Page 124 of Dagger in the Sea

“Yes.” Adrian rolled her eyes. “He’s been seeing a married chat show hostess.”

“Really?”

“Well, she’s separated but not yet divorced from her husband, and it’s quite the controversy. I guess their dirty little secret has finally been revealed.”

I let out a sharp laugh.

“You didn’t like him, did you?” she asked.

“I didn’t like his arm around you, or the way he looked at you—”

“I’ve known him since kindergarten. We went to the same private school until we were eighteen.”

“No touching in all that time?”

Her eyes lit up. “No.”

“No tongue tangoing? No exchange of bodily fluids?” I persisted.

She pressed her lips to mine, her grin teasing my scowl. “Not even once. We should’ve though. He would’ve been a perfect first kiss, first sexual experience.”

“And what makes you say that?” I said, my tone acidic.

She let out a laugh. “He’s a good bloke. Truly a kind, thoughtful person. Unlike my first who was a right arsehole.”

“Who is this bastard and what did he do to my Lovely?”

“Tsk tsk, not a bastard. A prince.”

“A real royal prince?”

“Very real, quite royal—a cross of Hapsburg, some Bavarian, a bit of Dane…”

“What did this bastard, mutt of a prince do?”

“Lavished me with attention, gifts, whispered words of desire and obsession in French, seduced me and laughed that it was my first time, and then got irritated that he had to deal with my virginity. More extravagant words of desire and obsession followed over the next few days, and then he got back on his plane and flew north never to be heard from again. I didn’t expect a full out relationship, but not a vanishing act. He’d gotten what he wanted or rather what suited him at the time, and he was done.”

“Bastard.”

She shrugged, lingering at a tiny grocery store with local goods.

“Hey,” I brushed her shoulder with my lips and her gaze darted up at me. “You deserved so much more. So much better.”

Her mouth curved in a shy, small smile, her teeth tugging on her bottom lip. A warmth seeped through me, the desire to make it better for her pulling on me like some primal mating call. Adri was easy to please in bed, a pleasure to surprise, and she appreciated everything I did for her. From the very first, she’d let me guide her, and then she flew. She wanted to experience, and she knew I could take her there. Had any man ever taken his time with her? Been unselfish with her? Stupid, stupid bastards.

I kissed her softly. Yeah, I wanted to make it really good for her. I liked having goals.

The thick fragrance of green botanicals and piquant spices, dried teas filled air. Hand labeled jars of oregano, thyme, jams, raw honey, bundled dried bouquets of bay leaves, mint, and mountain tea lined shelves outside and in.

“My favorite.” Adri held up a glass jar of astonishingly huge capers. “Freshly harvested.”

“Amazing.” I picked up a jar filled with chunky white flakes trimmed with a thick blue ribbon. “Is this salt?”

“Sea salt.”

“Huh. Of course, it is.”

“It’s good.”

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