“Agreed.” He leaned closer to me, the heat from his body warming my arm. “There are much more enjoyable ways of losing sleep.” He winked jauntily and looked toward the curb. “Our ride.”

The black limo pulled up to the hotel and the attendant opened the door for us. Alex led me to the car and I tried to not focus on the fact that he was still holding my fingers. I felt foolish sliding into the luxury car. The last time I had been in a limo was prom, a thousand years ago. My date had been drunk and thrown up on my dress. Not exactly good memories.

Alex slid into the seat and looked at me. I started to shift uncomfortably. “What?”

“Your address?” He smiled and I found myself flushing again.

“Oh.” I rattled off the street address and watched as Alex nodded at the driver. Once we pulled away from the curb, the driver closed the window between the front and back. I leaned into my seat and watched as the lights of the city flew by.

“Do you have a roommate? Or do you still live with your father?” Alex shifted in his seat. I found it odd that we were in this huge car and yet both sat on the smallest bench in the very rear. Should I have scooted around once I climbed in? Was there limo etiquette?

“Yes. Jess and I have lived together since our freshman year.” I snorted. “And her boyfriend Bert, he practically lives with us.”

“And your boyfriend?” Alex watched my face carefully.

“Did you really just ask if I had a boyfriend?” I laughed.

“Apparently not very smoothly.” He laughed. “Are you ducking the question?”

“No boyfriend. I don’t have time for that type of stuff.” Boyfriends required time and patience. Not to mention energy, and lately all that was spent on my degree or taking care of my father.

He hmm’d to himself for a minute and I felt one of my eyebrows rise in amusement.

“What?” I asked.

“Well, if the only thing holding you here is school and your father, then there’s hope you will come home with us. No bothersome boyfriend to worry about.” He leaned back comfortably, his eyes trained on my face. “Besides, you’ll be on all the men’s radar when you get there. Beautiful, American, intelligent, and funny. Not to mention your comic-book knowledge. I might have some competition.”

“Oh.” Had he just called me attractive? Competition for me? I should know better. He was just being friendly, trying to convince me to go. Alex couldn’t be interested in someone like me. I was light-years from the type of women he was probably used to. I wasn’t sophisticated or fashionable. Hell, I hadn’t even known what fork to use at dinner tonight.

“Why does it matter to you?” I hoped he didn’t hear the irritation in my voice. I was mainly upset with myself for being disappointed. “Is there something in it for you if I go to Lilaria?”

He ran a hand across his jaw, taking his time before answering. “I’m not sure. You’re intriguing.”

“What does that mean?” Intriguing? As in a possible pawn he could use? Intriguing ideas? “Look, if I go to Lilaria and take a seat on the council, I’m not going to side with you on things just because you told me I was from a long-lost line of royalty. So if you’re planning on using me for some political maneuvering, you’d be sorely disappointed.”

“And that’s exactly why we need you.” Alex chuckled. “Lord, you’re a feisty woman.”

I snorted and started to respond but was interrupted by my beeping cell phone. I pulled it out of the little clutch I was carrying and checked the text message. Jess was making sure I was okay, so I sent her a quick message letting her know I was on my way home. She replied that I shouldn’t text and drive. Little did she know I was in a limo.

Before I could put the phone back in my purse, Alex held his hand out. “May I?”

“Uh, sure.” Not sure if he needed to use the phone or if he was being nosy, I watched as he unlocked the screen and typed something quickly. He held the phone to his ear and nodded.

“Now you have my number.” He turned it off and handed it back to me. “If you need anything or have any questions, let me know. Anything at all.”

The limo pulled off the expressway and turned toward my neighborhood. “Thanks.”

As we pulled up to my little house, I grew nervous. I berated myself, because it wasn’t like this was a date. He wasn’t going to be looking for a good-night kiss.

“Well, this is me.” I nodded toward my little house and watched his reaction. Would he think my house was sad? Or would he think it funny that a long-lost line of royalty lived in such an old home? I liked our little place. It was ours. Well, not really ours. We rented it but had been there for three years. It was home.

“Lovely place.” Alex opened the door to the limo and held his hand out for me. His warm fingers wrapped around mine to help me before moving to the small of my back as we walked through the snow-covered grass. I knew it was a gentlemanly thing to do, to assist a woman walking through the snow, but it amused me. I didn’t need help walking through my own yard. In fact, I was the last person to cut the grass.

“It does look pretty cozy all covered in snow.” When we got to the front stoop I turned to look at Alex and smiled. I pulled the keys out of my purse and looked for the door key. “Thank you for making sure I got home safely.”

“Thank you for letting me keep my dignity.” Alex stepped closer and brushed some of the hair away from my face. My breath caught as he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. “It’s been… an honor to meet you, Samantha.”