The Prince's Pregnant Challenge (The Royals of Monaco, #2) (9 page)

Jean Pierre put Simone in her bassinette. Liane had fallen asleep on his bed and he did not want to wake her, as she looked so peaceful. He lay there watching her sleep. She was beautiful when she was not arguing with him or throwing something at him. He grabbed his phone and took a picture of her sleeping.

Liane opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room. She had slept so comfortably. She stretched her arms and yawned. “Oh God,” she whispered when she remembered where she was. She turned to her side and saw Jean Pierre still sleeping next to her and Simone sleeping in her bassinette next to the bed.

Liane got out of bed and kissed Simone before she left the room. She headed to the kitchen to start making breakfast. When she heard footsteps, she turned to see Jean Pierre walking in with Simone in his arms.

“Sleep well?” he asked her.

“I did. Sit down,” she said to him and put a plate of food on the table for him. He raised his eyebrows. He did not expect her to make anything for him.

“Is it poisoned?” he asked. Liane narrowed her gaze at him. “It’s a joke.”

“Just eat quietly,” Liane said as she joined him at the table with her plate. Jean Pierre smiled at her and started eating his breakfast.

B
ridgette had been coming to see the baby regularly for the past several weeks. She had fallen in love with her granddaughter but she still did not like the mother. It was the same thing with Mrs LeBlanc. She did not like Jean Pierre because of his reputation. She also did not like his mother. Liane was happy that the drama had reduced considerably, as she hated being the centre of conflict and drama.

There was a dinner being held at the palace. Liane was excited to go because she was going to be able to show off her new toned body. She had been working very hard these last few months to get back her figure. She chose a knee length blue dress with lace sleeves and black heels. She slipped on her wedding ring, pleased that it fit her now. Jean Pierre wore a suit without a tie.

Jean Pierre was pushing Simone's stroller as they walked into the dining room at the palace. Macee and Francesca rushed towards their niece they were so excited to see her.

“Hello to you, too,” Liane said to her sisters who ignored her as they lavished their attention on Simone. They both looked at her and laughed.

“Sorry, dear,” Francesca said and kissed her on the cheek.

“She is just too adorable,” Macee said.

“May I see the baby?” Princess Katherine asked as she approached Liane. She was the only one who had not seen the baby since she had been away studying in England. She kissed Liane on both cheeks.

“Of course,” Liane said with a smile.

“She is beautiful,” Katherine said. “She looks like you,” she added.

“Hallelujah,” Liane said. The girls laughed together.

There were different conversations being held during dinner. Bridgette did not like the LeBlancs and they did not like her either. The queen was still furious with the LeBlancs for lying to her. The king stayed out of all of it. Lord Jacques was present and unaware of most of the drama but he felt the tension.

Lord Jacques was the Crown Prince's new advisor. He did not speak much throughout the dinner, as he was still unfamiliar with most of the people in attendance. He could not take his eyes off Francesca, but she barely noticed as she talked and laughed with her sisters. This was the second time he had seen her and he found himself quite taken with her and hoped for the opportunity to get to know her.

Liane discussed the christening of Simone. Now that they had a name for her and sorted out her birth certificate, they were ready to have her christened. That was one decision she and Jean Pierre had come to easily. Everything else was a struggle. Her mother was happy to hear it and was already planning a christening party.

Liane was glad to be home and away from Bridgette's awkward stares. She had enjoyed seeing her family but it was never simple or easy going. Jean Pierre had also had a tough time enduring awkward conversation with Mrs LeBlanc. Liane kicked her shoes off as she reached her bedroom. Jean Pierre was behind her with Simone.

“You have to change her,” Liane said. He stood there looking helpless. Liane approached him with the diaper bag and began walking him through it. He did everything she told him to do. He frowned at the sight of poop and gasped as the smell hit. Liane laughed. He wanted to hand everything back to her but she refused, as she stepped back. He cautiously began wiping Simone and Liane couldn’t resist telling him, “she won’t break if you wipe a bit harder, she does have to be clean.” Frowning, he did as he was told before putting a new clean diaper on her.

“Oh no!” he called out when she soiled it straight away. Liane burst out laughing. She enjoyed seeing him have such a hard time. “Oh, you're enjoying yourself there, aren't you?” he said to Liane. She shrugged her shoulders.

“It's a little funny,” she said.

He changed Simone into a new diaper before putting her pyjamas on her. Liane clapped for him. He laughed and gloated over his new skill. He rocked Simone until she fell asleep before placing her in her bassinette. They left the room and went to the kitchen to have some wine. Jean Pierre poured red wine for both of them as they sat down at the table. “You like wine?” he asked her.

“It's alright, I can do with or without it. Makes no difference,” she said.

“Is it okay to drink when you are breastfeeding?”

“Very small amounts.” Jean Pierre raised his eyebrow at her. Liane started laughing. “The last glass I had before this one was weeks ago when Macee and the prince came over,” she said.

“I did not say anything.”

“Oh, but your face did.”

Jean Pierre put his glass down and took Liane's hands in his. She raised her eyebrows in question as her heart immediately started racing. It was strange how something so small could affect her so much.

“I love Simone,” he said.

“So do I, where is this going?”

“If you keep quiet, I'll tell you,” Jean Pierre said. Liane's mouth hung open. “Thank you for giving her to me.” Simone was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He needed one thing to be good in his life. She changed him so much and it was for the good. Liane did not know what to say to him, so she remained silent.

He caressed her face with the back of his hand. “I do not dislike you as much as I did,” he said to her. Liane frowned.

