Page 23 of Marrying a Prince

Leo's soft chuckle filled the air. She ignored his teasing and held out her hand. When she felt the jeans touch her skin, she grabbed them and turned.

"Turn the shower nozzle all the way to the left, or you'll freeze. I'll get these downstairs and get them clean." She stared at the wallpaper in front of her.

He must have stepped closer to her because when he responded, "Yes, ma'am," shivers raced across her body.

His voice was low, and with his accent, it muddled her mind.

Not wanting to stand there anymore, Marianna walked out into the hallway and pulled the bathroom door shut behind her. Now alone, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

What was wrong with her? She was a fool to be allowing herself to react this way. He was a prince. A prince! There was no way any relationship between them would work. His parents had made her sign a contract, for Pete’s sake.

No. If she was going to protect herself from heartbreak, she was going to have to back away from Leo DeLuca right now. He wasn't good for her.

She had a tendency to fall for the guy that was going to break her heart. And she knew, if she continued down the path she was on, her heart would end up broken whether she wanted it to or not.

Chapter Eight

After Leo was clean and dressed in Mr. Hedley's t-shirt and jeans, he turned off the bathroom light. Just as he stepped out into the hall, he rammed into someone. Glancing up, he saw the wide eyes of Marianna.

He couldn't help the grin that formed on his lips. She'd been so adorable earlier when he had to strip for her. She had looked as if she was going to catch on fire when he slipped his shirt off.

Truth was, he was used to women reacting that way, but when it happened with Marianna, it felt different. He wanted to be attractive to her. She was different from anyone he'd ever been around. He wasn't sure what he could add to a woman so confident and smart, so the thought that she appreciated his physique made him feel good.

He wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her. "Whoa," he said, winking.

And just as he’d expected, her cheeks reddened. "I'm so sorry," she said, stepping back.

He fought it for a moment, but then let her go, immediately feeling the absence of her warmth. She tucked a curl behind her ear and smiled up at him.

"Everything okay?" she asked, nodding toward the bathroom. Then she slammed her eyes shut as if she realized what she had just asked.

He felt bad. She seemed so out of sorts. "It was great. Water was warm and I no longer smell like motor oil."

She peeked over at him. "I'm happy to hear it. And the clothes look okay," she said, nodding toward him. "Not that I'm saying you didn't look good earlier. In your…other clothes." She pinched her lips together as if she were remembering something.

"I get it," he said, hoping she'd realize that she didn't need to keep talking. "What are you doing up here?" he asked, nodding toward the stack of books in her arms.

She glanced down as if she suddenly remembered she was holding something. "Oh, you don't want to know." She hugged them closer to her chest.

"I don't?" he asked, leaning closer to her to get a peek.

"Yeah. It's just baby pictures." She shook her head. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

He reached out and pressed down on the top part of the book. "Who says I wouldn't be interested in them?"

"Me," she blurted out. A little too fast.

Leo would be lying if he said that didn't pique his interest. But, he hated how uncomfortable she looked, so he dropped his hand. "Well, maybe someday you'll be okay with me seeing baby Marianna."

She pinched her lips. A look flashed through her eye. One that made Leo feel sad. Or perhaps, it was the weight of his own words. Someday. Would they have a someday?

The truth was that no, they wouldn't. There was no way his parents were going to let him marry anyone but Gisella. It was either a future with the witch or no throne. If he lost his inheritance, what could he offer someone?

He had never worked. He didn't even know how to get a job. And he doubted thatPrinceon a resume was as enticing as it sounded. So he backed away from Marianna. Only stopping because the wall forbade him from moving further.

"Are you hungry? Rolls are out of the oven, and mom's desperate to feed you." She smiled over at him.

He was beginning to enjoy her soft features. The way her smile made his toes tingle. What was he going to do when she left?

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