Page 18 of Lily and the Billionaire Prince

“Good, you’re here,” he said as if he hadn’t been sure about going without her approval.

“Hello,” she said. “You look nice.”

“Thank you. I’m heading out but you’re to meet me here when the date is over.”

“What? Henrik, I’m going home.”

He stared in the mirror and straightened his tie, though it needed no such attention. “I should like to give you a rundown of how tonight goes.”

“Henrik,” she began.

He gazed at her with innocence. She supposed she could arrange for a driver to take her home after hours when he returned. She wanted to request he not be out too late, but that sounded too mother hen.

“I’m sure Louise would love the company,” he added.

“She would love to glare daggers at me for two hours, you mean.”

Henrik laughed. “Come in, here are your papers.” He indicated the table where they were situated across from a cranky-looking Louise who clearly hadn’t liked what Lily had said about her. Whoops. Lily hadn’t known she was in the room. Louise had a pair of knitting needles on her lap and gave Lily a pointed look. Mother hen indeed.

“Look over the contract,” he said. “Sign the papers, and await my return.”

Before she could argue, he took Lily’s hand. “Until we meet again, my lady.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

She was suddenly boneless. She was filled with particles, dazzle, and wonder, and she only managed to shake off the sensation when she noticed Henrik noticing the effect he had on her. Rascal.

“Have a nice time,” Lily managed.

“I will at that,” he said, and soon, Lily was alone with his advisor. She smiled tentatively at Louise, though she could tell the older woman wanted her gone as much as Lily wanted to leave. Doing her best to act like the situation was completely normal, Lily sat on the far end of the couch and slid the contract closer.

“He already signed it?” she asked, flipping to the last page.

“He trusts you,” Louise said through her clacking knitting needles before adding, “I hope you won’t give him any reason not to.” She eyed the contract again, making Lily wonder what Louise knew of her bargain with Henrik.

“Me too,” Lily mumbled, thinking of Damon and how badly this whole thing could backfire if he ever caught word of it. Still, she had to protect herself with Henrik too, and so she signed the contract agreeing to help him find a bride and not reveal his identity without his permission. In turn, Henrik promised not to press charges if a bride wasn’t secured within the end of the thirty days or ask for his money back.

Lily sank back on the couch and answered some emails on her phone, watchingI Love Lucyreruns with Louise and wondering with every passing minute how Henrik’s date was going. Finally, footsteps were heard, the key inserted, and the door opened. Lily half worried Henrik would have Becca with him, but he was alone and looking far less pleased than he had when he’d left.

“So? You are back?” Louise said, rising. She’d long since set her knitting aside. “I’m going to bed,” she added, as though she’d been Lily’s babysitter. Henrik loosened his tie and thanked her, walking her to the door.

Lily remembered River saying Henrik had called Louise a childminder too, during the conversation he’d overheard the two of them having.

Once Louise left, Lily asked, “How did it go?”

“Dumpster fire,” he said. Tie gone, he began unbuttoning his shirt. Flames shot to Lily’s cheeks at the sight of his smooth, chiseled chest. He untucked the shirt from his slacks. She was about to protest when he stepped into the suite’s adjoining room and returned in a t-shirt. Her heart thudded as though she’d run laps around the hotel.

“Dumpster fire?” she repeated, her voice higher pitched than before. “That’s mean.”

“Not Becca. She was lovely.” He sank onto the space Louise had occupied and took up space, spreading his arms and legs the way men did. “The date itself didn’t go well.”

“Why not?”

“We had nothing to talk about. I almost wished for the heavy, pulsing music to drown out the silence between us the whole time.”

“Was she intimidated by you?” Lily asked, venturing a guess. The likelihood of that was high. He was extremely good-looking and a prince. Blind dates freaked many women out. A blind date with a prince would be enough to make any girl squirm, depending on her personality.

“Do you think I’m intimidating?” he asked.

“No.” Not now, anyway, as long as he kept his shirt on. “But your status might be.”

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