Page 104 of Royally Rivalled

Amara hopped up and was happy to be invited. I was glad to take a moment off.

Parker squeezed my leg. “I can’t keep up.”

I kissed him slowly. “Not our scene, Westfall.”

“I’m hanging on by a thread,” he whispered.

“I know this isn’t for you, but I am having the best time.”

“You missed out on so much, love. I couldn’t hold you back.”

I cradled his face in my hands. I loved him for how much he adored me. He put up with this only for me.

“So, you’re glad to be along on my trek around London, and the news is that I’m now Leah’s next conquest? I should be so lucky!”

Parker chuckled. “Look at everyone out there.”

We watched everyone dance like idiots, wholly unaware or unconcerned about their appearance. It was pure joy.

“Unimaginably lively, but it’s wonderful. They justare. I’m sad Alexandra and I never were able to spread our wings—or legs—so openly,” I snickered. “I swear Duncan dipped into the loo with that girl he’s been with.”

Parker snickered. “It’s good to be the future king, I guess?”

“Parker, you’d never fuck me in the loo, would you?”

“Fuck no! Darling, I likecleanspaces.”

I giggled. “I love you, Parker Westfall. Your desire for hygienic places to shag only endears me more to you.”

“It’s the little things, Asti,” Parker slowly kissed me.

fifty-seven

PARKER

My birthdayand defence loomed in my immediate future. My twenty-seventh birthday gave my mother to throw an intense, annoying party for her friends. Again, the goal was to introduce me to any eligible woman she could. Astrid was too wilful in her eyes. In mine, Astrid was perfect. The more time I spent sharing everything with her, the more Iknew. This was it, and I was willing to make every attempt to keep seeing her.

I had yet to tell my mother I had no plan to return to our estate after I passed my defence. I needed time to steel myself against her ire, which required mental preparation. My mother’s continued assumption was that I would soon be home, interested in marrying and making babies. Instead, my only interests remained finishing my thesis defence and spending every waking hour with Astrid.

The latter consumed me. If we had fifteen minutes to spare, we’d end up together—such as when I planned to have lunch with my mother and finalise party details.

Astrid

You want lunch?

Me

I’m meeting Mum for lunch

Astrid

My housemates are out. I think you should have a pre-lunch lunch.

Me

?

Astrid

---