JENNIE
In only a few more rolls I was completely out of money and Lisa was gloating. "Ah, what shall I do with you?"
"Again?" I raised my eyebrow. She was competitive, but so was I.
"But I've already won." She smiled. "And I like to win."
"Bet you can't do it again." I narrowed my eyes. We still had two hours before we landed to refuel.
"Oh, I can do it again." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "But I'll only play again if we up the stakes."
"What are you betting?" The last couple of hours had gone by in a flash as I laughed and joked with Lisa. I hadn't realized we'd started flirting until I was almost out of money.
"If I win I stop pretending we're just friends." Her voice dropped an octave and she glanced at my lips. "And I get to kiss you. Whenever I want."
My body temperature rose as I considered what she was asking. "One kiss?"
"Maybe." She leaned even closer. "But we both know we'll want more than that."
"And what do I get if I win?" I licked my lips, her smell invading my senses. A kiss didn't sound too bad. In fact it sounded like a pretty good idea right now.
"What do you want?" she smiled cockily, knowing exactly what I was wanting right this minute.
"You teach me Lilarian." I frowned. "I don't want to sound like an idiot at the ceremony."
"You realize this means I win either way." She ran a hand over her jaw and I was mildly fascinated by the sound it made under her fingers.
"No. If I win, you have to teach me Lilarian while keeping your hands to yourself." I picked up the dice and rolled. "Like a good friend."
"Where's the fun in that?" she kept her voice low. "I can think of some really fun ways to teach you my native tongue."
"I bet you can." I let out a nervous chuckle, thinking about the things I'd like her to do with her tongue.
"I can think of some things I'd like to hear you say in Lilarian, too." Her eyes stared holes into me as she moved her top hat five spaces. "Loudly."
"Then you better bring your A game."
"I always bring my A game."
"Is that so?"
We set up the board for another game. Lisa's eyebrows had drawn together as we worked our way around the board and I realized she meant business. It excited me to know how serious she was about winning a kiss, but it also scared me. Possibly because I was excited by the idea.
Eventually I bought a hotel and put it on Park Place. I needed to reel in my hormones and focus. Even if she won, I wasn't going to just give in to her. It was too complicated.
Lisa landed on my carefully laid trap. "Pay up, Princess Yummy." The nickname burst out of my mouth as I mentally screamed in slow motion, trying to stop my lips from uttering the words.
"Princess Yummy?" She threw her head back and laughed loudly. When she looked back at me, there was heat in her eyes. "Care to explain that one?"
"Somi." I shook my head, trying to not look embarrassed. I was going to kill her the next time I saw her. "That's her nickname for you."
"I'm liking her more and more." She leaned forward again. "Looks like you agree with her."
"There goes your ego again." I narrowed my eyes. "If you hear something enough it gets stuck in your brain."
"Hm." She pushed the dice toward me. "That's one explanation."
"I'm going to kill her." I frowned at the game board.
"Just make sure you hide the body well." She chuckled, her hand reaching out to brush over my fingers. "I don't think I've enjoyed a game of Monopoly this much in a long time."
"I'm developing a deep hatred for it."
"That's because you're losing." She narrowed her eyes. "In fact, you're losing so badly I'm starting to think you want to lose."
"Har, har." She was right. I was losing. Badly. "Maybe we should try another game."
"Nope. You agreed to Monopoly."
"That was before I realized you had some kind of Monopoly Jedi skills."
"This is not the hotel you are looking for."
"Shut it, Obi-Wan Cheater."
Something shifted, and I began to take the lead. Lisa looked miffed, and eventually frustrated. When she landed in jail I stood up and did a little dance in the aisle. She watched me with hooded eyes and it dawned on me I was shaking my butt in her face. I sat back in my seat but couldn't stop smiling. She leaned her elbows on the table and stared at the board with confusion.
"I can't remember the last time I lost." She looked at me with a small smile. "I might lose more often if I get treated to your victory dances."
"Oh, c'mon. I'm sure you've lost before." I started putting the pieces back in the box. The captain had started the descent for Ireland. I wanted to watch out the window and try to catch a glimpse of rolling green hills. I'd always wanted to visit Ireland but hadn't had a chance.
"I was distracted." She smirked.
"That's not my fault."
