Page 61 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

She opened the door and slid into the seat next to me. After clipping her seatbelt in place, she turned her beautiful smile my way. “So what are we doing today?”

With a growl, I leaned in, slid my hands around the back of her neck, and jerked her to me. She gave a gasp of surprise before her hands landed flat on my chest to brace herself. I crushed my lips to hers, needing the contact. Her lips parted, and her tongue darted into my mouth as I moaned against her lips.

God, she was going to be the end of me. I was like a teenage boy ready to come in my pants at just a kiss. After ravaging her mouth, I leaned back against my seat, gulping for air.

She reached out and touched my arm, drawing my attention back to her. A shuddering sigh left her lips. “I’m happy to see you, too.”

Her candid response was almost my undoing. I’d never met anyone like her. Ever. I regained my self-control and smiled. “Are you ready for an adventure?”

She frowned. “Maybe. You know, I’m not the super outdoorsy type. Please tell me we’re not going for a hike in the woods.” Then she lifted her foot off the floor, turning her ankle back and forth to show off the flat sole and gladiator straps. “I’m not exactly ready for something like that.”

I let out another harsh breath. Even her calf and foot were sexy. What was wrong with me? What was it about her that got me revved up in seconds?

“Nothing like that,” I reassured her.

***

“OH MY GOD.” SHE MOANEDas she sat down on the blanket I spread out over the ground, unbuckled her shoes, and kicked them off.

“Did you have fun?”

She laughed. “You know I did.”

“Even though I made you hike around the city for two miles.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Yes.”

I gave her a wink. We’d missed the park’s scavenger hunt I wanted us to originally go on and instead decided to casually walk around getting to know each other.

I reached into the cooler I’d stashed in the car and took out the food.

“Oh—” Her eyes grew wide as her head lifted slowly to look at me. “These are all my favorites. How did you—”

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow. “Who do you think?”

“Stella,” she answered. “How in the world did you get a second to ask her without me knowing?”

“I waited a few minutes after I dropped you off. Then knocked on your door to see if I could get any info out of her while you were getting ready.”

“Ahhh, I thought it was weird when she told me it was a kid selling calendars or something after I got out of the shower. We don’t have many kids in the building.”

“Yeah, she told me I needed to do this right or else. And I’m not messing with her. She’s got red hair, and I bet she’d crucify me.”

Ashlyn’s laughter burst forth and flowed through me. “Stella’s a softie until you mess with someone she cares about. Then watch out.”

After taking everything out, I poured her a glass of a medium-bodied Riesling and sat beside her. She leaned her head against my arm and sighed after taking a sip.

“Mmm, I love this one. But I bet Stella told you Kung Fu Girl was one of my favorites.”

I nodded and kissed the top of her head. Today had been unexpected. We spent time getting to know each other and everything I learned had me liking her more.

The sky unmarred by clouds was a brilliant blue, so similar to Ashlyn’s eyes. The temperature had cooled down enough that it was a beautiful spring day. There were others with the same idea, enjoying the day with a date or their family. Children’s happy yelps and laughter filled the air. We sat off to the side, giving us a semblance of privacy. A popular spot to hang out during this time of year, it was the perfect place to be seen.

“I had a lot of fun with you today.” She tilted her head to gaze up at me.

“Me too.” I lowered my head and nipped at her lips.

Her hand slid along my chest, grabbed my shirt, and pulled me closer. I devoured her lips in a searing kiss and pressed her body to mine. She moaned against my mouth and slid one hand up around my neck.