Page 33 of Defying the Crown
I spun around at the sound of slow clapping behind me, my heart leaping into my throat. Caleb stood in the living room doorway, a smirk plastered across his face. Next to him, Jayda doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach.
"That was the most dramatic door-lean I've ever witnessed." Caleb's clapping echoed through our apartment. "Oscar-worthy performance."
Heat rushed to my face. "How long have you two been standing there?"
"Long enough to see you groping the door like it was your last hope on Earth." Jayda wiped tears from her eyes, her black mascara smudging. "Girl, I haven't seen you this sprung since-" She caught herself, the name 'Alex' hanging unspoken between us.
"This is different," I crossed my arms, trying to salvage some dignity. "And I wasn't groping the door."
"Oh honey, you were one step away from making out with it." Jayda sashayed over, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "But I get it - that man is fine. Those eyes? That accent? If I wasn't taken..."
"Hey!" Caleb protested.
"You know I love you, babe." Jayda blew him a kiss. "But seriously Danny, the sexual tension was so thick in that hallway, I'm surprised the smoke alarms didn't go off."
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I hate you both. "
"No you don't." Caleb adjusted his beanie. "And for what it's worth, I respect the self-control. Even if it did look physically painful."
"Wait." I dropped my hands from my face, narrowing my eyes at them. "How would you two even know what happened in the hallway?" Heat crept up my neck for a different reason now. "Were you pervs spying on us?"
Jayda's guilty expression said it all. She untangled herself from my shoulders and backed away, hands raised. "Now Danny, before you get all worked up-"
"We were watching through the peephole," Caleb admitted, adjusting his glasses. "In our defense, we had to make sure this mystery man wasn't an axe murderer."
"The peephole?" My voice cracked. "Are you serious right now?"
"Girl, what did you expect?" Jayda flopped onto our couch. "You've been texting this man non-stop, then suddenly he flies across an ocean to see you? We had to make sure he was legit."
"By watching us like some discount reality show?"
"If it helps, we couldn't hear anything." Caleb shrugged. "We just saw a lot of intense staring and then that kiss that looked like it was about to set the hallway on fire. It was like watching porn gifs, lots of eye candy but no sound."
I grabbed the nearest throw pillow and launched it at his head. He ducked, laughing.
"And then there was all that dramatic leaning and sighing-" Jayda mimed swooning against the couch.
"I hate you both so much right now." I snatched another pillow. "I can't believe you were spying on me with Harald."
"Honestly I suspect half of Brooklyn was spying on you guys, from the looks of it. You two weren't exactly being discreet about it" Jayda waggled her eyebrows. "Unless you're planning to make out with the door again?"
The second pillow hit her square in the face.
"And yes, it was painful," I admitted to Caleb, dropping onto our couch. "But worth it. I think. God, is it tomorrow yet?"
"Speaking of tomorrow..." Jayda's eyes lit up with mischief. "What time is lover boy coming for breakfast? I need to know how early to start planning your outfit."
Jayda jumped up from the couch, her combat boots thudding against our hardwood floor. "Your closet is a disaster zone."
I groaned, sinking deeper into the cushions. "Can't I just wear what I have on?"
"To feed the man who flew across an ocean to see and court you? Absolutely not." She grabbed my arm, yanking me up. "Besides, these jeans have seen better days."
"They're vintage." I tried to protest, but she was already dragging me toward my bedroom.
"They're desperate, is what they are." Jayda flung open my closet doors with dramatic flair. "Now, let's see what we have to work with."
I collapsed onto my bed, watching as she started rifling through hangers. "This could take all night, couldn't it?"
