Page 71 of Reveal Me
‘Finegan was just telling me about his interests.’ Layla takes a small sip of her own whiskey.
‘Captivating, I’m sure.’ I take a large mouthful of mine. Beckett’s Gold. Thankfully the Royals have better taste in alcohol than they do in interior décor.
‘Property acquisition specifically.’ Is the princess trying to find common ground or antagonise me? ‘Isn’t that your department?’
‘That’s just work.’ I scoff, shooting a look Finegan’s way.The smarmy fucker is positively preening about the forestry. ‘There’s nothing interesting about it.’
‘Do share your interests, Sean, please.’ Finegan blurts, puffing out his chest like a fucking pigeon. Oh he has no idea what he’s asking.
I take another sip of whiskey, eyeing the princess over my glass. She squirms in her seat, like she’s reliving my ‘interests’ in her head. The air short circuits between us.
‘Testing limits.’ I don’t break our stare. ‘Mine, and other people's.’
Layla’s tongue darts out to wet her lips.
‘Pleasure, Finegan.’ I snap my eyes to his. ‘I’m interested in pleasure. Spending time with the people I love.’
She takes a huge gulp of whiskey and then coughs.
Finegan continues to stare quizzically between the princess and me like hestillhasn’t got the missing piece of the puzzle, i.e. that she’s my absolute world. Before he can work it out, his phone chimes from his cream suit pants.
What kind of a fucking chump wears cream suit pants?
I shake my head, glancing back down at my own black custom-made suit.
Finegan winces apologetically as he pulls his phone from his pocket.
‘Please, take it,’ Layla sweeps a hand in front of her face.
‘Sorry, but I’ve been waiting for this call all day.’ He stands, excuses himself, and takes his call out to the hallway, leaving the princess and me alone together.
I down the remainder of my drink and place my glass on the table. He’s barely closed the door before I pounce on her, wrapping my hands around her waist, tugging her up until her body is flush with mine. Heat radiates from her, despite the cool room temperature.
‘I thought we clarified that I don’t want to see you with another man?’
‘You wouldn’t have, had you not barged into my home…’ She smirks, quirking an eyebrow, defiant as ever. I should put her over my knee this second.
‘As I recall, you don’t normally mind me barging into your bedroom.’
‘It’s my favourite time of day,’ she admits, biting her lower lip. ‘But you shouldn’t be here.’
‘Do you want me to go?’ The prospect makes my heart sink to my stomach but if she wants me to, I will. My presence here is putting everything in jeopardy, but a part of me deep down knows that it’s deliberate.
I almost want someone to find out about us.
Want our relationship brought out in the open–one way or another because we can’t go on sneaking around like this indefinitely.
‘You know I don’t. You know I have no interest in Finegan.’ She looks up at me from beneath those huge dark eyelashes and winks. ‘Although he is slightly more interesting than I remember.’
My nostrils flare. ‘Careful, Princess, or I’ll tie you to the table with my tie right now and we’ll see how interesting Finegan is then.’
‘Maybe that’s what I’m hoping for,’ She smirks, ‘Sir. Out of curiosity, how did you get by the castle’s security detail during the day? Did you come in the balcony again?’
I laugh and lean closer until our lips are mere millimetres apart. ‘There isn’t a thing on this planet I can’t get if I want it, sweetheart.’
Well, except maybe her.
Isn’t that the fucking painful truth?
