Page 30 of The Prince's Game
“Oh.” I didn’t know that was possible, but I supposed the saying was true. Money could buy anything. I shifted on the pillows and waited for him to continue.
“My father loves reminding my little brother how lucky he is to be part of our family. He could have left him with nothing but chose to raise him as a Mershano. He doesn’t care that it hurts my mother. She’s mastered the fake grin for the media. She graces their presence whenever he needs her at his side, always putting on the charade of the perfect family for the cameras. Afterward, she retreats to her room for days.” His faraway stare made my heart ache. It cleared when he met my gaze. “Look, I’m telling you this because I want you to know that I will never treat a woman like that. Ever. I’m not my father.”
Interesting that Evan didn’t take after his dad and instead learned from watching his mother’s pain. It was no wonder he was anti marriage. If I grew up with parents like that, I would be, too.
“Look, if you’re afraid of hurting me, don’t be. You won’t. Am I attracted to you? Yes, but I know it can’t go beyond that. I don’t expect anything from you other than what we’ve already discussed.” I went into this arrangement with my eyes wide open.IfI ended up hurt in the end, I would only have myself to blame.
He studied me for a long moment before giving a single nod. “Okay, as long as we understand each other.”
“We do.”
“Good.” He shifted to lie down at the foot of the bed and tilted his head toward me. “You know about our date this week, right?”
“Uh, yeah. What about it?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you knew.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “God, it’s been a long day. My parents are driving me crazy. They are so pissed that I sent Allison home, because she was one of their picks.”
I frowned. “Picks?”
“Yeah. It’s what the producers haven’t told any of you. My parents pick half of everything. Tonight, for example, they picked Amber, Georgiana, and Allison for the date. I picked you for the two-on-one; they picked Leanne. You get the idea.”
“That’s . . .” I couldn’t find the right words.
“Fucked up?” he supplied. “Yes.”
“Huh. And does Will get a say in who stays?”
“No. He only picked one, you, the first night. I’ve picked you every other night. He’s actually going home tomorrow. Work and all that.”
“So wait”—my brain was still processing everything—“when you get down to the top two, your parents . . . ?”
“Get to pick one of the final candidates. Yes.”
“Okay, yeah, that’s fucked up.” They were taking overbearing in-laws to a whole new level.
“Want to make any wagers on whether or not Amber will be that final pick?” His laugh wasn’t the deep one that made my toes curl, but a fake one that lacked humor. “The only choice I get is the one in the end, and even then it’s not a choice since I have to propose.”
“In under two months,” I added. “An impossible amount of time to decide to marry someone.”
He rolled onto his side with one arm tucked under his head. His blue shirt stretched across his pecs and his biceps. My hands itched to explore those hard muscles again, but without the shirt. It would be new territory for both of us. Even when he exposed my breasts to his lips, he left my tank top on. No wonder I was getting wet just looking at him. Almost a week of foreplay had me primed and ready for the next level, but the severity of our discussion left me hesitant to make a move.
“My mother believes in love at first sight, while my father thinks I should bed each woman and make the best performer my wife.” His tone was chilling when he spoke about his dad.
“Your father sounds like an ass.”
“He is.”
Right.Time to lighten the mood a little.“So, what’s on the agenda for our two-on-one date, my dear prince?” My sarcastic tone evoked a grin from him.
“Other than kissing you senseless in front of Paul and the cameras, you mean?” My tummy fluttered at the words. His kissing me senseless was becoming one of my favorite activities. “We’re going to see some of New Orleans’s better haunts and then have a traditional Creole-style dinner. It’s a good way to end our time in the city. The next few episodes take place elsewhere.”
“We’re going somewhere else for the next episode?” At his nod, I asked, “Where to?”
“A surprise.” He reached out to snag my ankle, pulling one leg away from my chest. “I’m not sure how I feel about you dressing like this around Will. It probably gave him all sorts of sordid ideas.”
“Dating or not, I can dress like this around whomever I want to. But in Will’s case, I didn’t know he was coming over until I found him on the couch.”
He started massaging my foot, sending tingles up my right leg. Those clever fingers of his were created to please a woman, and I was more than happy to be on the receiving end of his attentions. “I would be a hypocrite to ask you not to dress that way around Will again.”
