Page 31 of Royal Surrogate 2

“I’ve found that it varies quite a lot from individual to individual?—”

“You’ve provided a lot of these fairytale dates, then?”

My face goes hot. “On the contrary?—”

“How many?” She pauses for a moment, her smile falling a little. “Do I want to know the answer?”

I kiss the back of her hand. “Why is it that women ask these sorts of questions?” I shake my head. “I just told you that I loveyou. I don’t want to think of other women. I can’t imagine thinking of another woman again.”

“You’re right.” She nods a few times. “You’re one hundred percent right.”

“I suppose I should mark my calendar. I have a feeling I might not hear those words from you very often.”

She laughs. “Also one hundred percent right.”

I reach over and brush her cheek. She’s so beautiful when she smiles. And I intend to make her smile every day for the rest of our lives.

“So what will it be? A rooftop dinner in New York? Brunch in Paris? Perhaps a chalet in the Alps? The beach in Tahiti?”

“You don’t know me at all, do you?” she laughs. “Not that those don’t all sound wonderful. But can’t we just have a quiet date? Get some pastries from the bakery across the street and go eat them in the park?”

“Of course we can do that,” I say, my brows drawing together. “But that is hardly a fantasy date.”

“It is for me.”

“I don’t believe that.” I shake my head. “Every woman I’ve been with…” I sigh. “I know you aren’t just any woman, Renae. Don’t believe for a moment that I think that.”

“I think I know what you’re going to say.” She takes my hand with both of hers, squeezing it. “I’m not like that though. I think youdoknow that about me.”

“I do. Of course. I know you have no interest in my wealth or title. It’s just…” I frown. “I want to give you those things. Not because you expect them. But because I want to give them to you. Does that make sense?”

“But I don’t need them?—”

“I know you don’tneedthem. No one needs them. But I’d like to give them to you anyway. Because…I do. Because I love you.” It’s the oddest thing—everything I’ve said is true. I can’t remember ever feeling this way before. I’ve been with plenty of women who’ve expected the finest things in life from me—the food, the trips, the accommodations… I’ve provided it all, but out of some sense of obligation. It doesn’t feel that way with Renae. I only want her to share my life. Not because I have to, but because I want to.

“Have you ever gone to a library, Caspar?”

My brow furrows. “Certainly. When I was in school?—”

“I mean, just because. Just because you wanted to.”

I smile. “No. I can’t say that I have.”

“It’s my favorite place in the world. I?—”

“Which one?” I ask. “I’ll rent it out. I’ll have the world’s finest meal brought there. We can?—”

“It doesn’t matter which one.” She shakes her head. “The last time you went into a library, did you notice the smell?”

I must think for a moment. “Not particularly, no.”

“Books have a scent—there’s nothing like that scent of paper.” She closes her eyes and inhales before opening them and looking back over at me. “It’s a simple thing, but it’s beautiful. And the feel of an old book in your hands… There’s nothing like it. The way the spine cracks when you turn the page…”

I swear if I didn’t know better, I’d think the woman was about to orgasm, the way her body is shivering as she’s describing the way the book feels in her hands.

Perhaps I should rethink my notion of libraries.

I could listen to her go on about this for days, though my pants are now feeling a few sizes too small.Wait until I tell Xavier that a woman describing an old book can be an erotic experience…

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