Page 19 of The Reluctant Wife

"Please give one to your friend"—she nods in Brian’s direction—“and two more for the others.”

"Thank you, Princess," he murmurs.

She hands him one of the carriers, then raises her window, before pressing the intercom. "Please, can you lower the screen? I have ice cream for you."

I sense Alfie, the driver’s surprise as the panel lowers. The princess leans forward and offers the tray. He, too, glances at me, and when I nod, he accepts a cone. "Thank you, Princess. These ice creams are the best."

"I know, right?" She beams at him.

He flushes and looks starstruck. A tendril of jealousy squeezes my guts. One I don’t question too closely. I hit the button on my side and the panel rises, cutting off the view of his face. She turns to me, with shock on her features. "I was talking to him."

"Well, he was done talking."

"But—"

"Is that for me?" Without waiting for her response, I grab an ice cream cone and bite off a mouthful of ice cream.

"You could at least say 'thank you.'"

"Considering I'm the one who paid for it, maybeyoushould be saying 'thank you,'" I retort.

Her eyes widen. "That's not fair; I said I'd pay you back."

I soften my tone. "I know; you did. But I don't want you to pay me back, and I'm not looking for you to thank me. However, you should know that it’s against protocol to offer food or drink to my men when they’re on duty, but I’ll allow it this time."

"That’s not how it was with my previous security team,” she tosses her head.

When I stay silent, she rolls her eyes. “Just because you’re serious and boring, doesn’t mean the rest of them need to be that way."

"If being serious and boring means it’ll help to save your life, then I’d prefer all of them be that way. Besides, I did stop when you asked for ice cream," I growl.

"Exactly. It’s only ice cream. Lighten up, will ya." She licks up one side of the serving and, Jesus, the sight of her pink tongue slurping the frozen dessert sends the blood draining to my groin. I can’t take my gaze off her mouth as she swipes her tongue over the confection. A bead of sweat slides down my temple. This...fascination with her has to stop. Why is it that, in the years I was married to Jane, I never felt this way about her?

"You’re melting," the princess murmurs.

"What?"

She nods in the direction of my ice cream cone. I glance down, then curse when I find ice cream dripping down my knuckles. I lower my chin and lick it up, then look up to find her staring at my mouth. Without allowing myself to think, I slurp up some of the ice cream.

Her pupils dilate. The pulse at the base of her throat speeds up. Then, without breaking the connection, she proceeds to lick up the side of her own ice cream before circling the entire thing and ending with a swirl around the entire top of it. Heat shootsthrough my veins. I’m aware of leaning in closer to her and can’t stop myself. She mirrors my move. We’re so close, I feel her breath on my cheek. She closes her eyes, raising her mouth. My lips are so close to hers, I can taste her.

That’s when Alfie’s voice comes over the speaker, "Are we ready to leave?"

10

Aurelia

I startle. Both Ryot and I straighten. He looks away and, without losing a beat, he slaps the intercom button on his side. "Yes, let’s head to the hotel."

He makes sure to glance out the window on his side and proceeds to demolish the ice cream in two big bites. I hope he gets an ice cream headache. Not that he'd ever let on. His expression is carefully blank. It’s as if that heated moment between us never happened.Damn. Is it that easy for him to pretend there’s nothing between us?

My stomach feels heavy. I glance down at the ice cream cone in my hand and find I’ve lost all appetite for it. I dump it back in the tray and resist the urge to fling it in his lap. He’d deserve it though…that…that…knobhead, grr. If only people knew the number of choice British insults I know, thanks to attending school in London. They’d realize, I’m not the sweet, innocent princess the media often makes me out to be. I plonk the holder with the now-melted ice cream on the seat between us.

"Is it that easy for you to switch off whatever you felt a few minutes ago and pretend nothing happened between us?" I fume.

"It is, because nothing happened." He speaks slowly, like I won't understand what he’s saying.

"I call bullshit. You and I both know that we both felt…that pull. That attraction. That...same chemistry we both felt at the bar, and it’s not something that’s going to go away."

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