Page 30 of Royal Hottie
“Mmm-hmm, fi-i-i-ne.”
“Oh, that’s a good one!”
“You can make out the outline…”
They snicker and stare at my crotch. I pull Ruby in front of me and wrap my arms around her waist. She rests a hand on my forearm and gives me a small squeeze.
“What did you ladies think of Lucas?” Ruby asks, turning the conversation. “Think he would’ve taken off more if we’d kept our distance?” She’s clever, including herself in the riot to get them talking. She sat in the back the whole time.
The women immediately chime in their opinions on his stripping possibility and what that might reveal. It’s much raunchier than the talk about me.
I lean down and kiss Ruby’s cheek, feeling her smile as her cheek curves. She feels right in my arms, and I’m more comfortable than I thought I’d be in this bizarre situation. I should’ve seen the signs—the chemistry, my need to be near her, my uncharacteristic jealousy. I’m falling for her, even though it’s a dead end. I can’t seem to stop it, the slow roll into a crash. She’s irresistible.
Chapter Eight
Ruby
I’m hyper, flushed and excited, totally thrown by the turn of events. First, that Phillip wanted me enough to bid sky-high to go on a date with me. And, second, by the fact that Adrian shared that Phillip is falling for me and Phillip seemed to agree. All of these feelings are pouring out of me—affection, warmth, deep like, no, it’s worse than that. We’ve been at the bar for an hour now, mingling with the ladies and his brothers, and every time he turns and smiles at me, my stomach actually gets butterflies. There’s fluttering up there and more fun going on down below. I want him so bad.
Anna grabs my hand and tugs me along with her. “This is my song! Dance floor, ladies! You too, guys!”
I laugh and join her. It’s Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Just her kind of upbeat fun song. Everyone joins us, except for the guards and Gabriel. Phillip moves in by my side. He’s a good dancer. I’ve seen pictures of him dancing at clubs. I square off with him, and he dances close, his hands moving in the air around my body. It’s electric, the heat simmering between us.
I lift my hands over my head and let go, moving my body sensuously, feeling sexy for the first time since the horrible breakup breakdown. I’m back from the dead and ready to throw myself at life, at him.
Slow down. It’s a dance, it’s one date, it’s one week.
He slips an arm around my waist, drawing me close, his leg wedging between mine as we grind. Oh, fuck, yes. His aquamarine eyes are intent on mine, heated and sure.
“Hello?” Anna says, appearing next to us. “You two want to take this upstairs?”
Phillip immediately pulls away. I glare at Anna.
She sends me a significant look. It’s a reminder.Don’t think you can fix the manwhore. He’ll only hurt you.I look away, in denial, because right now I feel awesome with Phillip.
Anna gestures in a bigget over heremove to Gabriel, who’s watching her from the side of the dance floor. “Your Majesty, get your cute butt over here!”
Phillip and I exchange an amused look. Anna informed me earlier she’s not supposed to swear in public now that she’s queen. Normally she’d say ass.
I glance over at Gabriel. A smile plays over his lips, his gaze warm on Anna, but he doesn’t budge.
She dances over to him and, a moment later, he’s dancing a waltz with her, completely wrong for this song, but Anna doesn’t seem to mind.
I go back to dancing with Phillip. Other women have crowded around him now that there’s space. His gaze returns to me again and again, and I can’t find it in me to be jealous. He wants me as much as I want him.
The song changes to a slow one. Phillip and I immediately lock gazes. He crosses to me, takes my hand, and pulls me close, his other arm banding around my waist. He doesn’t ask if I want to dance with him. He doesn’t need to.
I glance around the dance floor. His brothers are all paired off. Some of the women do twirling dances with each other, laughing. Some of them head back to the bar.
He’s moving us, subtly, slowly shifting us to the edge of the crowd. All of my nerve endings light up in anticipation. He probably wants to bail, go somewhere private with me, but then he stops a small distance from the group and continues our dance.
“Are we going upstairs after this?” I blurt.
“No.”
“Oh.” I’m confused. He arranged for our date and he’s been affectionate with me tonight.
His voice is a husky rumble in my ear. “Ruby, I like you a lot, but I’m leaving in a week, so are you. I won’t be returning for a very long time. And the truth is, I don’t do relationships. I find you tempting, so damn tempting, but I want to do right by you. I want to be better than my reputation.”
