Page 29 of Royal Hottie
“I will. We all plan to.” He looks from me to Ruby and back to me. “Phillip, you sly dog, you were the anonymous bidder, weren’t you?”
Heat creeps up my neck. It’s one thing for Ruby to know, a whole other thing for my teasing brothers to know. “It was anonymous.”
He grins. “Phillip, Phillip, Phillip, I had no idea you were such a romantic.” He turns to Ruby. “What do you think? Is he worth fifty thousand euros for one lousy date?”
“Lousy!” I protest.
Ruby smiles mischievously. “Only one way to find out.” Then she hugs me around the middle. I loop an arm over her shoulders and pull her close.
Adrian shakes his head. “Guess we do have a tradition of Rourkes falling for Americans. First our uncle abdicated for an American, and then Gabriel threatened to do the same. What is it about you Americans?”
Now the heat from my neck is all the way up to the tips of my ears, my heart pumping hard. I can’t deny I’m into her, despite trying to keep my distance. Adrian just put it out there like a big red flag.
Ruby takes it in stride. “I guess us Americans are just plain awesome.”
He chuckles. “You are.” He heads to the bar and is quickly surrounded by women eager to get close to him.
I turn to Ruby. “I suppose I should join the party. Stick to my side.”
“Ooh, I feel like one of your security guards, except I’m thedon’t touch him, ladies, he’s minekind of tough.” She laughs. “I did win you.”
I can’t help but smile. Maybe it was okay that Adrian put it out there. Maybe we’re on the same page. “That kind of toughness is exactly what I need.” I take her hand, entwining our fingers together, and head to the bar.
The women immediately form a crowd around me. “Where are you going on your date?” the woman with black hair who bid on me asks.
“Paris,” I say.
Ruby squeaks.
“Damn, I should’ve went higher,” the black-haired woman says. “Adrian only gave me twenty-five grand.”
Holy shit. That means she was willing to put up twenty-five grand of her personal funds. The total is more than double Lucas, and all I had to do was take a walk fully clothed. I amthe man.
“He’s mine now,” Ruby says, wrapping an arm around my waist and leaning against my side. “I was the anonymous bidder.”
“Why were you anonymous?” the woman asks. “You were in the room.”
Ruby turns to me.
“She’s shy.” I can’t think of anything better. I probably should’ve told Ruby not to share that she won me, though the mystery of an anonymous bidder would’ve been hard to avoid as a topic of conversation.
“Actually,” Ruby says, “the truth is, I was a little embarrassed of the huge crush I have on him.”
My head swivels toward hers, but she keeps her gaze fixed on the curious women.
She goes on. “We talked just a few minutes ago and he was so gracious I don’t feel embarrassed anymore. I mean, I’ve followed him online for years—”
“Me too!” the woman says.
More women gather close to share in their mutual stalking of me.
“He’s my screensaver,” one woman says. “You know the picture of him on the beach at St. Bart’s?”
I inwardly cringe. The women carry on as if I’m not standing there.
“Which one? Red trunks? Black?”
“Black. Wet and snug.”
