Page 20 of Her Red Hot Secret Royal Fling

He laughed, moving towards the sleeping bag. She heard the rustle of zips and knew he was forming them into a single entity again. Her pulse throbbed.

“Definitely not.”

“Well, they do think of me like a little sister,” she admitted. “I’m pretty sure they would have to scrub their brains if they knew I’d ever slept with a guy.”

He reached for her hand and tugged on her gently, in a way that made her heart turn over in her chest, pulling her towards the sleeping bag. “Do you need to get dressed?” he asked, a reference to the cool temperature.

“I’m sure you’re capable of keeping me warm.”

In truth, she’d happily suffer through a cold night’s sleep if it meant being close to him. Naked, with him.

Just the thought had her body heating up.

“So, what did you think?” she asked, stepping into the sleeping bag, then crouching down.

Silence filled the tent. “I thought you were beautiful,” he said eventually. “But somewhat?—,”

She waited, aware of what would follow. He was not the first person to say it. “Cold?” she prompted, after he failed to continue.

“Untouchable,” he corrected, stroking her sides in a way that was distracting and overwhelming.

“Same difference,” she said on a small sigh.

“You just seem…so perfect.”

It was a compliment, but it didn’t feel like that. She knew what he was describing: her veneer. The image she’d cultivated because she didn’t want anyone to see the real her. With the Santoros, she let her guard down a little, though not often. Ifmainly because it had become second nature for her to keep everyone at a distance.

“Perfect, huh?” she flipped around, so they were facing, and he put an arm around her back, drawing her hard against him. Her breasts tingled at the feeling of skin on skin, of his chest flattening her front.

“Definitely.”

“Aren’t you just a natural-born charmer?”

His laugh was a gruff disputation of that. “Hardly.”

“I’m serious.”

“Believe me, I’m not that.”

She lifted a finger and pressed it to his lips. “Are you fishing for compliments, Your Highness?”

She felt his intake of breath against her fingers. He’d had a similar reaction when she’d used his title before. She’d noticed, and she’d liked it.

“Is this how it usually works for you?” he asked, surprising her with the conversation change.

She was instantly wary. “How what works?”

“When you’re with someone.”

She bit into her lower lip, considering that. “I mean, you’re the first King I’ve ever almost slept with.”

He made a growl from deep in his throat. “I’m looking forward to remedying the ‘almost’ part of that sentence.”

Her heart lifted, because she had been hoping he’d feel that way, and her insides trembled a little, at the prospect of them having sex. It would have to be once they’d returned to the palace, though. “How will that work?” she asked, a little breathily. “I mean, you can hardly make a booty call in the palace, can you?”

He laughed. “A booty call?”

“My firstroyalbooty call,” she confirmed, smiling.

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