Page 174 of Rags to Royals

"Well, that is very handy to know, Your Highness." She gives me a tiny bow.

I growl. "You know what calling me Your Highness does to me too, wife "

She holds a hand up and starts backing away from me. "No, no, we’re not starting this. We need to go down and eat dinner."

I stop advancing but give her a warning look.

Then she gives me a flirty grin. “But if I say anything like that during dinner, I probably deserve to be spanked for it later."

I growl again and take a step forward, wrap my hand around the braid I just created, tip her head back, and say, "I am so fucking in love with you. "

Her eyes are dancing as she looks up at me. "Ditto. And your hair styling skills are very good to know about."

I lean in and drag my lips down the column of her neck. "Is that right? You want me to do your hair more often?”

"Yes, I do, actually. Very hot,” she murmurs. "And you know, it will be handy if there are ever any other little princesses around."

I lift my head quickly. Is she talking about nieces? Or Mariah? She’s not reallylittle. Or granddaughters someday? Or maybe…little princesses she and I make?

I open my mouth to respond when I hear a knock on the door and our doorknob rattle.

Scarlett’s head comes up and her gaze flies to the door. "I thought you said no one would interrupt us."

I let her go with a little sigh. We areverylate for dinner. "There was one exception I gave them,” I say, referring to the palace staff and our friends that I instructed to leave us alone until I said otherwise—instructions that have miraculously kept the hallway clear for the past day and a half since our wedding.

"What exception?" she asks as I cross to the door.

"Mariah.”

Scarlett’s expression softens. I shrug. "Of course she’s the exception."

But as I reach to open the door, I hear voices in the hallway and I pause.

Mariah and Saoirse are on the other side.

"You shouldn’t bother them," Saoirse says. "They just got married. They want to be alone. After my mom married Knox, Istayed over at the other house with Torin and Cian and everyone for like three days."

I grin at Scarlett. She’s not exaggerating.

"I have to talk to her,” Mariah says. “They’ve been in there forever. They totally missed dinner." She sounds exasperated. “After I show them this, they can go back in there and I won’t bother them anymore."

"Okay, I’m just saying, this is normal. They’ll come out eventually."

"But my mom will really want to know about this," Mariah says. "This ishuge."

Scarlett and I exchange a look.

I point to the doorknob and lift a brow.

Scarlett nods.

I swing the door open.

It startles the girls. "Oh my God, Cian!" Saoirse gasps.

"You guys, you’re not going to believe what happened!" Mariah exclaims as she immediately comes into the room.

Saoirse is typing on her phone as she follows Mariah to the sofa.

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