Page 37 of A Royal Promise
He’s only saying this because we’re in public. But Bri couldn’t rid her mind of the niggling thought that right in her arms was exactly where he wanted to be, regardless of who was watching.
A shiver spread through her body, and it wasn’t because of the cold water soaking through her dress.
Chapter Thirteen
Drew
She was totally checking me out. Shout-out to past me for forcing myself to do an ab workout yesterday.
He didn’t know if she was playing up her reaction for the cameras, but regardless, she’d given himthe look.
The complete up-down, her eyes roaming over him, a beautiful blush on her cheeks. It made him grin like a fool.
If she was attracted to him, maybe he had an actual chance with her. Maybe he had a shot at convincing Bri he was the right person to love her for the rest of her life.
She sucked in a gasp as he hugged her tightly, likely shocked by the cold water clinging to him. “You’re freezing, Drew,” Bri squealed in his arms.
He pulled his head back with a laugh and looked right into her eyes. “Then I guess I need you to warm me up.” Drew finally released Bri from his arms, not wanting to soak her dress. He could hear the clicking of paparazzi cameras around them.
She gazed up at him, looking shocked by his boldness. Before she could respond, Drew moved past her and hugged hisparents. His mother kissed him on the cheek, and his father clapped him on the back.
“Congratulations, son.” His father’s smile was full of pride.
“We knew you could do it,” his mother added. She motioned her head toward Bri. “Especially with how loud your fiancée was cheering for you.”
He turned back to face Bri. “You were cheering for me, huh?”
Her cheeks tinged with pink. “Of course I was.”
His lips turned up at the corners, but they pulled back into a frown when he saw who was strutting toward them in a black gown better suited for a ballroom than a riverfront.
“Clarissa.” Drew’s mother, always prim and proper, greeted the unwanted guest. “It’s lovely to see you. I didn’t know you enjoyed the regatta.”
“I had to come cheer on my Andy.” Clarissa smirked before turning her attention to Drew. “You looked great out there. So buff and handsome.” She leaned forward and squeezed his arm as she bit her bottom lip.
Bri moved to his side, wrapping her arm around his middle and leaning her head against him. “He is buff and handsome, isn’t he?”
The words buff and handsome coming out of Clarissa’s mouth? Irritating.
The words buff and handsome coming out of Bri’s mouth? Exhilarating.
“Thanks for supporting Glencrest.” He offered the generic platitude to Clarissa, nothing more. “I hope you have safe travels home with your family.” Turning his back to her, he faced Bri. Drew motioned toward the crew’s tent. “I’m going to get changed into some dry clothes. Will you wait for me?”
Bri nodded. He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles. She sucked in a breath at his touch.
Oh, yes. She was definitely attracted to him.Finally.
As he walked toward the tent, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
Once inside, he stripped off his wet uniform, throwing it into a plastic bag. Drew changed into black suit pants and a white button-down before adding a tie and putting on a light-blue blazer with a pin of Glencrest’s flag on the lapel. He pulled on black socks and dress shoes before taking a look at himself in the mirror. His hair was wild, sticking out every which way. He did his best to smooth it down without any gel before heading out of the tent.
He started to move toward where he had left Bri, but someone from his crew grabbed his arm.
“Drew, they’re calling us up to present the trophy.”
The conversation he wanted to have with Bri would have to wait until later. He begrudgingly followed his crew up onto the stage. As Glencrest accepted the championship trophy, Drew scoured the audience until he found who he was looking for. Bri stood in the middle of the crowd, and he locked in on her, smiling at her as she beamed back at him.
That smile alone was what made him feel like a champion today.
