Page 32 of Royal Rebel

She smiles shyly, smoothing her hands down the puffy skirt of her dress. “Is it too much?”

I hold my finger up, turning it in a circle. “Let me see.”

Doing a little curtsy, she spins around. “What do you think?”

It shows off everything in a sensual way that’s not revealing. Only I know what’s underneath the clothing she wears, and the thought makes my chest puff out.

I’ve never been this guy. The one who gets all caught up in the woman he’s with. There’s never been a pride I had with the woman on my arm, but her? I have so much pride in being with her, I feel like I won’t fit through the damn door.If anyone were to ask me, she’s going to be the best part of me. This woman will make me a better man.

Walking over to her, I put my hand up to her cheek, cupping it. “You look absolutely gorgeous. This color sets off your eyes, I don’t know what they’ve done to your hair, but the way these little pieces”—I reach out with my free hand, twirling the strand around my finger—“hang down and brush your shoulders is sexy as hell.”

She blushes, leaning into my body, letting me take her weight. I hold her up firmly, the way the thought of her has held me up the past day I’ve spent without her. She must be wearing heels, because she comes higher than collarbone level with me. “You look handsome yourself.” She runs her hands along my shoulders before twining her arms around my neck. Casually I put my arms around her waist, holding her in the same familiar way she holds me. “I like the way you look normally, but when you put on a tux, Your Highness? You get this James Bond look about you, all sexy and mysterious. Especially when you have this sleepy look to you. How tired are you? And this beard? You look hot.”

The side of my mouth tilts up as she rubs her hands against my neck. I could purr as she digs those fingers into my tight muscles. This is how I want to spend the rest of the night. Relaxing with her hands all fucking over me. “Damn tired,” I groan when she hits a particular tense piece of tissue. She rubs, trying to get the knot out. “But not tired enough to waste the way you look tonight, Lia.”

Capturing my lips with hers, she kisses me softly before pulling back. She doesn’t let it get out of hand, which slightly disappoints me, but I let her pull away. Her eyes shine as she looks up at me. “What exactly does that mean?”

Licking my lips, I drown in the taste of her, move myhand around her cheek to her neck, pulling her closer to me. Inhaling, I let her scent wash over me. “It means.” I move my mouth close to her ear, whispering darkly, “I can’t wait to get you home and mess up this perfect hair you have. Can’t wait to see what you have on under this dress, and fucking can’t wait to smear this lipstick.”

Smearing her lipstick is going to become a favorite pastime of mine. Whenever she looks perfect, all I want to do is mess her up.

We’re both quiet as we stare at one another, and I wonder for a brief moment if I’ve gone too far. She’s not used to me, and I’m not exactly used to what she expects from me. Maybe I’ve overstepped. “Is that okay with you?”

Her cheeks are bright, her eyes slightly glassy when she looks back up at me. She takes a deep breath, seeming to try and compose herself. “More than okay, Tris. Let’s leave as soon as we can?”

The honesty in her gaze hits a piece of my heart that hasn’t been touched in a long time, and I find myself doing something I haven’t done since my mom was alive. On impulse, I hold out the pinkie of my right hand. She grins at me, holding hers up and hooking it around mine. Our pinkies entwine, her cool skin touching the warmth of mine.

“Pinkie promise, Lia, and I don’t make a pinkie promise I can’t deliver.”

Her eyes are round, almost as if she can’t believe what I’ve just done. And I get it, it’s such a juvenile promise to make, but it’s always been one I see as important. Back when I was small, this was the one promise I didn’t break to my mother. She taught me that each person has something they will never go against. This promise was ours, and I want to have the same kind of promise with Lia. Maybe I can’t voicethe feelings to her yet, but I damn well can prove to her how much she means to me by my actions.

Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and I hope like hell she can read between these lines.

“We’re ready.” Parker enters the room, his eyes going to our entwined pinkies.

As I escort her out of the room, I wonder just how in the hell this woman got under my skin so quickly.

CHAPTER 18

AMELIA

“Are you nervous?” Tristan asks as he sits next to me in the back of our limo.

We’ve just entered and have about thirty minutes before we reach the venue. “A little, but I’m more worried about you.” I brush my hand over his hair, bringing my palm around his bearded cheek. “You look so tired.” I run my fingertip underneath his eyes, wishing I could erase the dark circles. He looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and perhaps he does—at least the weight of a country.

“I’m exhausted,” he admits as he yawns loudly. “It’s the way this whole thing goes though. Somebody has to worry about the safety of the country, and that person is me.” His soft voice whispers. “Nothing in the world means more to me than making sure you’re safe.”

“Why don’t you take a nap as we drive over.” I hate to see him so tired, and I hate that he’s decided to come withme after not having slept. The stress and lack of rest is so apparent in his face. He looks like he’s aged a few years in just the past few hours. It looks good on him though, he’s the type of man who will be handsome when he gets older. I hate the circumstances which has brought it forth.

He checks his phone, grimacing slightly. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep long.”

The part of me that wants to take care of him argues vehemently. “A little bit is better than nothing.”

“Come on.” I pat my lap, much like I would do with a small child. In many ways there are certain instances where he does remind me of a child. Of the child who lost his mother too early, and is trying desperately to be the man she would have wanted him to be. “Tris, lie down and get some sleep.”

Tristan looks like he wants to argue, but he gives in as he yawns again. I scoot further over into the corner of the limo as he stretches out, putting his head in my lap. It’s this surrender of security that’s my undoing. The fact he feels safe enough to let his guard down lets me know exactly how deeply involved with one another we are.

“Wake me up when we get there?” He grabs hold of my hand, entwining our fingers together. My heart melts slightly when he brings the back of my hand up to his lips, kissing it gently before laying it on his stomach.

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