"On the contrary, it's completely your fault." She gave me a slow smile that made me want to knock the rest of the pieces off the table and pull her on top of it. "You may have won this time, but I still think we won't last as friends for very long."
"Why? I have plenty of friends."
She narrowed her eyes briefly. "There's something here, Jennie. Deny it if you can, but I don't think you'll be able to for long."
"Seriously. Your ego is at dangerous levels." I bit my lip and focused on cleaning up. She took the stack of money out of my hand and sorted it into the right places.
"You can deflect all you want. It doesn't make it any less true."
"You said there were two options." I didn't meet her eyes.
"I have a clear preference."
We lapsed into silence as we waited to land. Sarah woke Reese as we started the descent and I stared out my window. I pulled my feet up into my seat and leaned on the wall to try to see better. It was late in the day and the sun made the clouds glow a soft golden hue. It was beautiful, but I wanted to see all the green. As if listening to my thoughts, the sky split and I had my first hint. The greens were blurring into blues in the dusk and then we were over Dublin.
Fueling the plane didn't take near as long as I thought it would and after a fast meal, we were back in the air. There was a renewed sense of energy in the plane. Sarah was making phone calls and Lisa had opened up her laptop. At some point Duvall and Rebecca changed into suits that would blend into the background but still had a formal look. Reese went to the little area in front of the kitchen and pulled a curtain shut. She called for Sarah to help before coming out in a silver dress with a matching jacket. It was simple but elegant.
"We don't have much longer if you want to go ahead and change." Lisa nodded toward the little curtained area.
I stood up and made my way to the alcove. I pulled the curtain shut and opened the tiny closet that held my garment bag. I quickly undressed and fought the dress out of the bag before remembering that I needed to put on panty hose. Cursing under my breath, I dug into the bottom of the bag. The plane hit a bit of turbulence and I bounced into the wall before almost falling through the curtain in nothing but my underwear.
"Holy crap!" I stood up and prayed I hadn't knocked the curtain open.
"Jennie?" Lisa's voice was nearby and my eyes grew large. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine! What are you paying these pilots?"
A few people chuckled while I wrestled the panty hose up. Worried about more turbulence, I slid the dress on as fast as possible. Reaching behind me, I tried to grab the zipper but ended up spinning in circles like a puppy.
"Sarah?" I called for Reese's assistant, giving up.
"I've got it." Lisa's voice made me freeze. I heard the curtain whisper as she stepped into the area. "Zipper?"
"Um, yeah." I turned my back to her. The zipper started low and I was highly aware of the fact that she could see the lace panties and bra I was wearing. Her warm fingers grazed my skin as she unhurriedly pulled the zipper over the top of my butt and up my back.
"Lift your hair." She leaned down and whispered in my ear.
Slowly I reached up and gathered my hair in my hands. She slid the zipper into place before reaching down and sliding her hands around my waist. She pressed her chest against my back while she looked over my shoulder. Deftly, she pulled the belt through the loops and fastened it in the front. It was painfully erotic to know that she was taking her time dressing me and my breathing was matching the excitement of my thoughts. When she pulled back, I let my hair fall and turned to face her without stepping out of her hold.
She was already wearing a tux, the bowtie hanging open, and no shoes. It was a look that worked for her. She looked down at me with hungry eyes. "You look gorgeous."
"Thank you." Her hands were still on my waist and I was having flashbacks to our kiss.
"This is going to be difficult." She leaned back a little so she could run her eyes over my body. "Very difficult."
"All good things are worth the work." I didn't have to ask her what she was talking about because I was thinking the same thing. Being friends with Lisa would be one of the hardest things I'd ever done.
"It would be difficult either way." Lisa's voice was serious. "I'm not sure I can keep my hands off you, but I swore off women in the public eye. You make me want to take that back."
"Anyone in a relationship with you would be in the spotlight." I chewed on my bottom lip. "I don't want to be in the spotlight; I just don't think I could handle it."
She leaned forward and whispered something in Lilarian.
"What does that mean?"
"Consider it your first lesson to find out." With a small smile, she turned away and left the curtained area. I stood there, trying to catch my breath before going back out. After a minute I grabbed my shoes and carry-on. I went to the bathroom to put on makeup before twisting my hair into a messy knot at the base of my head, then put on diamond stud earrings that had been my mother's before going back to my seat.
