Page 94 of Rags to Royals

That’s what I saw in Scarlett in New Orleans two years ago. It’s what I see now when she’s at home talking with Mariah, or when she’s brainstorming with me.

But she doesn’t talk about her work that way. She definitely doesn’t talk about Emerald that way. She’s in Emerald to prove points, and it sucks the life out of her.

I want her to be happy. I want to give her something that gives her the fire and drive, that taps into that part of her I’ve seen in all these other women in my life.

Fuck, I want that for myself. It’s what I’m searching for.

I watch her cross to the bed in the suite and lean over to take her sandals off. It’s September, which is still warm in Ohio, but it’s downright hot in Louisiana which means Ruby packed Scarlett a sundress and sandals that she changed into on the plane.

She looks gorgeous and it is a testament to how into our conversation I was that I wasn’t feeling her up under the table at the restaurant.

She turns and runs her hands through her hair which causes the hem of the dress to rise on her perfect thighs.

“You should know,” she says, letting her arms, and hair, drop. “I’m proud of you, Cian. What you did with that community is incredible. I’m so glad you did it.”

Hearing she’s proud of me should not have the effect it has on me, but my chest warms and tightens.

I take a step toward her. “I’m glad. I thought of you every single day during the process.”

“I wish I could’ve seen it coming together.”

I come to stand right in front of her. “I do too. I kept worrying I was missing something. I kept wishing I could share the decisions. I kept wondering what you would think of certain things. I wished that you could meet Joann. And that she could know you.”

“Have you told your sister about it?” she asks, looking up at me.

I shake my head. “Henry is the only one who knows about it.”

Scarlett frowns. “Why? You should be proud of it.”

I’m not sure why I haven’t told anyone. Then I realize that’s not entirely true. “Because I did it to share it with you. I guess when I couldn’t, I just…kept it to myself. I wasn’t sure it would mean that much to anyone else.”

She looks sad and then frustration crosses her face. “They would think it was great. Your family is full of people who do things for others, who look for ways to improve lives. I know they’d want to know.”

I feel a twist of frustration as well. “Maybe I’ll mention it. Maybe when the foundation is established and there’s more going on.”

“Maybe you’re putting too much pressure on it. Maybe you’re thinking too big. No one’s expecting you to solve world peace, or cure cancer.”

I study her strand of hair with its blend of at least four different browns from gold to caramel to deep rich coffee, instead of looking into her eyes. “Why not? People like me are supposed to be the ones doing that stuff.”

Her hand comes up to circle my wrist. “Cian.”

I look at her. Her big brown eyes are also a swirl of gold and a deeper chocolate brown.

“If you’re waiting to do somethingthatbig, you’re going to be sitting around letting small, wonderful things pass you by,” she says softly, squeezing my wrist. “I’m not saying that if something big and wonderful comes up, you shouldn’t grasp it and put your whole heart, and all of your resources behind it, but a whole bunch of wonderful little things can also add up.” She lifts a hand to my face and smiles. “And sometimes those things that seem like small, wonderful things to a prince are pretty huge to regular people.”

She lifts up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine.

I slide my hand to the back of her head and deepen the kiss immediately.

Maybe I can’t help cure cancer, but I can be everything this woman needs me to be.

She has been real with me. Very fucking real. In this very room in this very hotel in this very city.

“For a woman trying to convince me not to be in love with her, you’re doing a terrible job of it,” I say against her mouth.

I feel the shiver that goes through her.

Her voice is breathless when she says, “I need you. The last two nights have been amazing, but I need more.”

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