Page 41 of Rags to Royals

“But I don’t know how they’re doing,” he says.

My heart drops. I’d hoped that the strange vibe between them when I’d come home had been just Ruby’s initial hurt and anger over their breakup. Surely they were going to get past that. “Really?”

“She has been pretty icy since we got here.”

“She was really hurt.”

“Yeah.”

We just stand there with unsaid words and a ton of emotions swirling around us.

“I guess you can stay on the couch,” I offer even though I know it’s a bad idea to keep him too close.

You could just put him in your bed. You shared a bed before.

But I immediately shut that voice in my head down. That is a terrible idea. The plan is to help him get over me in nineteen days. But there are absolutely no guarantees thatIwill be overhim. I would like to mitigate the amount of heartbreak I’m in for, thank you very much.

“That will be great,” he says.

Then I sigh. “No. You can have my bed.”

His eyebrow quirks.

“I’ll share with Mariah,” I say quickly.

He smirks. “Don’t vacate on my account.”

“Oh, no,” I say moving around the kitchen counter, covering the freshly made bars with plastic wrap. “It is purely for my sake.”

“Well, you know where to find me,” he says.

Yeah. It will beveryhard to forget that.

I am acutely aware of him following me up the stairs. I don’t know how I’m going to do this. How can I resist this man? Everything I’ve told him is true, of course. I can’t date him and live the life I need to live here in Emerald.

But it’s much easier to be determined about that when he's not in my personal space. Or within eyesight. Or within the same zip code.

When I get to the top of the stairs, I lead him to my bedroom. My entire body feels jumpy and overly sensitive. My shirt feels too tight, my shorts scratchy. As if my body is begging me to strip my clothes off. Cian O’Grady is standing outside of my bedroom. And I can’t even kiss him. I certainly can’t pull him through the doorway, push him down on the bed, straddle him, and…

I clear my throat. “Here's my room. I’ll get fresh sheets. Just give me a minute.”

His chuckle is low and deep. “I am looking forward to sleeping on sheets that smell like you, Scarlett. Please don’t change them.”

My cheeks get hot. I swallow hard. Fine. I don’t want to change the sheets anyway. “Okay. There are fresh towels and linens in the closet just there.” I point.

“Ruby and Henry are there.” I point to Ruby's closed bedroom door. “And that's Mariah's room. Where I’ll be. I’ll be up early for work. Help yourself to whatever in the morning. And then… I guess I’ll hear about your plans from Ruby.”

“Are you trying to say good night to me or goodbye?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He gives me a small smile. “Goodnight,Scarlett,” he says.

I walk quickly to Mariah's room, knock lightly, and open the door without waiting for her to answer.

“Need to?—”

Greta and Mariah are lying head to toe on Mariah's bed, both on their phones, music streaming from one of them.

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