Page 28 of The Prince's Castaway Baby

I’m almost finished eating by the time Jens speaks again. “I wish I was closer with my parents.”

“I feel the same about my mom,” I say softly, then add, “but there was always so much pressure.” I don’t think I fully meant to say it, but Jens gives me that curious look again, and there’s something so real in his eyes that I blurt out the truth.

“My mom always wanted the best for me. But I was never good enough for her. She wanted too much, and we argued about it all the time — when we were still talking to each other. She doesn’t like that this is my career. She thinks I’d have been better off doing, well, anything else really. I’ve tried to tell her that I’m seeing the world, that I’m having an amazing time. And she just can’t see it. All she wants is her perfect daughter — and I have never been that, and I’m never going to be that. And it breaks my heart that she’ll never get that.”

Jens nods slowly, and I take a shaky breath, feeling tears prick at my eyes.

“I get it,” he says, and my face must twist to give me away because he adds, “I know you think I don’t. And you’re right; I do come from a rich, fancy family. Too fancy, really, but being r?—”

He cuts himself off and shakes his head as if he was about to say something personal and real. It takes a second, but when I realize he’s not going to continue, my heart sinks. I just opened my entire heart up to him, and it feels like he doesn’t want to trust me in return.

“I’ve had everything that I always wanted,” Jens says instead of whatever he stopped himself blurting. “And I know that makes me lucky. I know I shouldn’t complain, but I guess… well, some part of me feels like I don’t deserve this. I’m not the perfect son my family want. I let them down. I…”

He trails off and stares at the ground like he’s trying to dig a hole with his eyes.

“You can tell me,” I say suddenly, impulsively reaching out for his hands. “Whatever secret it is you’re hiding, you can tell me.”

He scoffs, staring at the sky as if he’s looking for an answer. “I don’t have a secret.”

“Sure you don’t.”

“I don’t want you to hate me.”

“Why would I do that?”

Suddenly it feels like something is pulling us together, like the whole world’s shrinking down to a pinpoint, with us at the center, like a spotlight is shining down on us. It takes my breath away.

“I thought you already did,” he says quietly, staring into my eyes. I can’t look away. There’s something sparkling in them, something that he desperately wants to say, and without thinking, my eyes flip down to his lips.

I take a shaky breath. “You’re annoying. But I don’t think I could ever hate you.”

Time freezes for a second, and then the whole world explodes around me as Jens leans forward and presses his lips against mine.

No kiss I’ve ever had has felt like this. This is electrically charged. This is sparks and passion.

This is perfection.

He reels away, almost pushing me back. “God, I’m sorry,” he says, staring down at his feet again. “I shouldn’t have?—”

“No,” I cut him off. “No, it’s okay.”

“It is?”

“Yes. Do it again.”

I don’t need to tell him twice. He leans in again, this time entwining our fingers deliberately. This kiss is slower, deeper, assured. He tastes like lake water and sweat and sweet fruit, and the more I kiss him, the more addicted I think I’m getting.

Growing bold, I wrap my arms around him, pushing myself closer, and almost like an instinct, he draws me in, sliding his hands down my back. “Billie,” he growls, kissing my jaw, “I want you so badly.”

“Then take me.”

“You mean it?”

His big blue eyes shine wide, and I smile, reaching out to caress his cheek. “I really mean it.”

“You have condoms here?”

I chuckle. “No, but I’m on the pill and I’m not going to give you anything.”

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