Page 45 of A Girl and HER Prince
Chapter Fifteen
Livvy focused on Venice’s fingers as he helped her into her gear. Her head spun and sputtered in absolute chaos. She’d been such an idiot to agree to all of this. Last night, she’d been so angry that she couldn’t think clearly. All the comebacks she’d planned to put him in his place had dried up in her mouth, and after she’d gotten the one lame line out about them being a mistake, she’d almost cried!
How could shenothave guessed that she’d lose her mind when she came face to face with this charming prince? Especially when he looked so bewildered, disappointed, and then turned desperate to prove her better judgment wrong.
Even then, she was sure she could harden her heart, except she kept getting so lost in his mesmerizing touch that she’d nearly forgotten why she was so mad. Why should he get special treatment? He didn’t deserve it.
He looked great. That was the first problem.
Venice might as well be one of those Greek statues carved by the hand of an artist. The second he’d peeled off his shirt to show a physique that would make Ares proud, she was in trouble, but that wasn’t the whole of it. She’d seen athletic, handsome men before, only that the sight ofhimfelt like coming home—a comforting, reassuring feeling that she couldn’t quite explain.
And now his fingers ran over the weight belt secured over her hips to make sure nothing was too tight, too loose, twisted or entangled, all while she was very well aware that this process was taking twice as long as it ever did with her instructors… and she didn’t mind a bit.
Not a bit!
It was time for Livvy to face it—she was just like every other woman. She’d flown into a rage when she’d thought she’d been played, and she melted like butter falling into hot fudge when he sweetened her up with talk of wanting to be with her.
And all the while, Deedee was so into Achilles that she was acting like she didn’t care at all. Once again, it was up to Livvy to stop the pounding of her runaway heart and keep herself safe, except she was also caught with wanting to be with Venice. She was quickly losing all sense of self-preservation the more he touched her.
He moved behind Livvy, checking the releases and tank strap to see if they were connected and then the tank’s valves as he came around to get into her space again. He found her air gauge next and purged it by breathing through it with three slow, deliberate breaths. In. Out.
It took Livvy a second to remind herself to breathe too.
She groaned inwardly. So this was how she acted around a cute guy. She hated being so predictable! Catching sight of her friend giggling and flirting while Achilles strutted around like a proud peacock, she had a pretty good idea who’d won Deedee’s ruby ring. Turner, on the other hand, was clearly in no need of rescuing. He was all soft looks and warm smiles at Bris.
Livvy needed to slap herself back to reality—why was she torturing herself? It was becoming incredibly obvious that Deedee had played her as much as Venice had. Her friend was having the time of her life, and now it was up to Livy to take back her vacation and enjoy every second if it killed her!
Her gaze lifted to the stunningly gorgeous island paradise set on the cliffs above her. Maybe instead of worrying about “who did what to who,” she’d take her first dive in the real world and find whatever marine life she could cross off her bucket list and what’s more?I’m going to have fun!
And even more daunting, Livvy intended to face and challenge whoever she wanted.
Her eyes went back to Venice—after all, he’d been trying to get her to look at him all morning. She wasn’t afraid of him or—or of getting hurt.Not anymore.She could take care of herself. “You’re really quite the playboy, aren’t you?” she said.
“Playboy? Maybe.” He twisted her alternate air source, so that the yellow faced out. “But player? No.” How true was that when he couldn’t marry a commoner and yet his MeeMe feed was full of these women? “I don’t take my relationships lightly,” he said.
She called him on it. “Ah… is that why you date so many women? There were sure a lot of them after you broke it off with Deedee.”
His expression tightened as he corrected her hoses and made sure the rest of her air sources were streamlined. “How else will I know who’s right for me if I don’t put myself out there?”
Deedee had said something similar to Livvy when trying to convince her to get out of her comfort zone, but there was a difference between being serious and playing around. “So I’m one of the many,” she breathed. “I can take it, you know! I have brothers and they’ve taught me how to handle myself, but Deedee still hangs on your every word.”
He shrugged, his brow going up in that arrogant way of his when she brought up Deedee. “I’d say she cares more about her online audience, to be honest.”
That wasn’t fair. Being an influencer was her job.
Venice tugged out her mask, fins, and snorkel from the bag with quick, jerky movements. “Last I checked, she was hanging on someone else’s words, so I think you’ve got it wrong and she’s the one who played me.”
Couldn’t he see Deedee was making a fool of herself to get back at Venice for hurting her? “You don’t know how girls work,” she said.
He smirked over at Deedee. “I think you don’t know howyourfriend works.” He stood, the golden hazel of his eyes burning into hers. He’d surprised her by how serious he’d turned, but she couldn’t step away from the intensity of emotion blazing between them without looking like a coward. “You’re not one of the many, Luvvy. That’s not possible.”
Her stomach jerked as he abruptly left her. Where was he going? She swiveled, seeing him drag over his BCD vest. He shot an ironic smile her way. “Now are you going to help me with mine or are you just going to be a freeloader?”
“I’ve got it,kale mou file,” Turner said behind them. “This is heavy.” He dragged the vest, along with the cumbersome tank, onto Venice’s shoulders.
She smiled gratefully up at him.
“Turner!” Bris whined, twisting her pretty lips petulantly. “I need your help with mine!”
