The Princess and the Outlaw

He stopped beside her. “And I don’t,” he said, tugging on his ball cap.

She allowed herself a forbidden moment of looking at him from head to toe. He could have been dressed in rags and he would be sexy. She swallowed an oath. “You don’t know the meaning of ordinary,” she said and walked in front of him.

Hearing Nic grab a cart behind her, she moved toward the produce. “Surely, they’d enjoy some fruit. Your mother seemed to favor fruit crepes the other day.”

“They were wrapped in sugar,” he said as she picked up a bunch of bananas and studied them. “In the basket,” he instructed. “We have a need for speed, PD.”

“I’m not sure I like being called PD,” she said, fighting a scowl as she put the bananas in the cart.

He pressed his mouth against her ear. “Would you prefer PP instead? For Princess Pippa?”

A shiver of awareness raced through her and she quickly stepped away. “Not at all,” she said and picked up an apricot. “Does this look ripe?”

“It’s perfect,” he said, swiping it from her hand and added two more to the cart. “Now, move along.”

She shot him an affronted look but began to walk. “No one except my brothers or sisters would dream of speaking to me that way.”

“One of my many charms, PD,” he said and tossed a loaf of bread into the cart.

Moments later, after throwing several items into the cart, they arrived at the register. Pippa picked up a bag of marshmallows.

“Good job,” he said.

“I thought they could make that camping dessert you Americans eat,” Pippa said. She’d read about it in a book.

“Camping treat?” he echoed.

“Some More of something,” she said.

His eyes widened. “S’mores,” he said. “We need chocolate bars and graham crackers. Get him to hold you,” he said and strode away.

“Hold me?” she said at the unfamiliar expression and caught the cashier studying her. He was several years younger than she was with rings and piercing in places that made her think ouch.

He leaned toward her. “If you need holding, I can help you after I finish my shift,” he said in a low voice.

Embarrassment flooded through her. She was rarely in a position for a man to flirt with her. Her brother usually set her up with men at least twenty years older, who wouldn’t dare make an improper advance, so she wasn’t experienced with giving a proper response. “The grocery order,” she finally managed. “I was repeating what my, uh, friend said. He misspoke, as he often does. The grocery order need holding.”

The cashier looked disappointed. “The customer behind you is ready.”

Pippa considered pulling royal rank, but knew it would only hurt her in the end, so she stepped aside and allowed the person behind her with a mammoth order go first.

Less than a moment later, Nic appeared with chocolate bars and graham crackers. He glanced at the person in front of her and frowned. “How did that happen? I told you to hold the cashier.”

“There was a mix-up and he thought I wanted, uh, him for reasons other than his professional duties. When I refused his kind invitation, he felt spurned and allowed the customer behind me to proceed.” She sighed. “Do all men have such delicate egos?”

Nic lifted a dark brow before he pulled his sunglasses over his eyes. “Depends on how many mixed messages we get. Poor guy.”

Chapter Three

“Are you sure you want to read to Stephenia tonight?” Eve Jackson Devereaux, the wife to the crown prince of Chantaine, asked in her Texas twang as she walked with Pippa to her stepdaughter’s room inside the royal master suite. “You look a little tired.”

“I wouldn’t dream of missing it. You and Stefan enjoy a few extra moments this evening. You deserve it.”

“You are a dream sister,” Eve said.

Pippa felt her heart squeeze at how Eve left off at the in-law. “As are you,” she said and studied her sister-in-law. “You look like you could use a long night’s rest yourself.”

Eve frowned and pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, no. Maybe I need one of those spa boosts Bridget is always talking about.”

“Or just rest,” Pippa said. “You may be Texan, but you’re not superhuman.”

Eve laughed. “If you say so. I didn’t want to ask, but I have a routine medical appointment tomorrow. Can you backup for the nanny?”

It wasn’t convenient, but Eve so rarely asked that she couldn’t refuse. “No problem. You’re sure it’s just routine?” she asked.

Eve smiled. “Nothing else. Thank you. I knew I could count on you. But Stefan and I were talking the other night and we both realized how much you do for all the nieces and nephews. You’re due some happy times of your own and we’re going to work on that.”

“Work?” Pippa echoed, fighting a sliver of panic. She definitely did not want to become the object of her family’s attention. Especially now. “How?”

Eve shot her a sly look that frightened her. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“There’s no need to work that hard,” Pippa said. “I’m busy with my dissertation and—”

“Don’t worry. Just enjoy,” Eve said.

“Right,” Pippa said nervously. “Don’t work too hard.”

Eve opened the door to Stephenia’s room where the three-year-old sat playing with her toys. “Steffie, I thought you wanted Pippa to read to you tonight. You’re not in bed.”

Stephenia immediately crawled into bed with an innocent expression on her face, her ringlet curls bouncing against her flushed cheeks. “I’m in bed,” she said in her tiny voice, which never failed to make Pippa’s heart twist.

Eve tossed a sideways glance at Pippa and whispered, “She’s such a heart stealer. We’re so screwed.”

Pippa laughed under her breath. “Thank goodness Stefan has you. I’m lucky. She’ll fall asleep by the time I finish the second book.”

“Or first,” Eve said in a low voice. “She’s been a Tazmanian devil today. I have to believe she’s spent some of her energy.”

Stephenia lifted her arms. “Mamaeve.”

Pippa knew Eve had felt reluctant to take on the name of Stephenia’s mother even though the woman had perished in a boating accident. Out of respect, Eve had taught the child Mamaeve. Eve rushed toward the child and enveloped her in a loving hug.

“Daddy?” Stephenia asked.

“In the shower,” Eve said. “He’ll kiss you good-night, but you may already be asleep.”

Steffie sighed and gave Eve an extra hug. The sight was heartwarming to Pippa because she’d mostly been raised by hired nannies. She knew it could have been much worse, but it gave her such relief to know that her nieces and nephews would have such a different life than she’d experienced.

“Pippa,” Stephenia said, extending her arms, and it occurred to Pippa that she would fight an army to get to her niece.