Mateo checked his watch as he waited for Maia to emerge from the dressing room while Demetri directed their guards to take the various trunks of clothes, shoes and accessories to the waiting caravan of cars.

"You and Maia have plans tonight?" Demetri asked as he closed a trunk full of fabric and sewing supplies.

"Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair. "And I'm just a bit nervous. The last time I planned something like this, it didn't end very well."

Demetri chuckled. "You've got nothing to worry about," he said, leaning against the couch. "One thing you should know about our Maia is that she has high end tastes like her designer clothes, but it doesn't take much to make her happy. All she's ever wanted was someone who loves her for just being her."

"I get that." Mateo nodded. "That's why I don't want to mess up," he said and raised an eyebrow. "Did you ever want to be that person for her?"

"No." Demetri shook his head and crossed his tattooed arms over his chest. "Maia and I have our moments, but that's all it is and all it will ever be. I have no desire to commit to anyone," he said, nodding to the black door of the dressing room. "She wants someone to commit all her desires to, if you know what I mean."

"I do," Mateo murmured because that was all he wanted too. He didn't need his secret affairs or the endless parties to live out his fantasies and desires. He just wanted one person to love and explore those fantasies with.

The dressing room door opened and Mateo stood from the couch with his heart pounding.

Dear God, it was her.

Maia stepped out of the room dressed in a pair of flowing high waisted white trousers and a silky bronzed crop top with a scooped neck that hinted at the curve of her breasts and matched the copper highlights in her curly tresses.

"I'm sorry I took so long," Maia said, slipping her feet into a pair of tan wedges. "I couldn't decide what outfit I wanted to wear first."

"No need to apologize," Mateo said, crossing the short distance between them and taking her hand. "You look beautiful, liefje."

"Thank you," She smiled. "You're looking mighty suave yourself," she said, sliding her hand over the lapel of his crisp ash gray blazer. "Did you stop by my house and change after you went shopping?"

"Mm-hm, I wanted to look nice for our date this evening," he said, kissing her palm. "That is, if you'd like to go out with me?"

Maia's eyes lit up as she nodded. "I'd love to," she said, biting her lip. "But I think I should help Dem pack up the clothes I left in the dressing room first."

Demetri plucked a long tan coat from the rack by the stairs. "No, I got it. You and His Highness have plans," he said, handing her coat to Mateo. "Leave the rest of the packing to me."

"Thank you, Demetri. I'll make sure a few of our guards stay behind to help you. You don't need to pack up everything on your own," Mateo said, holding Maia's coat open for her. "Shall we?"

"Yes," she said, slipping her arms into her coat before she thread her fingers through his. "And where are you taking me this evening?"

Mateo grinned, squeezing her hand "You'll see."

"Enjoy your evening," Demetri said. "I'm sure I'll see you both tomorrow at some point."

Maia gave Demetri a wave as they walked down the steps of the studio. Mateo stopped the two guards walking up the steps to inform them that they'd be staying behind to help Demetri.

"Of course, Your Highness. Willem said that might be the case," the guard said, chuckling as he looked at Maia. "You've got quite the stylist, Miss Jefferies and a wardrobe to rival the Princesses."

She laughed. "Thank you, I think?"

"That's a compliment," the guard said, bowing his head. "Our Prince is lucky to be with such an elegant woman."

"Yes I am," Mateo said as they continued down the stairs to the waiting black sedan. His heart clenched at the frown that knitted Maia's brow as they slipped into the car. "What's wrong?"

"Am I that different from your ex?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, it just feels like your guards are surprised that you're with me. Before everything happened with Saskia, didn't they feel the same way about her? I mean, you were thinking about marrying her, right?"

"Yes I was and no, they didn't feel the same way about Saskia," Mateo said, chuckling. "Besides my father and Eline, Willem and Lars were always telling me I was settling for someone less than I deserved."

"Mm, and now I think you're punching above your weight," Willem teased as he looked up in the rearview mirror. "You're too good for this scoundrel, Miss Jefferies."

"I told you that's what everyone would think. You're too lovely to be with me," Mateo said, leaning into her ear and her flowery perfume teased his senses. "But I hope after tonight, you'll feel I'm worthy to share all your desires with me."

"I already told you, I do," she whispered, sliding her hand over his thigh. "You don't have to prove anything to me."

"I want to, liefje," he said, kissing her cheek. "I don't want you to have any regrets or any doubts about the way I feel for you."

"You're already off to a good start, lekker ding," she said, turning her face to him. "No one's ever cared or ever felt the need to do that for me."

Mateo smiled, kissing her softly. "Then I'm honored to be the first, mijn prinses."

"Mateo, this is beautiful," Maia said, smiling as drank a sip of her wine and swayed to the soft jazzy melody of the trio of violinists playing on the deck of the private boat he rented for the evening.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, setting his napkin down and sliding closer to her on the cushioned bench beneath a covered fairy lit canopy. "I know this is your city and I'm sure I can't take you anywhere you haven't been, but I thought I'd show you how I like to see the city when I'm here."

"This is the best way to see the city. It's why I live on a boat." Maia chuckled softly as she leaned into him. "But in all the years I've lived here, I've never been on a date on a boat like this."

"What?" Mateo raised an eyebrow. " How is that possible?"

Maia shrugged. "I guess because I dated a lot of people who already lived on a canal it never occurred to them to take me out on a moving boat." She laughed. "But it's not like I told them I'd want to do this."

"Mm," Mateo said, resting his arm behind her. "That's a theme with you."

Maia looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Liefje," he said, sighing. "You spent two years with someone who never cared about what you wanted or what you needed," he said, brushing a curl from her face. "And it ate you up because you felt like you couldn't tell Sven what you wanted."

"Yeah." Maia nodded, biting her lip. "I forget to hold on to my main character energy when I'm with someone."

"I know and I don't want you to do that with me," he said, sliding his hand to her cheek. "No matter how big or small it is, don't be afraid to tell me what you want and what you need. I'll always try my best to do it for you."

"Okay, but what about what you want and what you need? Our relationship can't just be about me."

"It's not." Mateo smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. "I've been getting what I want and need from you since the day you asked me to be your muse."

"Liar." Maia laughed. "Your scandalous needs haven't been satisfied yet."

"They have in my dreams," he said, caressing her bottom lip with his thumb. "And you've written every dirty detail of them for Donny," he whispered and the heady look in her eyes sent a warm tingle down his spine.

"You are a scoundrel," she said, sliding her hand over his chest to the open buttons of his shirt. "Is that what you want to do to me? Tease me until I fall apart in your arms?"

"Among other things, yes," he said, kissing the side of her mouth. "But only if you want me to."

A smile tugged at Maia's lips as she leaned into his ear. "I wished I was Tati in Donny's thoughts," she whispered, nipping his ear and he nearly moaned at the zing that went straight to his dick. "I want you to make it real."

Mateo pressed a kiss to her neck as he slid his hand over the curve of her ass. "I would love nothing more than to do that for you."

And hope he was the one she wanted to commit all her desires to because the woman in his arms was everything he'd dreamed for and the only thing he wanted was to satisfy every part of her.

A/N: And, also, too...Mateo just tell her you love her already! Honestly, they both need to confess, but maybe after they take care of all that sexual tension they've got going on will push them over the edge....😏 Glad it finally came out that some of the 'ideas' he'd been giving her about Donny were actually his fantasies 🤭🥰