Page 39 of The Problem with Princes
He sits in the driver seat and presses the ignition. “How do you play the game?”
Why am I never so lucky as to get what I want? I wave his question away. “It’s just a dumb game that we played at school when I was a girl. It supposedly predicts your future.” I give what I hope is a ho-hum expression. “Not that I believe in such things now. But as a girl…I really hoped it would come true.”
His brow creases. “Your future car?”
I look at him with wide eyes. “Well, of course. Is a prediction of your future complete without a car?” I give an exaggerated shake of my head. “Oh sir, I think not.”
He grins over at me. “You’re not like anyone I have ever met, Grace.”
I snort-laugh. “Yeah, so you’ve told me.”
Ugh, really? It’s like every weird thing I can do seems to come out when I’m with this guy. I glance over and his smile grows.
“Like I said. Not like anyone else.”
ChapterThirteen
Tyrone followsbehind the black SUV, turning off onto a gravel road. I cringe as the small rocks bounce up, pinging the low undercarriage of the Jaguar. This place must be special to risk damaging his car like this. My fingers grip the door handle.
We drive for about a mile and then the SUV stops. Tyrone pulls up behind and waits as one of Sander’s men hops out of the front SUV and runs to unlock a gate blocking the road. He swings it wide, standing and waiting while all the vehicles drive through. We all wait until the gate is secure before we continue.
The road begins a gentle decline, while the landscape stays level. Sharp rock walls rise up around us until the front SUV pulls to the side and everything drops away revealing a clearing of white sand and blue-green water.
I breathe out a sigh. It’s magnificent. “What is this place? It’s gorgeous.” I stare out the windshield. “How did I miss pictures of this beach? I’m certain I saw every photo there is of Atraxia on the internet.”
Tyrone’s deep chuckle sounds next to me. “That’s a lot of pictures.
“Of all the places we visited on our trip, Atraxia is the one I looked forward to the most.”
“Why?” He leans back in his seat and pulls his knee up so it is wedged between the steering wheel and the door.
“I don’t really know. I just loved looking at the pictures. They felt different than any other place.”
“And what do you think about it now that you are here?”
I stare hard at him for a minute. Would he understand what Texie doesn’t? That there is just a feeling here that I can’t put words to. “I love it. There’s something here that speaks to my soul.” I look down at my hands. “I know that sounds stupid—”
“Not at all. I feel the same way.” He plays with the hem on his shorts and looks out the windshield. “When I leave, for whatever reason, I always feel like I leave a bit of myself here. I don’t really feel whole until I return.”
Yes. That was it. I feel whole here. The only other place I’ve felt like this is when I’m home.
“You do understand.” I pull my legs up underneath me. “Texie doesn’t get it.”
He tips his head to the side. “That’s sad.”
“Why?” I ask. What does he care what Texie understands?
“Because it means she’s never truly felt at home. Once you feel it, you never forget it. I feel bad for those who don’t know what they are missing.”
He sucks in a breath. “Why are we just sitting here in the car when we can be out there?” I feel his eyes move off me and I take a deep breath. No one has ever understood me on this level. It’s so weird that it’s coming from a man I’ve only known for a few days and that I loathed at the beginning.
He hops out of the car and comes around, opening my door for me. He offers his hand to help me out and I take it. Where did this guy come from? With the exception of our first two encounters, he had been a perfect gentleman. More so than any guy I’ve ever dated. Do they teach these things at prince school? It’s like Mr. Darcy has been this guy’s personal tutor.
I’m going to miss being with him. We are just barely getting to know each other and now I must leave tomorrow night. Why couldn’t we have come to Atraxia first? Then I could have spent the whole three weeks with him. But this is why I wanted to just be friends. Why didn’t I listen to myself? Instead, I’ve allowed myself to be all swept up by this guy.
He leans in as he shuts the car door behind me. “If you don’t unfurrow that brow, I may get the impression that you aren’t having a good time.”
I jerk my eyes up to his, relieved to see a grin.
