Page 9 of Forbidden Bastard
Hopefully those tales were true because she’d never lived without material comfort.
But if she had to, she’d start.
A life without the hope of happily-ever-after seemed sad, hard, and scary. All the things she wasn’t able to be, not that Evagaline had a lens into her soul. Sandi said, “Because I want to make the choice in who I marry.”
Evagaline’s eyes narrowed. Sandi realized that the secretary had redirected her attention toward a tall, rather lanky, brown-haired man with glasses. Evagaline asked, “Are you in love with someone else then?”
Maybe that was Evagaline's ex or something. Sandi’s gaze went across the room, toward Charles.
He was way more muscular, in all the right places, compared to the man Evagaline had focused on.
Sandi glanced away so she wouldn't stare directly at Charles. “No. I mean I was, but he was all wrong for me. I just want the option one day.”
Evagaline’s blush of recognition only made her cuter. Sandi wished she too blushed a pretty pink but unfortunately her cheeks made her resemble a crab in a mermaid movie. Evagaline asked, “And you can’t take a chance on a rich, titled, very handsome Avcean who looks like one of the ancient gods come to life?”
Sandi’s nose wrinkled as a waiter passed them. She and Evagaline each took a champagne flute while Sandi shook her head. “He’s toonice-looking to be a god. I don’t see snakes or anything evil about him.”
Evagaline laughed and her shoulders dropped. “The bad ones weren’t my reference. We definitely should be friends though.”
Friends would be nice. Hers had started to disappear when her car and money began to dissipate and her circle grew smaller as time passed. Sandi sipped her champagne. A sophisticated smart friend would be a welcome change. “Well, I do agree that he’s handsome, which is another reason Charles and I would never suit.”
Evagaline pushed her hair behind her ear, small strands falling elegantly forward. She studied Sandi. Once again Sandi felt like an alien who'd been caught pretending to be human. Her new friend asked, “So you want an ugly man?”
She lifted her warm face and her gaze met Charles's.
He was perfection personified.
Hot. Single. Smart. Rich. Seriously, he didn’t have one crooked tooth that might take away from his perfect ten score as he said, “Go on… answer.”
In movies, this was the part where the embarrassed heroine wished she could disappear in a puff of smoke.
Sandi couldn’t even look away as her body was frozen the moment Charles caught her attention with his brown hues that bored right through her.
She hadn't realized that the bunny outfit had been protective armor.
Without it she felt absolutely naked. Her cheeks were on fire. She sipped the champagne but that only made her hotter. “No, I don’t want an ugly man," she finally said. "I just want someone who might love me back.”
He shrugged, in total control while she was not. “You’ll fit into Avce then.”
Evagaline waved and left them to talk to the tall Frenchman with the short curly hair.
The other four women she’d brought also headed into the party to circulate like they were on the guest list and out to mingle.
Now Sandi was alone with Charles and her palms were damp. “I wasn't planning a trip to Avce.”
He eyed her up and down and it was like he saw through her and knew she was really just cotton candy with no substance on the inside. “It should be. It sounds like you and the royals have a lot of in common.”
Wearing a ball gown where she danced under a glittering chandelier crossed her mind but knowing her, she’d slip and fall, tearing the dress, and knocking Charles off his feet. Disaster. She shook her head and laughed. “Doubtful. Princes and castles and getting whatever you want… that’s a whole other life I have no idea about.”
He followed her gaze into the crowd of men and women there to support the charity auction. He studied a well-dressed couple with security guards nearby as they just stood next to the window. “Me, too, if we’re honest.”
Her mind tried to identify the couple but she didn’t know their names.
And she didn’t ask as people might see her as a clueless idiot--maybe she could ask Charles when there weren't so many guests buzzing around them.
Maybe. That would depend if they were ever alone.
Charles pressed his hand to her arm, causing goosebumps, and her heart thundered in a different way.
