Page 30 of Reluctantly Rogue

“Thanks for the talk,” she says, stopping before her door and turning to me. “Maybe I shouldn’t have spilled all of that to you, told you how annoying I find your best friend. The future king.”

I smile. “You can talk to me about that any time. Trust me. No one knows how annoying he can be better than me.”

She smiles, a true, genuine smile. “Thank you. That’s…a relief. I can’t say those things to anyone else.”

“Any time.” And I mean that.

Then she says something terrible.

“As you know, I haven’t had a lot of men—okay,anymen—walk me to my door. I don’t know what to do now.”

And that’s all it takes for my imagination to flash with thoughts of pressing her against the door, tunneling my fingers into her hair, taking her mouth…

I have to clear my throat. “You say goodnight, then you go inside,” I say. Firmly. For myself, if not for her.

She nods. “Okay. Goodnight, Jonah.”

Fuck, her saying my name, her voice a little soft and husky…

Dammit.

“Goodnight, Duchess.”

And as I turn away and go to my door, it’s not lost on me that my room puts mebetweenher and Torin.

But I refuse to think of that as symbolic.

It doesn’t mean a thing.

Chapter7

Linnea

* * *

My phone lights up with another social media notification from the podcast I follow. The podcastWait ’Til I Tell Yepasses on the news and gossip—especially the royal gossip—from the island and even does stories on things like pet adoption drives, skincare tips, and home decorating ideas during their three-hour daily show. They’re not recording tonight, but they’re posting on their social media channels because the two hosts, Lindsey and Jen, are down at the pub tonight.

The pub where Torin and Jonah are celebrating Jonah’s birthday.

Wait ’Til I Tell Ye post:

Lindsey:He’s usually behind the scenes, but tonight, ladies, Prince Torin’s bodyguard, and best friend, Jonah Greene, is celebrating his birthday! Come on down for a birthday shot on the Crown Prince!

I smile as I set the hot cookie sheet on the cooling rack.

Needless to say, whenever Torin is out in public, he gets plenty of attention, but it sounds like Jonah is, appropriately, the star tonight.

He’s always in Torin’s shadow and I’m so happy that Jonah is getting some special attention from Torin. I know that Torin cares about and appreciates Jonah, but I’m very glad he’s showing that publicly. I’m sure Jonah tried to talk him out of it. I’m sure he’s trying to brush it all off. I’m sure he gave in only after other members of the security team assured him that they were on top of everything and he could just relax.

I wish I could be there.

I push that thought to the back of my mind.

There’s no reason for me to be there. It wouldn’t make sense. Explaining why I’m there wouldn’t be worth it. Yes, Jonah and I are friends, but connecting those dots for people would lead to revealing how much time I spend at the palace with the prince and his bodyguard and would, no doubt, lead to speculation about Torin and me that would annoy his royal highness.

I roll my eyes. Wouldn’t want that.

My phone pings again, and I lean over to read the new notification.

---