. I'm impressed!" Casey said as he just got done telling her about a picture.

"Are you? I didn't think it would. You know what I'm impressed with?" He said leading her to the balcony on the gallery floor.

"What?" she asked looking out at the stars, "this would have been a perfect night with Derek, if the princess would back off!" Casey thought to herself.

"You."

"Me? Why?" she was taken back

"Because your beautiful and a have passion for art. Most girls could care less about it and yet, it comes natural to you." Finn explained taking her hands

"I play piano." She stated simply

"Now I'm really impressed! You must be good." He smiled down at her

"Yeah, I love it. It is art—well a form of it anyway." Casey replied and began to get nervous underneath his gaze.

"You know what else you must be good at?" Finn leaned in closer to her

"What?" her voice was shaky

"This." He closed in the last few inches between them and let his lips dance with hers. He was right she was good at kissing, because to him it was a form of art.

"What am I doing?"Casey thought, "I need to pull away now!" and with all the will she could muster inside of her she pulled back hard right has the fireworks went off.

"What?" Finn asked confused

"I can't do this Finn—I'm dating someone." She said hurrying inside

"You're what? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know I guess, because I'm not used to such royalty and you seemed perfect." Casey stopped before heading down the stairs.

"Who are you dating?" Finn asked furious

"Dave Brighton." Casey replied

"Miss Anastasia, I envy him. You are a great kisser."

"But I beg to differ with you—it's not an art. It's an expression, between two people that are in love. What we did was an act upon an emotion—that is art." With that went down the stairs into the drawing room to wait for Derek—ashamed of herself.