Page 36 of Royally Rivalled

“I want something for myself and to be treated like a normal person. I want to have a job and live a semi-normal life—if even for a moment. I get to do that as the spare. What about you?”

She turned the tables.

“I want much of the same,” I kept it general. “I'm just Parker there. And I am good at academic work. I can lose myself in it.”

A slight smile crossed her face. The more I saw it, the better it became. She had a beautiful grin—one that could melt you. I unconsciously pulled her closer, but she didn't fight me. In this little fishbowl—this alternate universe—we were different people playing by archaic rules.

Princess Astrid unexpectedly tempted me. I couldn't look away. As her hips swayed, I thought about how it would feel to pull them close and press my lips to hers. The urge made me uncomfortable but also alive again. The feelings from the party bubbled back up. I wondered if it would continue in real life when she was just Astrid Deschamps—formerly Latte Girl. When the song ended, I desperately wanted to kiss her. I almost got brave enough until Astrid’s body tightened. Her smile faded as she dropped my hand.

“Thank you,” Astrid said. “Full dance card. Must go.”

PART TWO

unrivalled

twenty-four

ASTRID

The music ended,but my beating heart grew stronger and louder. Staring at Parker, looking so unlike the wiry, grumpy scholar I knew, I held on. I told myself to drop his hand. My job was done here, but I couldn't do it. He looked at me—eyes less hungry than soft. What was this? It wasn’t lust. Lust set me into overdrive before I’d used a vision of him to get off.

I didn’t want to climb him like a tree right now or have him snog me like a wanton teenager. I wanted him to kiss me—gently and purely—and to lavish me with sweet praises. I saw hidden softness within him, and I wanted to know more. The look of him in a tux didn’t hurt. He was a fucking dream like this. Oh, who was I kidding, ofcourse,I would have let him run me off to god knows where eventually!

Fearing I might say or do something I'd regret next week, I pulled back. My face stayed neutral. I would bepoliteand nothing more.

“Thank you.”

I strode away, knowing that if I stayed, I would do something I couldn’t take back. That realisation shook me. I grabbed Amara, dragging her into the hall.

“What, darling?” Amara asked.

“I need to just... talk me down!“

“What, are you about to smack Parker? Is the Dickish Duke being an asshole?”

“No, it was theopposite. He had the gall to ask me for a dance! Why?”

“Because you're both big fish here, and it only makes sense?”

“Wehateone another.”

“Yes, just enough to be a perfect pair the other night at Niall's!”

“I don't like him! That was about winning. Both of us are competitive.”

“Clearly! But, darling, the way you just looked at one another?—”

“I don't want him. I want Jeremy! I wanted to have Jeremy take me home! Not Parker.”

She snickered. “Can you not have both? Try it on and see which suits you?”

“Parker is an asshole. He's been a dick to me!”

“He's awkward and bad at this. He's also a nerd—like you. You two are both cleverer than everyone else.”

“We bring out theworstin one another!”

“Or do you? So, this project you're working on. How is that going? Did you learn lots?”

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