Page 88 of A Not So Prince Charming

Later, after we’d cleaned up, we curled back up together in her bed, warm and sated. Ella’s head rested against my bicepsand I had my arms around her—because I couldn’t seem to let her go. Even if it was late, I watched her eyelids droop, fighting sleep myself because I didn’t want the morning to come yet.

“What’s your middle name?” She murmured, tracing a line over my abs.

“What?” I laughed.

“I just realized I didn’t know it. Feels like I should, y’know. Considering where we are.”

“It’s Arthur.” Grabbing her hand, I kissed each one of her fingers. “Cameron Arthur Edwards.”

“Really?” She quirked an eyebrow.

I laughed. “My dad really liked Camelot and the legends of King Arthur and his knights when he was younger. Mom disagreed with it for a first name, but…”

“Mmm.” She cuddled into my side.

“What’s yours?”

“Grace.”

“Ella Grace,” I murmured. “Pretty. I like it.” Ella Grace Edwards had a nice ring to it.

Not that it was something I should think about right now, but I couldn’t help it. Not when we were curled up in bed together, warm and cozy, and she had her head resting on my chest. Not when she felt like mine.

“Do you have to leave tomorrow?” Ella asked, tilting up her head to bring her eyes to mine.

“Come back with me?” My voice was rough as I asked. “I know it’s a few days early, but…”

“Usually Audrey and I drive back together, but…” she sighed, snuggling into my embrace. “I don’t want to say goodbye.”

A hum escaped my lips as a response. “I know.” It would only be a few days, but I’d rather drive back to campus with my girl in my car, to soak up every minute we could alone before everyone else came back to the fraternity house. “Still… What do you think?”

She pretended to think about it for a moment and then said, “Okay.”

“Okay, you’ll come?”

“Yeah.” Her lips curled up in a smile, and she kissed my cheek. “I’d go anywhere with you, Charming.”

Her words warmed my heart, and I was going to wrap them up and keep them—the best present I could have ever asked for.

Happy New Year, indeed.

CHAPTER 27

Ella

My mom’s words bounced around my head. Before we’d left, she pulled me aside, telling me howcharmingshe thought Cameron was. We’d stayed an extra day, and Cam had done all of our family things with us—including helping my mom do the dishes after breakfast, and playing board games with us after lunch.

It had been the perfect day, and if my parents thought I was making the wrong choice, they hadn’t vocalized it. And even though we’d been on our best behavior, Cam had made sure I knew he was there all day—a little touch here and there, asking me if I needed anything (as if we weren’t in my house), and a kiss to the forehead whenever he left the room.

I was still trying to figure out what I’d done to deserve him.

With my suitcases securely in the back of Cam’s car, a wave of uneasiness washed over me as we headed back to Castleton.

His hand was on my thigh, the car’s audio system down low.

We’d been listening to a mix of his favorite artists in the car, and Michael Bublé’s Christmas album was currently playing at my insistence. Namely that I wasn’t ready for the holiday season to be over yet. I hummed along to the song playing, trying to distract myself from the feeling in my gut.

“You nervous?” he asked me, not taking his eyes off the road.

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