“Is that a thing to say to a woman?” she asked. Jean Pierre smiled. Of course, she was going to snap at him about it.

“There is a reason I make you so angry so quickly,” he told her.

“It’s because you are so annoying.”

“I did not even get to the point and you are already arguing with me.”

“You are not getting to the point.”

Jean Pierre kissed her. It was the only way she was going to stop talking. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “I am saying, let us make our marriage work,” he said. Liane's eyes flew open. He was very good at shocking her.

“What?” she asked.

“For the sake of Simone.”

Liane had no idea what she was expecting him to say but she pulled away from him. “Just for her?” she asked. He reached out and caressed her cheek.

“And for your sake,” he said.

“My sake?”

“I see the way you look at me.” Liane narrowed her gaze at him and shook her head. He was impossible to deal with. He laughed and pulled her chair closer to his. “It's a joke,” he said.

“It's not funny,” she replied. She tried to stand up but he pulled her back down.

“I have never really liked any woman I was with nor have I ever fallen in love.”

“There's a surprise,” Liane said sarcastically.

“So, it was not easy for me to recognise my feelings.”

“What are you saying?”

“I think that I am in love with you!” he shouted. Liane was not getting it nor was she allowing him to express himself properly. He had not planned to tell her that he was in love with her but after he said the words, he knew it was true. He had fallen for her. Liane stared at him wide-eyed. “So, I am saying that I want to make this work. Be my wife,” he said calmly, now that he had her attention.

“I am your wife.”

“No, properly. Can you make room for me in your heart?”

“I think you're already there.”

Jean Pierre kissed her. “You are a difficult woman,” he said to her. “I still remember the first time I kissed you.”

“You were not drunk?”

“No, did you think I was?”

“Well I thought you were a bit tipsy. I mean you had to be if you were that bold to sleep with the Crown Prince's betrothed.”

“I was very sober and I knew what I was doing,” he said as he pulled Liane towards him. She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I was sober too,” she said and kissed him. As much as she tried to fight her feelings, she knew that it was futile. This man made her heart race and her body sing. And what was worse, she couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

Chuckling, he hugged her. “I remember how you looked at me when I took your horse.”

Growling at him, “I wanted to kill you for that. You had no idea what kind of a week I had. I had been looking forward to riding all day and when I get out there, you have my mare.”

Jean Pierre laughed. “You are the only woman to ever treat me with such disdain,” he said.

“Good, because I will keep you in check.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

L
iane was sitting in the sun wearing a short dress as Simone slept peacefully in her stroller. The maid came outside and handed Liane her mail. She took it and thanked her. There was red envelope that grabbed her attention instantly. It was an invitation to Tracey's wedding. She smiled as she read it.

Jean Pierre walked outside and kissed her on the forehead. He asked her what she was reading. She handed him the invitation card. He read it and then put it down. “I have something for you,” he said to Liane.

“What?” she asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little box. He opened it to reveal a large yellow diamond. Liane gasped. “You got me a ring?” she asked.

“No, a shoe,” he said sarcastically. She narrowed her gaze at him. He laughed and put the ring on her finger.

“It's massive,” she said as she threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

“I can think of a better way to thank me,” he said, as he rubbed her bare legs. She smacked his hand away.

“Not when Simone is here. Besides we are outside,” she said. Jean Pierre called one of the maids and asked her to take Simone inside. He took Liane’s hand and led her to the shed in the garden. She giggled as they walked inside. This man was incorrigible and she loved him.

***

P
rince Louis rushed to find Macee when he heard that she was not feeling well. He found her lying on the bathroom floor facing upwards. He ran to her and sat her up. “Are you alright?” he asked her. She smiled and nodded.

“I heard that you are not feeling well,” he said, but she was smiling at him. “Why are you lying on the floor?” he asked.

“Because I keep getting sick. So I thought I should stay in here for a while.”

“So, why are you smiling about it?”

“Because I just took a pregnancy test and it was positive.”

Prince Louis's eye widened. “Really?” he asked her. She smiled and nodded. She reached for the stick that was also on the floor and showed it to him. He laughed and hugged her.

“Are you happy?” she asked him.

“Of course I am! We are pregnant!”

“Yes, we are.”

“Oh, Macee, thank you! I love you so much.”

Macee laughed. He had given her such an amazing response. “I love you, too.”

END OF PART 2

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“Good evening, Your Majesty. Please, make yourself at home,” Rick Tompkins said, shaking the hand of the leader of Jawhara as he was escorted into the grand foyer of the Whittemore.  “It’s a pleasure to have you join us this evening.”

Kamal Mehalel El-Jawhara, Sheik of Jawhara, and CEO of Jewel Oil, shook the hand of the man who was going to bring his country’s reputation a much needed boost. He nodded his head and spoke to the two men standing behind him briefly in Arabic.

As they moved off to do his bidding, he spoke to Rick, one of the Addams Group owners, “Your company put together an impressive presentation today. It was a pleasure to see their enthusiasm for this project. I have spoken with my brother, and we both agree that sometime in the near future, your team should visit Jawhara. That way they can see for themselves what is needed going forward.”

Rick nodded, “I think that would definitely be of benefit. I’ll speak with Damon about setting something up.”

“Fine.” Kamal looked around at the numerous people gathered to celebrate. There were a number of people in attendance that he recognized from the photos his secretary had shown him earlier this evening. Being prepared was something Kamal insisted upon. He prided himself on knowing both his friends and his adversaries before entering into any type of social gathering. With his connections, he often knew more about people he had never met, than long term friends knew about each other after years of interaction.