Page 5 of Reluctantly Rogue

What do I think about him finding a husband for the woman I’m in love with?

Like it might be the best idea he’s ever had.

Just wanting to fuck her would be one thing. I could get that out of my system with other women.

The love thing is turning out to be a much bigger issue.

Who knew?

Not me.

I’ve never been in love before so this is all new to me. Not being able to do a damned thing about it is making me fucking insane.

Getting her out of my life—my line of sight, far enough away that I can’t smell her, can’t hear her laugh, can’t listen to her talk passionately about issues and policies, can’t hang on every word she says about her thoughts and feelings—is probably the best solution.

Finding her a better man, who will appreciate her and love her and take care of her in a way Torin never will and in a way no one willallowme to, is a fan-fucking-tastic idea.

“I think it makes sense.”

He looks at me in surprise. “Yeah?”

“Definitely.”

He blows out a breath that is clearly full of relief. “Man, I really thought you were going to tell me I’m a dumbass.”

I don’t say anything.

Because my best friend doesn’t want the most amazing, gorgeous woman either of us has ever met. The woman who would be a perfect queen for him.

My best friendisa dumbass. Just not for the reason he thinks.

Chapter2

Linnea

* * *

When I was four years old, my grandfather got me a fiancé.

Yes, a fiancé. As in a man I would someday marry.

It was kind of like getting me a puppy. But easier.

The fiancé was free, didn’t require any shots, and we didn’t have to housebreak him.

More accurately, my grandfatherwonme a fiancé-in-the-future. In a poker game with his best friend.

His best friend needed one last big bet and put up one of his grandsons.

Then lost.

But this wasn’t just some guy my grandfather arranged for me to marry. No, this guy was a prince.A puppy with a pedigree, if you will.

A real, honest-to-God prince. Who would one day be king.

I wish that was all the start to some amazing, too-outlandish-to-believe fairy tale.

It’s not. It’s my real life.

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