Page 46 of Royal Agenda

“Love you.” She hung up and made her way back inside, wincing as she sat down.

Ryker caught the fleeting look and grabbed for her hand. “You are hurt?”

She flicked her free hand. “Not in the way you think.” Shifting, she tested her muscles. For the most part, they were fine. It was just when sitting down that they screamed at her. “It’s nothing.”

“It cannot be nothing,” he insisted. And because his voice was her kryptonite, she had to tell him.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment before she even started. “Sore muscles. I went to an old lady workout class, and it kicked my butt.” She shifted. “Literally.”

“What old lady class?” he tried to say old lady class with her same accent and failed miserably, making her laugh over the top of her embarrassment. Had he done that on purpose, looked silly so she would feel less ridiculous?

“We sat in chairs and used resistance bands and did all these moves for over an hour.” She pantomimed pulling on the bands like they were barbells. “The instructor had us stand up and sit down at least 400 times and–I guess I’m a little out of shape.”

“No,” his eyes smoldered. “I do not think that your backside is out of shape.”

“Ryker Rockefeller, have you been looking at my butt?” she asked, aghast.

Though she was only teasing him, his ears turned pink. “A gentleman would never,” he insisted, even as his lips twitched with a smile.

She shoved his shoulder. “Who said you were a gentleman?”

“No woman has tested my nobility in such exquisite ways, la mia sirena.” He gently touched her cheek. She was officially goo for this man. Her knees didn’t work. Her whole body leaned into his hand, and her mouth couldn’t make a sound.

In an act of mercy, he removed his hand and asked, “Is everything okay with your family?”

She had to take a breath and fill up her lungs so her spine could gather itself and hold her up again. There. She might be able to make it through dinner without sliding under the table like someone had removed her bones.

“The family’s great. Elizabeth is planning her wedding and wants sisterly support.” She nibbled at her pizza.

“Hmm,” he replied while keeping his eyes on his plate.

“Do you have any siblings?” she hedged. The moment she heard her own tone, she wished she’d asked with more confidence instead of acting like she was trying to sneak information out of him. They were on a date. Dates were for getting to know one another, and asking about family was a perfectly reasonable topic of conversation.

Except when it came to Ryker.

He lifted a shoulder. “I could.”

“What does that mean?” She took a bigger bite, needing something to chew on.

“I mean, it is possible.” He wiped his lips with his napkin and then carefully laid it back in his lap. “I am certain in your line of work, you find relationships that were previously unknown.”

“Yes…” she led him on, hoping he would tell her more.

“So there is always the possibility of a sister,” he blinked quickly, “or brother. I could have a brother, maybe.” He drank the last of his soda. “Would you like more?” he stood quickly.

“Yes.” She would like more information about his family and background.

“Si.” He took her glass and then bent quickly to press a kiss to her cheek. “I will miss you while I am over there and you are over here.” He went to the drink station to fill them both. She watched the muscles in his back flex and move as he filled their cups.

She sighed happily. He’d given her precious little about his past, but he was all in every moment they had together. For almost any woman, that would be enough. But for her? Well, time would tell if she could exist in the now with him or if she needed more. It was just who she was–a woman who lived for a different time.

And she couldn’t change that–not even for love. She’d fought it for years because she loved Grandma so much. During that time of her life, she wasn’t happy, not really. At least she’d learned from the experience.

The problem was, she didn’t know what that meant for her and Ryker.

The answer was in the future–and Grace wasn’t all that great when it came to tomorrows.

Seventeen

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