Page 23 of Reign or Shine

Confused I peek down at the gray sweatpants I grabbed to change into earlier. “Is something on them? Do they say ‘assman’ or something on the butt?”

“N-no.” She pauses, finally making eye contact with me. “Don’t you know that gray sweatpants are a woman’s ultimate weakness?”

“Sweatpants?” I respond, thinking she’s pulling my leg. “That’s a joke, right?” Pinching the material, I try to think back on if I’ve ever heard anything like this. I thought a man in a tux was the ultimate fantasy.

“You’ve never heard that? Or seen, like, memes or whatever about gray sweatpants.”

I shake my head. “I guess I’ve been living under a rock.”

“A royal rock,” she murmurs with a smile.

“The mouth on you,” I tease, turning my upper body fully toward her and giving her side a little tickle. She squirms away just enough to escape my fingers but not upset her injured foot.

“I’m serious!” she cries, laughter filling every corner of the cabin. “If my phone was working right now I would totally prove it. It’s a thing!”

“Fine. I believe you, but it seems like a weird thing to be turned on by.” Her eyebrows rise and her eyes flare, mocking me and my disbelief. “Eat your granola bar.” I laugh with her, tossing the snack in her direction.

For a couple minutes we eat in silence, opening baggies and sampling each other’s snacks.

“I guess this isn’t how you thought the day would end, huh?” Ellie tries to make light of the situation, but I can hear the note of insecurity in her voice.

Finishing my bite of pretzel, I look across the room and watch rain drip down the window. There’s barely any light outside now and the storm rages on. The candles flicker, casting long shadows around the room.

I’ve taken too long to reply to her, and Ellie flicks the baggie that’s in her lap and begins to fidget uncomfortably.

Stopping her hands from wringing over and over, I grasp one and hold it tight, intertwining our fingers and setting my hand down on her upper thigh.

“Actually”—I take a deep breath, drawing on my courage to tell her the truth—“this is what I had imagined.”

Her head jerks to me, brow quirked. She definitely doesn’t believe me.

“I had hoped that after our hike today that I could convince you to have dinner with me. I knew that only a day with you wouldn’t be enough. I knew that the first time we met and I knew it the moment we headed out today. There was this moment when you turned back to look at me, with this wide smile on your face and your eyes sparkling with joy and I knew. Knew I’d have to drum up my courage to ask you for more time.”

Her expression of disbelief has fallen into one of shock. Ellie’s lips are softly parted, her eyes shimmering.

“And honestly, I never thought we’d end the day in bed together so I have to say, all in all, it’s been an exceptional day.”

“You really mean that, don’t you?”

“Mean what? That it’s been a great day?”

“No, that you never expected to end the day in bed with me.”

Licking my lips, I try to think of the best way to answer.

“I, ah, would never presume anything like that. I won’t lie and say it didn’t cross my mind, but I wanted to take my time.”

She makes a thoughtful noise.

“This surprises you?”

“Yes,” she says before quickly changing her answer. “I mean no.” Covering her face with her hands, Ellie takes a deep breath then turns to me. “I just mean, I’m sure you’re used to women throwing themselves at you and moving a little…faster.”

It’s my turn to make a thoughtful noise.

“Maybe. But women do not throw themselves at royals. That’s what we pay our security guards the big bucks for. I’m generally more accustomed to the long con.”

“How the heck did I slip by your guards then?”

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