Page 90 of Loyally, Luke
“Ellie!” he countered with the same voiced emotion, only his was rather teasing.
She narrowed her eyes at him in powerless reprimand.
He leaned closer. “I don’t like being fake.” The soft curl in his low voice nearly melted her to the floor. “So, Ellie, would you go on a date with me today?” He wiggled his brows. “If you say yes, then we won’t have to lie.”
She couldn’t actually think well enough to speak.
“And then my reward kisses won’t have to be fake either.”
She stared up at him, wishing there was a way to make him her future because she... she wanted every date, every feeling, every kiss to be very real. She rallied from the wonderful aura of his nearness and stepped back a little from his distracting touch. “But we can’t present ourselves as aseriousrelationship, Luke.”
“Great, I prefer humor anyway.”
“Luke,” she said through her laugh, “I mean it. The media won’t leave you alone and they’ll distort whatever they see.” Her gaze pleaded with him. “I don’t want you to have to manage any of that. It’s horrible.”
His expression turned thoughtful. “We can weather a lot of things for the people we care about.” The gleam returned to his eyes along with an added wiggle to his brows. “But I’ll try to play nice.”
“Oh dear.” She couldn’t control her grin resurfacing.
“You promised the aforementioned reward, so this whole room could do about anything to me and I’ll bejustfine.”
“I did not promise—”
“Princess Elliana?”
The voice brought unwelcome and shameful memories with it, even souring her own name to her ears. She turned to find Maxim in a suit he’d somehow managed to make look too relaxed, with Drake by his side, the latter staring with wide, ravenous eyes in search of the next story.
“Mr.Tatem.” She turned to Drake. “Mr.Stephens. How good of you to come to support our children here.”
“Mr.Tatem?” Maxim raised a golden brow. “Such formality. Should I bow?”
Her left hand shook from the effort to contain her emotions, so she fisted it at her side. “I don’t know that you suffer from following the ‘shoulds,’ Mr.Tatem, so I’ll leave your response to your own discretion.”
“Still nursing old wounds, are we, Elliana?”
Luke’s palm warmed her lower back, reminding her of his presence. Somehow, strength passed from him to her. She stood a bit straighter. “Oh no, Mr.Tatem. I have no need nor desire to highlight or waste time on insignificant scars. I prefer to learn from my past and move forward with a much better perspective, instead of renewing grudges or dwelling on past mistakes.” She turned toward Luke. “May I introduce you to my guest, Mr.Luke Edgewood.”
“Guest?” Maxim’s gaze roamed over Luke with unveiled humor before he turned back to Ellie. “I hope you and the Duke of Styles haven’t fallen out.”
Ellie stilled her expression. Oh no! She hadn’t told Luke about Christopher.
Luke held out his hand in greeting. “The duke was unavailable, so she had to settle for the peasant.”
She looked over at him and he shot her a wink.
And at that very moment, she knew she loved him.
Maxim scoffed and stared down at Luke’s hand for a moment before taking it. “How do I know your face? I rarely converse with peasants.”
“I’m only here to help with some renovations for the orphanage.” Luke gestured toward Ellie. “Princess Elliana was kind enough to include me in the festivities surrounding some of the work I’m doing.”
“What a boon for your confidence, to be the guest of royalty!” Drake interjected, like the approval-seeking pup he was.
Ellie stifled a cringe.
“I suppose that speaks to the type of person the princess is, doesn’t it?” Luke didn’t miss a beat. “Aware enough to make the changes necessary to help others, but humble enough to realize we’re all the same at heart. Royal or not.”
Oh, he really wanted his reward, didn’t he? And deserved every bit of it.