"Perfect, dear. You look absolutely perfect." Reese touched the dress gently.
"Thank you."
"Are you ready?" Reese sat down. "When we land, the authorities will board the plane to check passports and then we will be taken to cars that will deliver us to the palace."
"I would suspect there will be a bit of fanfare for our arrival. Bringing back one of the royal families is an important occasion." Lisa was sitting across from me and her voice took on a hard edge. "There will be a great deal of media no matter what. Don't do or say anything you think you might regret."
"I understand. People will try to hurt me just to make a few dollars." She caught the undertone in my voice and regarded me with sad eyes.
"Yes." She looked out the window at the lights of the city below. "There are those people."
"Do not forget there are also people worth trusting. Those who will love you for you and nothing else." Reese looked at Lisa sadly. "Who will love you in spite of your title and money. They are out there."
Her eyes darted to me before looking at the paperwork on the desk. Was she warning me? Or was she worried I would hurt Lisa? I turned back to my window and watched as we circled the airport.
When we touched down, my anxiety rocketed. I was here, I was doing it. And I was so nervous I wanted to puke.
"How do I greet Queen Felecia?" I scrubbed my hands together.
"When you're introduced, you'll curtsy once just inside the door and then again a few steps into the room. Go straight to her and introduce yourself. She will shake your hand and welcome you to the country. After that, you'll be introduced to several other people." Reese waved her hand in the air as if she was explaining how to get to a class in a new building. "A few of the nobles that are in town will be there, as will a few key members of parliament. They always love a good reason to come to the palace. After the initial introduction, it will be less formal. This isn't the official ceremony for your reinstatement."
"Okay. Curtsy, walk, and curtsy again. Shake her hand." I took a deep breath. "Monopoly. Why did we play a board game when there is so much I need to know?"
"You needed to relax." Lisa grinned devilishly. "It was one of the only ways I could come up with to help."
One of the ways. I could imagine the other ways she could have done to help me relax. Shaking my head, I pushed aside the thought and frowned. "And what do I call her? Your Majesty?"
"That's appropriate the first time you meet her. Then you can switch to something simpler. Ma'am is the most common." Reese smiled at me. "You're going to be fine. No one is going to expect you to know everything tonight."
"The staff is used to walking people through first meetings. Don't worry," Lisa said.
The plane was taxied to an open area and I was shocked at the amount of people. A blue rug was rolled out to the plane and a line of cars pulled up. There was a military honor guard in place and a sea of flashing cameras. The door to the plane was opened and an official in a suit stepped up to the entrance.
"May I enter?" His voice held the interesting accent that Lisa spoke with.
"Please," Lisa said. Even though Lisa had been laid-back in the States, I realized that as the highest-ranking royal, everyone would defer to her.
"Welcome home, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Jeremy." Lisa stood up and shook his hand. They must interact with this official often.
"Welcome home, Duchess." Jeremy shook Reese's hand and then turned toward me. "A heartfelt welcome to you, Duchess Kim." Jeremy smiled warmly at me.
"Thank you."
"I'm afraid I need to see your paperwork." He looked embarrassed.
"Of course." I handed him my passport.
"Excellent." He looked over the passport, and I found it oddly comforting that he hadn't just waved me on. He pulled a stamp out of his pocket and quickly used it. "I hope you find Lilaria to your liking."
"I'm sure I will." I smiled at him and tucked my passport back into my bag.
Lisa stood up and held my coat out for me. I slid into the sleeves and buttoned up the front. I was about to set foot on Lilarian soil, the homeland of my ancestors and my new life. Reese walked to the exit and waited for Duvall and Becca and Sarah. Duvall jogged down the stairs to the cars, a finger to his ear as he listened to something on his earpiece. Reese turned to me and smiled.
"Welcome home, Jennie. I'll be waiting in the car for you." Reese winked at me and then quickly made her way down the stairs. There was a cry from the photographers, calling her name, but she simply waved and went straight to the vehicle. The air blowing in through the open door was cold but that wasn't why I shivered.
"I'll be right behind you." Lisa put a hand on my back.
"You promised you wouldn't throw me to the wolves." I tried to smile, but it came out weak.
"Trust me."
"I do." I took a deep breath and stepped out into the cold night air.