Page 16 of Some Like It Royal

It didn’t matter that some tasks only required picking up a phone to call in an order, he took care of them.

She flipped out the napkin and tossed it over her lap. He touched his calf to hers and another jolt sparked through her. He cut into his fish without looking up and she sighed, covering her discomfort with a swallow of cold water.

“I know you’re not having fun, but I think the learning curve will be the worst part.” His empathy sounded genuine. “Just remember, we’re a team in this.”

“Where are your heels, then?”

He laughed and brushed her leg with his in a soothing fashion. “Suits and ties are my heels, Al—sweetheart.” He caught himself. “But how about a foot rub when the torture is over tonight? It’s the least I can do.”

“I may hold you to that.” She speared a bite of salmon and sighed at the sweet melted butter and hint of peppers on the flaky fish.

“I hope you will.”

Something in his voice tugged her head up and she met his easy smile. For a moment, she forgot about his leg brushing hers or the weight on her finger. It was just lunch with a handsome guy.

“Okay, then. I will.” Decided, she concentrated on the food. They had a lot of work to do.

Chapter7

Daniel

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck as the driveway gates closed behind Victor’s departing car. Exhaustion weighed on his shoulders and his head ached. They’d sat through the most grueling dinner in his recent memory. Victor insisted they hold hands, and Daniel took every opportunity to explore her smooth skin, the way her fingers cupped his, and when she’d had to take her hand back to eat, he’d glided a leg against her.

The initial instruction to get used to touching her came a lot easier than he imagined and carried its own particular brand of torture. Locking up and engaging the security system, he found the downstairs lights already dimmed. Alyx’d escaped up the stairs at the first opportunity, almost, but not quite, rolling her eyes when Victor’d announced he would return after breakfast.

His gaze wandered toward the stairs. Because the first month would be the hardest, he told the office he would be working from home. He had two programs to review. Despite having a large staff of developers, he was a hands-on kind of guy. No Spherecast software went into production without his review. But he didn’t want to work—they were supposed to share the same room tonight. He could have given her an out by giving Theresa the week off, but the sparkle in Alyx’s eyes and the challenge in the stubborn jut of her chin were too attractive to resist.

Upstairs, he paused outside the room he’d given to her and listened. No sound echoed from within. Bypassing her room, he walked to his own door and hesitated. Knocking once, he let her know he planned to enter and twisted the knob at her muffled “come in.”

Alyx curled up on the sofa beneath the window that made up the whole exterior wall. He loved the natural light and the profusion of windows in the house attracted him the first time he toured it with a realtor. She’d stolen a pillow from the bed and laid out one blanket against the cushions, and sandwiched herself beneath another one. She was brushing her hair and gave him a wry smile as he stared.

“You said we had to sleep in the same room, but if you sleep in the middle of your bed, it will be rumpled and I can sleep here. Then we toss the blankets on the bed in the morning to add to the mussed-up effect.”

Triumph sparkled in her grin and he shook his head, quashing the nibble of disappointment in the pit of his stomach. “That sofa is hardly big enough for you to sleep on.”

“Maybe not for you, Sasquatch, but I fit just fine. See?” She stretched out, extending one bare leg from beneath blanket. Her toes didn’t quite reach the other end. “It’s a lot bigger than my backseat, I assure you.”

He grimaced and tried again. “The bed would be more comfortable.” Not to mention, he’d rather looked forward to waking up with her…if they got any sleep.

“I’m sure it is, but I’m fine here.” She returned to brushing her hair. In the time he’d taken to send Victor off, she’d changed back into the familiar tank top and shorts. Her face, scrubbed free of makeup, shone and her hair gleamed in the low light of the room.

“Well, the offer’s open. If you change your mind, feel free to join me.” He let her take the victory for now. They had many more nights stretched out in front of them.

Nothing would help them get used to the intimacy of being together and touching as sharing the same bed.

Or being intimate.

He hid a frown as he closed the door and crossed to the bathroom. A cool shower was the best plan. Unfortunately, he’d agreed to that no-sex clause. It was too bad, too. They could definitely pass the time more pleasantly with sex. Stripping, he turned the shower on, then stepped beneath the cool spray. The chill water braced the raw need heating his body.We just got started, best to table any changes until later.

The shower cleared his head and eased the ache in his neck. Dried off and clad only in boxers, he shut off the bathroom light and opened the door to a dim bedroom. Only the low-wattage light next to the bed burned. Alyx slept with her back to him, the blanket outlining her silhouette beautifully.

Clock set for five, he punched the pillows and stretched out under the sheet before shutting the remaining light off. Tucking an arm behind his head, he stared up into the darkness. As tired as he felt, sleep remained elusive. The soft, regular sound of her breathing filtered through the quiet. The sheet was too warm. He pushed it off and rolled onto his side, looking for a comfortable position.

An hour later, tired of staring into the darkness, he gave up. Careful to be quiet, he used his phone as a flashlight and padded toward the door.

“Can’t sleep?” Her voice whispered through the blackness.

“Nope. Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you. Just going to go downstairs.”

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