Page 70 of The Promised Prince
“Tickle her!” he yelled.
The children descended in a mess of little bodies, fingers, and giggles. Trev let go of Seran and managed to wriggle out of the children’s grasp as they focused on the princess. Seran dropped to her knees and tried to shield herself with her arms, laughing and begging for mercy. The children only tickled harder.
After a few seconds, Seran pointed desperately to Renna, who stood twenty feet from them, watching the spectacle. “It’s Miss Degray’s turn,” she said. “Go get Miss Degray!”
Renna’s eyes flew wide open. She started to back away, shaking her head comically. Laughing, the children broke away from Seran and charged toward Renna, tackling her until they all toppled to the ground. Renna laughed from the bottom of the pile.
“Oh dear.” Seran chuckled, still on her knees. “You better go call them off.”
Trev hesitated. He had purposely avoided Renna all morning. He offered his hand to help Seran stand. “I’m sure she doesn’t need our help.”
“Those kids will never release her, and it’s my fault.” Seran laughed, accepting his hand. She rose gracefully, then reached down to beat a few blades of grass from her skirt. “Go help her.”
Trev nodded, reluctantly making his way to the pile of kids. “All right, all right. Give Miss Degray a break.”
The children groaned, but dutifully scattered, leaving Renna sprawled out on the grass, her face flushed, her hair mussed, and a bright smile on her lips. She looked up at him, her green eyes glimmering in their playful way. “I think they won.”
“It looks like it,” was all Trev dared to say. He held his hand out to help her up, knowing that when her skin touched his, everything inside him would feel it. Their fingers touched, and their eyes locked, the spark between them bursting to life.
“You’re good with them,” she said through heavy breaths as she stood, not pulling her hand away immediately.
“I don’t know about that.” Trev shrugged. He let his fingers slowly slide over her palm as he released it.
He stared at her for one long moment, unsure what to say butwantingto say so much. He wanted to tell her he was sorry for upsetting her last night. He wanted to explain that the thought of her with Joniss tore him up inside. He wanted her to understand that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him—and the worst.
Renna broke the silence first. “I’m sorry I snapped at you last night.”
“No.” He shook his head apologetically. “I shouldn’t have gotten involved in your personal life.”
“True,” Renna said, “but you were right about Joniss. He was just using me.”
Trev couldn’t hide his smile.
“Oh, don’t look so happy about it.” Renna rolled her eyes.
“I’m not!” But his laugh gave him away.
A little boy missing his two front teeth appeared at Renna’s side and tugged her arm, breaking the moment. “Come play with me, Miss Renna,” he begged.
“Colter,” Renna smiled at the scrawny boy, “have you met Prince Ezra yet?”
“No, I don’t care about the prince,” the boy said, still tugging on Renna’s arm as he looked up at Trev. “I just want to play with you.”
Trev raised his eyebrows in amusement. “I know how you feel. I just want to play with Miss Renna too.”
Renna dropped her eyes, alerting him to the fact that he shouldn’t have said that. He tried to change the subject. “Where do you live, Colter?”
“My momma and papa live by the market square. They sell squash and zucchini and sometimes tomatoes if they aren’t bad.”
“When I was your age, my momma and papa sold vegetables too,” Renna said, bending down so she matched his height.
Colter’s eyes lit up. “They must’ve sold a lot of vegetables because now you live at the palace.”
Renna laughed. “I don’t live here. I’m just visiting.”
“Like me!” Colter beamed.
“Just like you.” Renna tousled his long brown hair.
