Chapter 2: A Sponsorship

'You're Prince Harper, future king of Monaco', I reiterated, not exactly sure whether to believe him or not.

'That's right', he said and continued staring into the distance while taking small sips of wine. I studied him carefully, really taking all of him in. He seemed like quiet the gentleman at first glance, but the further I examined him, the more he seemed to be genuinely royal. The expensive pants and shirt, the leather shoes, the undeniably intriguing accent – they all seemed to add up.

But above all was that forlorn look on his face, like he had to worry about the weight of the world – or at least Monaco's.

'It doesn't matter who you are or what country you rule; you should have a say at who you want to spend the rest of your life with', I reasoned with him.

He chuckled, and looked at the ground, defeated. It nearly broke my heart. I decided to change the subject. 'So, for a bachelor party, your friends seem to be having more fun than you. What's that about, your royal highness?'

My remark earned me an honest laugh, and then he shifted his attention to his friends playing by the water. 'I got caught up with making sure that they have a great time that I didn't have time to visit the places I wanted to visit.'

'You want to see the Statue of Liberty', I concluded after a moment's thought.

He looked at me wide-eyed. 'How do you do that? Seriously, it's quiet terrifying but freakishly awesome.'

'I told you, I am good at reading people. Also, you look like a man who appreciates the value of freedom, and long for it. I simply connected the dots.'

'Move over Sherlock Holmes, Emma has arrived. But isn't it a bit too late for us to get a tour?'

I checked the time on my phone and realized that it was a quarter past midnight. I looked back at Harper, and immediately decided that he was worth making the impossible for.

'Let me call a friend and see if he can arrange a ferry ride to Lady Liberty', I said as I got on my feet and dusted myself off. Harper looked at me frowning, not sure whether or not to take me seriously.

I walked a few feet away and started going through my contact list before I found who I wanted to call. I knew he would still be up this late since he was a nocturnal being. 'Hey Fred, I need a favor.'

After a couple of minutes of negotiating and pulling some strings, I managed to get us a ferry ride within the next fifteen minutes – enough time for us to make it to the port. I rushed over to Harper and offered him a hand to help him up. 'Come on, we have a ferry to catch.'

'Are you serious?', he mused as he dusted himself off.

'You maybe the future King of Monaco, but I rule NYC', I joked.

'What about them?', he asked as he pointed at the men who were making their way towards us. I shrugged, secretly hoping that he wouldn't invite any of them.

He met them halfway to let them know about our new plans. The only one who seemed to mind was Henrik, but no one seemed to pay attention to his complaints much at this point. We ordered a cab for the gentlemen to head back to the hotel they were staying at after they had dried themselves off at the bonfire, while Harper and I drove to Battery Park to take the ferry.

'I must admit I didn't think you could pull this off', Harper said with an impressed look on his face. I wanted to hug myself with glee.

'I know a guy who knows a guy', I said, wanting to sound mysterious. That earned me an ear-to-ear smile. We parked and walked to the port in silence. I could sense the eagerness in Harper's movement to see Lady Liberty. You would think a Prince would have seen the whole world by his age. It was endearing observing him.

Once we made it to the port, I couldn't resist but bring back the subject of the arranged-marriage ordeal. Curiosity got the better of me. Besides, talking about it might help him deal with it better. It was a win-win.

'So about not knowing your future bride thing… how does that work exactly?'

He sighed and looked longingly at the water before focusing his attention to me. 'Royal women come from all around the world in hopes to be my wife and the future Queen of Monaco. Starting tomorrow evening, I will start to meet them and court them, and I will have two months to decide who I want as my future queen', he explained.

'Wow, you mean it's like a competition? Do you even know any of these women?', I couldn't hide the distastefulness in my mouth.

'Some I have met over the years. Most I know of through family or friends', he said nonchalantly.

I let both of us process that for a moment. It was hard to grasp that in this day and age some people still live like this. I felt both angry and sad for him. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes.

Before I managed to utter another word, the ferry swirled in front of us and the captain ushered us on. We stood on the deck looking at the looming statue in front of us. There was a mesmerizing twinkle in Harper's eyes, that may as well be tears of joy or sadness, but they didn't dare escape his eyelids.

He was so caught up in the moment that I didn't want to say anything to ruin it. Instead, I gently placed my hand over his. They were quite warm despite the cold of the night. There was a moment of serenity between us that I've only read about in books. It was surreal.

He turned around to face me, and I did the same. He looked deeply into my eyes, and suddenly something started fluttering in the pit of my belly.

'You seem to be really moved by Lady Liberty over there', I said light heartedly, and also to momentarily look away from his conniving, sultry eyes.

'All art moves me. It doesn't matter if its ink splattered on paper to form poetry or the intricate details of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. What matters is that it moves me… much like you tonight.'

My heart skipped a beat. He was making it extremely hard for me to control my lady parts – and god knows I haven't had any feels down there in a very long time.

'Too bad I'm not of royal descent. Trying to get you to fall for me would've been fun', I said, teasingly.

'Ah, yes. That miserable, golden rule.'

I couldn't resist but looking at him again. I studied the fine lines on his forehead, those strong, chiseled cheekbones, and those full, luscious lips that were slowly getting closer to mine.

'We do have tonight', he added. It was his way of trying to get my approval to kiss him.

I placed my hand on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me, and I soon found his warm lips between mine, tasting bitter-sweet of the wine and the salty breeze. His kiss was heady and intoxicating, a dangerous cocktail with all the alcohol we had consumed.

