Page 23 of Hiding out with a Royal Billionaire

“They’re after you too you know. If they knew you kept that thing strapped to your leg…”

“I know, but I’m different. People are always after me.”

She gasped. “They are?”

“In a way. But they don’t make dumb moves. I have security measures in place.”

“So, where are we going?”

“To a safe house.”

“The one we went to on your island?”

He shook his head. “No, most of my team don’t even know about that one. Since we’re involving Lucan’s teams and some outside guys, I didn’t want to use that one, but the new location is just as nice. Ever been to Mallorca?”

“Of course. Are you sure that’s the best place…”

“I’m positive. We’ve got a chalet on the side of a mountain. It’s a fortress. And besides, it’s the most beautiful safe house in all of the Mediterranean, that’s not being used.”

“Okay, I’ll go. If you go.”

“We can leave tomorrow.”

“Wow, you’re not messing around.”

“The sooner I get you safe and away from your palace, the better.”

“Yes, I’m sorry I put them at risk.”

“I thought for sure those involved would not be brazen enough to attack the palace.”

“The fact that they did, what does that mean? What are we up against?”

“Someone either incredibly stupid or incredibly powerful.”

“Either one sounds dangerous.”

“Exactly.”

“So does this mean I’m like, a spy now?”

He laughed, happy to have a bit of the playful Skye back. “If you want.”

She stood to move away. But he reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, softly, inviting.

She paused, standing close enough he could hear her breathe. “You’ve come to my room in the middle of the night so often it feels normal…”

“Except there’s nothing normal about this right now.” He tugged her hand, a nudge, an invitation.

“No, it’s never been like this before.” She laughed, forced, airy. “But I’ve never learned my best friend is a spy before either.”

He waited, wanting to wrap his hands around her waist and pull her down to him. He tried to clamp the thought but it had already formed and become a full blown desire.

She turned, paused, ran her hand up his arm to his shoulder, and moved to face him, standing between his legs while he sat. “I’m not sure about this.”

His breath came out in short puffs. He tried to hide the urgency of his feelings. “Me neither.” He reached a hand up, trailing his fingers along her bare arm. “But I think it might be nice.”

She stepped nearer, wrapped her fingers up in his hair. His arms flung around her pulling her close, then he looked up into the darkness where her face would be and found her lips, ready, open, soft. He responded to her seeking, pressing his mouth against hers, feeling her urgency increase above him. She took the lead, exploring his lips like they were something delicious and he held back, barely controlling his urge to whip her around onto the bed and ravage her mouth in response. She stopped, leaned her body weight into him. Her hugged her, knowing she was asking to pause. He took a minute to remind himself of the mission, to separate his raging desire and respect the friend he’d always known. “Wow Skye.”

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