Page 69 of A Royal Promise

Bri turned to face him, raising one of her perfectly sculpted brows. “Seriously?”

He nodded. “Or you could take the punishment.” Drew knew she would never say no to a dare, but she would definitely never admit defeat and take the punishment.

“Oh, that’s low.”

Drew smirked. “I’m not the one who broke a priceless antique vase gifted by the Queen of England.”

She shoved his shoulder. “You were the one chasing me around the corner of the hallway.”

“Then I guess neither of us can ever take the punishment and admit the truth to your parents.”

“Fine, let me think about this rap.” After a few quiet minutes, she ran a few steps ahead and turned around, walking backward as she started to rap.

“Let me tell you some things about my best friend, Drew. He’s always there for people when they’re blue. I have to admit, he’s the hardest worker I know. No, he’s not your average teenage Joe Schmo. He’s as steady and constant as the Northern Star. With him by my side, I know I can go far.”

Drew applauded as she said the final line, even though his shoulders drooped.

Supportive. Hardworking. A reliable friend.Those were all great compliments but not what he wanted to hear from the person with whom he wanted so much more.

Where were the comments about how attractive he was or how he had kissable lips? The kind of stuff all the great romance authors wrote about.

“Bri Bear regrets to announce her retirement as a rap star. Thank you and goodnight.” She curtsied to her audience of one.

“Aw, man, already? You were just getting started.”

Bri rolled her eyes. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“What was your first impression of me?”

“I thought you had more energy than anyone I’d ever met.”

She laughed lightly. “My parents called me the Energizer Bunny for a reason. I never stopped moving.” Her expression grew more curious. “What’s your impression of me now?”

You’re the most beautiful person, inside and out.

“You’re the most fun and kind person, and I’m lucky to know you.”

Bri held her hand to her heart. “Aw, thanks. See, I don’t need to write a rap in the future to share the kind of person you are.”

His lips tilted in a crooked grin. “I much prefer hearing it in rap form though.” He waved his hand in front of him. “All right, truth or dare?”

“Let’s go with truth this time.”

His eyebrows raised. “I think that might be the first time you’ve ever picked truth.”

“There’s a first time for everything.”

He cocked his head to the side as he thought about what question he could ask. If he was brave, he would ask her if she had a crush on anyone, but he wasn’t—not after she’d said he was a supportive friend, firmly placing him in the friend zone. He could still ask a question more in the realm of dating—something he wouldn’t normally dare ask her.

“Who was your first kiss?”

“Lord Sutherland.”

He pressed his lips together as he looked at her, biting back nausea at the thought of her kissing someone else.

She stared at him intently. “Why are you looking at me like that?”