I slowly pulled away, in need for a gasp of air to steady my head and to think. Prince of Monaco or not, this man is still a complete stranger who potentially had the ability to leave me shattered for months. I didn't want to start something I knew would only make me feel terrible later – no matter how badly I wanted to explore his body tonight.

'You know, it's getting late. And I have an early shift tomorrow, so we should probably… you know… head back.'

He looked disappointed for a moment, but then got his composure back soon after. 'You're right. I am sorry to keep you up all night like this. It was a pleasure knowing you Emma, and I had such a wonderful time tonight.'

'I did too', I said and gave him a soft smile.

He went up to ask the captain to turn us around and take us back to shore. I needed the moment to calm myself down. I just had "the perfect kiss". It was one of those dear diary moments that I would never ever forget. Too bad it was with someone who will forget all about me in two months' time.

Like the gentleman that he was, he drove me back home and made sure I made it up to my apartment safe. I couldn't resist but give him a kiss good night, for only to taste his lips one last time before I went inside and left him hanging at the door.

I never realized how exhausted I was until changing into my nightwear seemed like a lot of energy I didn't have. I collapsed on my bed and easily fell into a deep slumber of dreams filled with ball gowns and princes from foreign countries.

I woke up the next morning in a daze; clearly hung-over and needed to nurse the headache throbbing between my eyebrows. I grabbed an aspirin from my nightstand and walked over to the kitchen to get some water.

I chugged the pills and stared aimlessly at my surroundings. I could go to work and forget about what happened last night and go on with the rest of my days like nothing has happened. Or I could call in sick and mope around all day like a love-sick puppy. I decided against the latter as I didn't want to be that girl.

I heated a breakfast burrito in the microwave, made me a mug of instant coffee, got dressed and took a cab to work. Daydreaming hasn't been as easy as it was today. I couldn't stop thinking about Harper. Even as Ricardo was telling me all about his stellar, happily-ever-after-feeling date, all I could do was imagine what it would be like to date a prince.

'And then he grabbed my ass and pinched it', was the first thing I heard Ricardo say that snapped me out of my reverie.

'Wow, that's wild. Very risqué for a first date.'

'Well, it's not like I put out or anything, but it was nice to be wanted like that', Ricardo defended himself.

At least you got the chance to choose to put out on the first date.

'There's a gentleman waiting for you at table three, Emma', Tariq came over to the counter and told me.

'That's Ricardo's turf.'

'The gentleman asked for you specifically', he said and went to the kitchen.

Asked for me specifically? None of my regulars show up this early in the afternoon. I took a menu and headed towards the table. I was surprised to see a familiar face.

'Sebastian? What are you doing here? I thought you would be half-way across the globe by now.'

'I'm catching a later flight. I actually came to talk to you about something of utmost importance.'

I looked at him, confused. What could Sebastian – of all people - want to talk to me about? He motioned for me to take a seat opposite him. It was totally against the rules, but when a potential member of a royal family asks you to sit on a chair, you sit on the damn chair.

'What's going on?', I asked, not entirely sure what to expect.

'It's about Harper. The man couldn't stop talking about you till the break of dawn, and then some.'

'Oh', I didn't really know how to respond to that, but felt really flattered.

'I want you to come to Monaco with me', he blurted.

It took a couple of seconds for his words to register in my head. I couldn't help but chuckle at his request. What did he want me to do? Come to Monaco and crash a royal wedding. What he was suggesting was insane.

'I've never seen Harper this happy before. You did something to him; you ignited a spark that's been missing in his life for so long.' Sebastian sounded so poetic. It took me a minute to snap out of the trance he had placed me in.

'Look, last night with Harper was amazing. And if it wasn't for the whole future-king-of-Monaco-must-marry-a-princess drama, I would've totally been asking him out on a date. I don't know if you've heard, but I am no princess. I doubt I'm even marriage material.'

'Must marry a princess? Is that what he told you?', Sebastian couldn't resist but grin.

'Was he lying?', I frowned.

'No, not technically. To wed Harper, you must come from a royal family, but you don't necessarily have to be a princess', he explained, but that only left me more confused.

'Sebastian, what are you getting at?', I pushed on.

He took a deep breath before explaining. 'You can either be from a royal family, or you need to be sponsored by a royal family. Hence, making you royal-adjacent. After seeing how Harper was after spending just one night with you, I knew that you were the perfect fit. So here I am, ready and willing to sponsor you.'

My jaw dropped. This was either the weirdest hang-over or a dream within a dream, because there was no way in hell what he was saying was real. He graciously helped me close my mouth as I stared at him in disbelief, so I slapped him.

'Ow! What the hell was that for?', he winced in pain, grabbing the attention of some of the nearby seated customers.

'I just needed to make sure that I wasn't dreaming.'

There was no way I should be considering this – should I? I mean, pit myself against other women to try and win Harper's heart so that he would marry me and I, Emma Wilson, would be future queen of a country I haven't even seen.

'I already know you're going to accept', Sebastian broke through my thoughts.

'Why do you say that?'

He leaned in closer and whispered, 'Because you are a Yes Woman.'

'Damn it! Harper told you about that?', I cursed my luck. He nodded as he nursed his cheek.

I couldn't believe what I was considering doing. I mean, I've always been looking for an adventure. But this is more than just a random hook-up with a prince, this is a life-changing decision.

'So, are you ready to see Monaco for the very first time?', he couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.