Page 27 of A Royal Menace

“Hey, Royal,” Barb says, and my gaze lances through her before I can stop it.

I relax when I see her expression holds only a slight affection and no real sexual interest. And when I realize what I’m doing, I tense up again. What in the hell is wrong with me? This has got to stop.

“Royal Manning,” my temporary roommate says, stretching a hand toward Adam, and I realize I’ve failed to introduce him and made this whole thing as awkward as it could possibly be.

Shaking my head and forcing a short laugh, I say, “Sorry. Sorry. Royal, this is Adam, and that’s Shannon. This is my…coworker, Royal.”

Adam takes Royal’s hand in a firm shake while I studiously ignore Shannon’s raised eyebrows. She’s listened to me complain about Royal being a pain in my ass many times, and I can read her expression like a book with large print.

You never told me he was hot.

I narrow my eyes and shake my head slightly, and she mouths the word “later” before snapping her attention back to Adam, who’s started to speak.

“We’re going out for karaoke in an hour. You should join us.”

I cast my eyes toward Royal, and he starts to grin, but it drops as he turns his head to look at me with a questioning gaze. He obviously wants to go, but he won’t accept unless I’m good with it. He’s asking permission, and a warmth rushes through me at his consideration. He won’t accept the invitation if his presence will make me at all uncomfortable or put a damper on my evening with my friends.

I nod slightly, my lips twitching at the corners. His expression smooths out, his relief and pleasure palpable. He looks back at Adam and smiles widely.

“I’m in.”

“Great! We’re meeting atThe K Loungeat nine. It’s only a block away, so no need to drive.”

“Sounds good,” Royal says, rocking back on his heels as he shoves his hands into his pockets.

The others say their goodbyes, and Shannon gives me a pointed look that says “we will be discussing this later” before they turn and wander off. When they’re out of earshot, Royal turns to me with an earnest expression.

“I don’t want you to feel like I put you on the spot. If you really don’t want me to go, I won’t. I don’t want to ruin your fun with your friends.”

“No, it’s fine,” I say, then swallow thickly before adding, “I want you to come.”

“Good,” he says, his smile widening to show off his white teeth. “I actually love karaoke.”

“You do?” I ask, cocking my head.

“I do,” he says, nodding enthusiastically.

“Are you any good?”

He tilts his forehead toward me, his eyes boring into mine, and his voice filled with arrogance as he says, “Come on, Callie. You know I’m good at everything.”

Laughter bubbles out of me, and Royal’s smile softens. My heart trips in my chest as I realize this might be the first time I’ve taken his cocky behavior as a joke, and maybe this is how he’s always intended it to come across. That I let my dislike of his teaching methods color every interaction we’ve ever had.

And maybe I actuallyamthe asshole.

“I’m, uh, going to head up to the room to get ready,” I blurt, needing a moment away from him to sort this realization out.

“Okay,” he says. “I’ll give you some privacy and be up in a little while.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, then nod shakily before turning and striding away.

Gulping down the last of my drink, I set the glass on an empty table on my way out. I don’t make eye contact with anyone as I head for the bank of elevators. I have no desire to be waylaid for any reason. I need to be alone.

I push through the room door the second the lock beeps at my keycard, pushing it closed and leaning back against it and taking a few deep breaths. I’m okay. Everything is okay. Just because I’m seeing Royal in a new light doesn’t mean I need to feel like shit for the way I saw him before this weekend, right?

I mean, he fed into my dislike, pushing all my buttons at every opportunity. He should’ve stopped when he saw my anger, realizing I wasn’t taking his ribbing as it was always intended. No, he double-downed, looking for ways to piss me off…like heenjoyedit. Like getting a reaction out of me has always been the highlight of his day.

Or I’m just reading too much into this. Maybe Royal really has felt the same way about me as I have him, and spending time together this weekend has opened his eyes like it has mine. Maybe he’s just realized I’m not so bad. And if he knows I’ve been making the same realization about him, his constant proximity today could be his way to foster these newfound feelings of comradery because he just doesn’t want to go back to being mortal enemies on Monday morning.

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