Page 61 of Reluctantly Rogue

“Which time?” I ask with a small smile.

“I was right to avoid having even a taste.”

Then she grabs her bags, turns, and heads into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Chapter12

Linnea

* * *

Ishut the bedroom door behind me. I roll my suitcase to the closet. I tip it over and start to unzip it. But mid-unzip, the adrenaline hits. My hand starts to shake, and I have to straighten and press my hand to my chest so that I can take a deep breath.

Holy. Shit.

Jonah is not mad at me. He’s not uncomfortable because I acted like an idiot.

He wants me.

He’s been avoiding me because he wants me and can’t do anything about it.

He said that if we were anyone else, I would’ve been in his bed every night since that night.

Holy. Shit.

I cross to the bed and sink down onto the mattress. I keep working on my breathing. My heart is pounding and my whole body feels hot.

No one has ever said anything like that to me.

No one has ever looked at me the way Jonah looked at me just now.

I’ve never had a man’svoicemake my panties wet.

Oh my God. Jonah Greene wants me. The only thing keeping us apart is the fact that I’m engaged to his best friend.

I frown. That’s not even it. Torin and I aren’t actually engaged, and no one knows it better than Jonah. He’s not staying away from me because of some bro code or because Torin is madly in love with me and it would break his heart if Jonah and I had feelings for one another.

He’s staying away from me because he’s the prince’s bodyguard.

Nothing can happen between us. He’s right about that.

If we’re hoping King Diarmuid would want me happy and would allow me to break off the arranged marriage with Torin for someone else, the odds of him thinking Jonah is the one to throw it all away for are slim.

Even if I can see myself with him.

The way we share smiles across crowded rooms. The way he brings a pashmina along for me even on the nights I’m sure I’ll be warm enough, and then I’m always grateful to have it. Our late-night talks in the kitchen. The fact that he knows intimate details about me and that immediately made me feel safe rather than violated. I know I can tell Jonah anything. And not only will he keep my confidence, but none of it makes him think differently about me.

He understands my life.

He knows how to act at balls and meetings with international figureheads, and even around my family. He understands what I want. I don’t care about the crown, the jewels, the fame. He understands why I want to be queen.

And if I wasn’t queen, but just an advisor or ambassador, he understands that too, and would support me and would be awesome by my side. He wears suits like other men wear blue jeans and T-shirts. He has the manners, understands the social norms, can absolutely conduct himself in any social situation.

He could fit into my world seamlessly.

Except that he’s committed to Torin.

Torin is his assignment. Torin has to come first. Unless Jonah leaves his assignment as Torin’s bodyguard, which…I would never ask him to do. I admire his work. I know he’s important to Torin’s success. Torin is who he is today, in part due to Jonah’s presence in his life and I do believe that Jonah is someone who will be integral in making Torin the best king he can be.

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