Page 24 of Royally Wed
Her mouth, which, nonsensically, was still the primaryfocus of his attention, curved into a wry grin. “Touché, Mr. Reed. But Willow doesn’t like anyone, and she clearly likes you. It’s quite odd.”
“I really don’t care. I just need to get my bow back before she destroys it.” He peered under the bed. Willow’s eyes glowed back at him. Asher’s bow, the world’s most expensive chew toy, rested on top of her paws.
He groaned, rose to his knees again,and sat back on his heels. When he glanced up at the princess, he realized she was staring at his bare torso. Again. Specifically, his abs.
He cleared his throat. “Could you stop ogling me long enough to give me a hand here?”
Her face went crimson. Asher had probably shattered every last shred of royal protocol, but he didn’t give a damn. He’d bow, curtsy, or do whatever she wanted once he hadhis bow back in one unbroken piece.
“Fine, I’ll rescue you one more time,” she huffed, lookinganywhere and everywhere except at him. “But you should probably stop waltzing around the palace half-clothed.”
He snorted. God, she was unreasonable. “Duly noted. Henceforth, I’ll try to remain fully clothed in the privacy of my own room at all times.”
“Excellent.” Her kimono billowed behind her asshe headed to the other side of the bed. Asher would have made a crack about the fact that she wasn’t entirely dressed herself, but he didn’t exactly mind her satin kimono, silk pajamas, and bare feet. He rather liked them.
Still, he’d managed not to outright stare. At least he hoped he hadn’t.
“Get ready,” she said, plopping down next to the bed. “I’m going to sneak up on her from behind andtry to drive her out so you can grab her.”
Asher would’ve preferred not to do the grabbing since he wasn’t altogether sure Willow wouldn’t bite him, but at this point, what did he have to lose? Maybe she’d bite him hard enough so that he’d have an excuse not to play and he could go back home and pretend none of this mess ever happened. He’d probably never get hired for another high-profile gigas long as he lived, but so be it.
“Ready... set...”
Asher peered under the bed again. He could see the princess grinning at him from the other side, and despite his desperate circumstances, he smiled back at her. He was almost having fun, which was ridiculous.
It had been a while since he’d had fun. Alongwhile. Maybe he’d forgotten what it felt like, because this sure didn’tseem likethe time or place for it.
“One...” The princess drew out the word for at least three syllables. “Two...”
“For God’s sake, just do it.” For all practical purposes, he was begging. He didn’t care. He just needed his bow back.
She yelled “Three!” as she dove under bed, catching Willow off guard. The corgi came charging out from beneath the bed and plowed straight into Asher’s face.
It hurtlike hell. Once again, Asher wondered how much Willow could possibly weigh. She looked about as big as his gym bag, but he felt like he’d just been hit by a truck.
He had a mouth full of fur and a raging headache all of a sudden, but he shook it off and checked beneath the bed for the bow.
Nothing.
“Damn it.” He scrambled to his feet, prepared to chase Willow right into the throne room if necessary.
The princess’s cool voice, dripping with self-satisfaction, stopped him. “Tada.”
Asher looked up and found her holding the bow up in the air with a triumphant grin on her face.
“You got it.” And it still somehow resembled a bow. Asher’s entire body exhaled in relief.
The princess’s gaze flitted briefly to his abdominal muscles again, but he chose to ignore it this time. She’d rescued the bow.She could ogle all she wanted now.
“I did indeed.” She examined the bow, turning it over in her hands.
Asher couldn’t help but think she looked like she washolding a sword, ready to touch it to his shoulders and knight him. Clearly getting hit in the face by a corgi had knocked a screw loose in his head somewhere.
She shrugged one elegant shoulder. “It’s got a few bite marks, but the damagedoesn’t look too bad.”
They stood on opposite sides of the unmade bed, eyeing one another. A thousand inappropriate thoughts that had nothing to do with the bow he’d been so worried about whirled through Asher’s mind. He crossed his arms to stop himself from reaching out to grab her and toss her onto the crisp white sheets.
Don’t do it. Do. Not.
