Page 18 of A Fierce Princess

“Good. I don’t want to be responsible for breaking a princess,” he says with a wink, lightening the mood.

“Wouldn’t be the first bump or bruise I’ve had,” I say.

He frowns. “Not from a person?” he asks, his voice deepening.

I laugh. “Well, aside from my brothers horse-playing with me, no, not from a person. I’ve been known to be a little klutzy at times,” I say to him.

“Well, I guess I’ll need to keep a better eye on you then,” he says, his voice gravelly and chills run through my body, dotting my arms with goose bumps.

“You should get inside and warm up,” he says, pulling the blanket over my shoulders.

“Thank you,” I whisper. He squeezes my arm before letting me go. And I’m left wishing his strong hand was still gripping me.

Chapter 10

Isqueal with delight as a nurse shark swims by me, and I feel its smooth texture against my leg. But it’s the rays that have my attention. We’re feeding them pieces of fish. They are everywhere, rubbing their fins against us as they fight for a piece of food. I keep my hand flat just as I was instructed to and place it in the water. A ray comes up and sucks it off my hand like a vacuum.

I look up to find Logan watching me intently. I grin a big childlike smile. I laugh as a ray wing tickles my knee.

Logan brings me more fish, and together we place our hands in the water with the piece of flesh. A giant ray comes to claim it, and I giggle again. I hear Chris snap a photo, but I don’t even care, I’m so enthralled by these gentle giants.

“See, I told you they weren’t scary,” Logan says to me.

“I hate admitting that I was wrong, but I was soooo wrong! They are amazing! I could stay here forever,” I say to him.

He smiles at me. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, Anna,” he says. I don’t know why, but my nickname on his lips makes me quiver.

“Are you cold?” he asks, noticing my involuntary movement.

I shake my head, blushing. “No, just really happy and excited,” I say because it’s true.

He nods. “About five more minutes, guys, and then we need to get back on The Matilda,” he calls out to everyone. I look up to find Chris helping Mia feed a ray. She also giggles with delight as my brother tosses his head back with laughter. Pete, who has grabbed Chris’s camera, snaps a photo. I reach over and steal the camera from him.

“Take a photo of all of us, will you?” I ask Thomas, handing him the camera.

“Sure thing,” he replies. We all gather around with ray wings flipping out of the water around us.

“You too, Logan,” Chris says. He comes over and Pete wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in close to our group.

Thomas snaps a few photos before turning around and taking a selfie of us all. We applaud his photography skills and slowly make our way back on board.

After another amazing dinner, I meander back up to the cushion on the deck that I have essentially claimed as mine. I lie down and stare up at the night sky.

“I think we’re going to have to put a plaque with your name on it above your cushion,” I hear Logan say.

I laugh. “I was just thinking the same thing,” I say. I turn as he walks over and sits down next to me.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asks.

I sit and nod. “Oh, yes! Today was…magical! This whole week has been so great, everything, really. Spending time with my brothers, no paps, no pomp and circumstance, just being ourselves. I wanted to thank you and your crew for that. You’ve all made us feel like family and like…well, for a lack of a better phrase, normal people,” I say pausing. “We don’t get that very often. And honestly, I think we needed it.”

He smiles at me. “I’m glad I could be of service,” he says.

Chapter 11

After a morning of walking around a rural part of the island, we are back on the boat eating a lunch of fried fish and chips and waiting for Thomas to get back with Auggie and Nico. Everyone is chatting about the shark we saw in the water when I hear a familiar voice up above.

“Any party people in the house!?” Auggie yells. I laugh and fly up the stairs and into his arms.

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