Page 45 of Royal Agenda

He coughed once. “I trained to be a barber thirty minutes north of here.” He chuckled. “You should have seen my first haircut.” He shook his head. “The mannequin had to be thrown out.”

She grinned, though that wasn’t the answer she was looking for, and he knew it. “You’ve come a long way. I can’t walk three feet without someone stopping to tell me what a good barber you are.”

He ducked his head in modesty. “I do not know about that.” He leaned over the table and whispered, “Eighty-six percent of my customers wear glasses.” He winked.

She pushed his arm and giggled. “Stop. You’re doing great.” He lifted an eyebrow. “You’re great. I’m great. This pizza is great. All of Diamond Cove is great.” She set her fork and lifted her hand. “When I am with you–I feel the same. The whole world is brighter, better,” his eyes dipped to her lips, “tastier.”

She swallowed heavily. He was the siren, calling out to her to throw caution to the wind, leap over the table, and land in his arms never to leave. Who needed fresh basil and mozzarella? She could live off of Ryker. And from the look he gave her, he wouldn’t mind a nibble at her either.

His grip tightened as he brought her hand to his lips. She expected him to kiss her knuckles and braced herself for the feel of his breath over her hand, which would have the effect of throwing a propane tank into a campfire.

Instead, he turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her wrist. Her pulse kicked up to 3000 beats per minute, and she gasped. She wasn’t ready, not for that. Not to have him take the gesture from sweet to seductive.

She turned her hand over and captured his fingers, needing something to hold onto. He gripped hers right back. Her phone rang, and she jumped in surprise. Glancing down at the screen, she paused.

“Do you need to take that?” Ryker asked, even as his thumb ran over her fingers, sending goosebumps all the way to her heart.

“Um,” she hedged. “Normally, I wouldn’t, but this is my sister.”

He squeezed and then let go of her hand. “Please.” He motioned to her phone.

She scooted out of the booth. “I’ll just be a minute.” She hoped it would only take a minute. Even though she lived with Grandma at the moment, Elizabeth was her emergency contact. Mom’s extended honeymoon had turned into a “we bought a flat in London” and she wasn’t close enough to make decisions nor in the right time zone to be of help.

She hit the answer button just as she stepped out to the sidewalk. The air was warm and chased away the goosebumps created by the incredibly handsome man who ate pizza with a fork and knife.

“What are you doing tonight?” Elizabeth asked without saying hello. “Chad’s driving up to visit, and I want to introduce you. Can you come?”

Grace paused. “Uh … I’m sort of on a date.” She rolled her eyes at herself.

“How can you sort of be on a date?” Elizabeth asked.

“There’s no sort of. I am on a date.”

Elizabeth started laughing. “I told you not to drink the water.”

“This has nothing to do with water and everything to do with his Isoladian accent.”

Elizabeth sucked in air through her teeth. “That’s like your kryptonite.”

“Right!” she agreed quickly. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Ryker through the large front window as he scrolled on his phone. She hadn’t seen it out once since he picked her up. When he needed to check the time, he looked at his watch. His expensive-looking, totally manly, leather banded watch. Darn it all if he wasn’t too sexy for his own good. “Not only does he speak like a lion trying to talk me into his den, he has the manners of a gentleman and the body of Hercules.”

“I’m canceling our sisterhood.”

“What?! Why?”

“Because I’ve sent you dozens of pictures of Chad, and you haven’t sent me one of–”

“Ryker,” she filled in.

“Ryker–hot name by the way.”

Grace pulled the phone away and sent an image from the night she and Ryker walked the beach. “It should be there any second. He has a shirt on so don’t be disappointed.”

“You’re hair!” Elizabeth shrieked. “Oh my gosh! I’m having so much hair envy right now it’s eating me alive.”

Grace laughed. Ryker glanced up as if he’d heard Elizabeth’s shrieks through the glass, and their eyes met–fire and lightning passing between them. “Was there a reason you called?” she asked breathlessly, anxious to return to her date.

“Yes. I wanted you to come visit and maybe try on wedding dresses with me, but I realize that I’m going to come in second to this man. I’m not thrilled about it, but I totally get it. So go! Go frolic with your Hercules and call me with the tea tomorrow.”

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