Nothing good in life comes easy…and nothing good will ever come at all if you cross Erin.

One In A Million You

Erin was pissed. Her sons had disappeared and she had missed her opportunity to meet with the King and Queen. Sipping her third glass of champagne, she felt light headed, but she didn't care. If she got drunk, so what? It wasn't as though she was driving home.

What had gotten into her sons? It was bad enough that Spencer kept his nose stuck in books and didn't date and Derek had married that tramp Haley…but when she gave them the opportunity to better their station they left her to do their own thing. How could they do that to her?

Bitterly, she watched as the princess danced across the floor with a masked stranger. Ignoring them at first, she stewed silently…until that one thing he did grabbed her attention. Setting her glass down, she peered closer. There was something familiar about him…

"What in the world?" she muttered. How could it be Aaron? She had left him back at the mansion. Parting the crowd, she edged closer to the centre of the floor. There was no mistaking the rooster tail lock of hair that stood up on end. It was Aaron.

Anger seethed thru her body. How dare he? How dare he think he could thwart her? If I…

"I hate him," a voice stated next to her, breaking into her thoughts of revenge.

"Who?" Erin asked innocently.

"The mystery prince," the sandy blonde man replied with a nod of his head at Aaron. He had heard the scuttle that the dark haired mystery man was a prince in disguise. "He took my woman and now I'm out of the picture."

Erin's eyes narrowed into slits. "What makes you think he's a prince? Why is that so important?"

"Jen has to marry royalty and it looks as though she has found her prince," Will groused. "Jennifer was mine."

Erin looked at the couple. Aaron a prince? The thought alone was enough to make her laugh. A plan formed quickly.

"Do you want to get her back?"
****

"You dance very well for a guy who 'sort of dances'," Jen chided gently as Aaron led her across the massive ballroom floor. All eyes were on them, but her eyes were on him.

"I've had a lesson or two," Aaron admitted. He tried to concentrate on the music, but all he wanted to do was pick JJ up and carry her off somewhere so he could kiss her senseless.

"I can't imagine how good you would have been if you had finished with your instructor."

The soft strains of a love song enveloped them. The moment was so surreal that no one dared to cut in and break the spell. Twirling her around, he made sure she was never an arm's length away. The song ended and segued into another. He could dance with her all night, but time was short and there were so many other things he wanted to do.

Guiding Jen to the open French doors at the far end of the room, Aaron danced her into the garden. Down the wide brick path, he glided her deep into the safe haven of the deep, dark, lush garden. Leading her to the bench, he sat her down and took a place beside her.

Taking her hand in his, he stroked her soft skin with his thumb. So soft and delicate. Just like her.

"What are you doing?" she asked. A thrill coursed thru her.

"I want to be alone with you. And I want to kiss you. I can't do that with an audience," Aaron replied. There was so much more he wanted to do, but right now he would take what he could. After all, JJ may be the woman of his dreams, but her father was the king and there was no way he could get off easily…even if he did love her more than life.

"Oh really?" Jen's cheeks blushed fiercely.

"I have from the moment I met you." Before she could respond, Aaron covered her lips and kissed her deeply. Only in his dreams had he been able to touch her again and kiss her the way he wanted to.

Jen couldn't breathe, and thinking was out of the question as the mystery man kissed her in a way no other man had. Except one. The same man who had haunted her dreams since she left him on the side of the road. But even this was better than the kiss from Hotch. She could kiss this man forever.

Pulling back, she gasped for air. Looking in his eyes, she felt her heart fall. She was in love. Madly, head over heels, crazy in love.

Impossible, Jen, she chastised herself, you don't know who he is or where he's from. You don't even know his name!

But she loved him.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

"Around," Aaron replied vaguely. He wanted just the right moment to reveal himself. But first he had to know how she felt…about him.

"That doesn't tell me anything."

"Does it matter?"

"Not really," Jen confessed. She wanted to ask him to take off the mask so she could see who had stolen her heart, but a secret part of her didn't want to ruin the moment. What if he wasn't who she thought he was? What if he was her downfall?

"What if I told you that I almost didn't come here tonight?" Aaron whispered as he trailed kisses along her jaw to her lips.

"I would say that you made a smart choiceby doing so."

"Was it?" he asked.

"Yes."

Aaron looked into Jen's eyes. "Why?" he asked softly. She tried to find an answer but came up blank. He was confusing her. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"I didn't," she confessed. "But I do now."

"Me too." And he did. For the first time in his life, he was going to risk it all and put his heart on the line. Reaching up, he started to tug on the mask. He was going to tell her. "There is something I need to tell you…"

"What?" she breathed. Was he taking off his mask? Her heart beat fast from fear and anticipation.

"JJ…" Aaron began. "I lo-"

"Princess Jennifer! Where are you?" Will's voice called out from the darkness.

Shocked by the interruption, Jen stood up and spun around. Will? What was he doing here?

"I saw you come out here with him. Where are you?" Will asked again.

Aaron's hand dropped. JJ was the Princess Jennifer? That wasn't possible. The moment was gone. He had to get out of there. Standing up, he tried to make his escape.

"Where are you going?" Jen cried out. She grabbed his hand and tried to make him stop.

"I have to leave."

"Please don't go," she begged.

"I can't stay." He tugged against her grip.

"Jen!" Will called again.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked the dark haired stranger.

Aaron shook his head. "No." He couldn't.

"Please…." She hated begging but she had to make him stay. They could be quiet and avoid Will. She needed to tell him the truth and that she loved him.

Aaron leaned in for one more kiss. Then he cupped her cheek lovingly and disappeared.

"Tell me your name," she called out but Aaron had vanished into the shadows. How could he be gone? What had she done wrong?

"He called me JJ. How did he know?" she whispered to herself. Looking down on the ground, she saw something shiny flash in the moonlight. Bending over, she picked it up. A cufflink. His cufflink.

"Mon chere?" Will called out as he crashed through the foliage. "There you are! I have been looking for you."

"Why?" she returned. "This is supposed to be my night."

"I know. But now that I have won the bet, I had to come looking for you." He leaned in to kiss her, but Jen ducked her head.

"No!" She pushed Will away and tightened her fist around the cufflink. "You didn't win anything. I found my prince."

Will laughed sardonically. "That is what you think? Well, babe, you better sit down, because I have some news for you and when I'm done, you will have no choice but to marry me."