Page 40 of Rags to Royals

“But there are people here who could recognize you. They’ve looked you up because of things that Mariah and Greta have said.”

He frowns. I have a point whether he likes it or not.

“That’s the only problem?” he finally asks.

No. There’s also the problem of me wanting him, wishing everything could be different, the temptation just to say fuck it and let this happen, the urge to be the woman I was with him nineteen months ago, but for good.

Instead of saying any of that, I nod. “Yes.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“You’ll figure what out?”

“How to have you for the next nineteen days. “

My breath catches in my lungs. I cannot keep reacting this way. “The idea is to startnotwanting me,” I remind him.

“The idea is to spend time with you. The not wanting you is yet to be seen.”

I let the warm tingles trip through me for a moment. Because they’re actually quite nice.

But then I realize that yeah, hanging out in my hometown will easily convince him that I am nothing special.

But we can’t hang out here. Leah Lawton will easily figure out who he is and the news will spread like wildfire. That will do meno favors when he moves on and I’m left here with even more to live down.

“This is never going to work,” I tell him.

“There’s something you should know,” he says.

“What’s that?”

“Things always work out for me.”

I roll my eyes, but I have no trouble believing that.

I can’t keep doing this. He’s not going to give in and I can’t stand here in the kitchen, alone, remembering how it felt to have him pressing that amazing hard, hot body up between my legs again.

I shiver. “I need to get some sleep,” I tell him. “I have to be at the shop early in the morning.”

He tucks his hands in his back pockets. “Okay.”

“Where are you staying?” I ask, suddenly thinking about him turned loose on Emerald.

He lifts shoulder. “Not sure. Getting here was my only focus.”

Cue another stupid heart flip.

“Probably a hotel,” he adds.

I shake my head. “There’s only one hotel here in town and you can’t stay there. Someone might recognize you. Especially once you put your name in. You’re a stranger. Everyone here pays attention to strangers.”

“I’m open to suggestions.”

“Henry usually stays here,” I say. “And I know he and Ruby will want to be together tonight.” I sigh. “She’s missed him so much.”

“Even though I just found out about them last night, I can say he’s missed her too. He hasn’t been the same over the past month,” Cian says.

That makes me happy at least. I really need Henry to love my sister as much as she loves him.

---