Page 39 of Kinks of a Billionaire

Love.

I couldn’t remember how we got onto this boat, but I vaguely remembered being tucked into bed. And how I tugged on Royce’s rough hand and asked him to stay with me. When he’d wrapped his arms around me, I’d never felt safer.

Getting to my feet, I followed the noise to a sleek kitchen with a million-dollar view. I found Royce at the little kitchen counter, dressed in black Tom Ford shorts and a white T-shirt, his ink on full display—a mountain landscape tattooed on one forearm and a large willow tree with thin branches on the other.

Bent over a small device, he seemed to be reading something on this phone.

“Good morning,” I murmured, tucking a piece of my unruly hair behind my ear. He held a blender with something green and unappealing-looking in it. My nose wrinkled before I added, “I hope you’re not drinking that.”

Amusement filled his gaze. “I’m not. You are.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not drinking something that looks like a swamp.”

He chuckled.

“It says here it’s good for the baby.” My mouth parted in shock as I eyed the green liquid with distaste. “Fresh spinach, blended with blackberries and bananas. The pregnancy blogs promise it does wonders for morning sickness.”

I flushed, my heart growing warm. If I could see myself right now, I imagined I’d find cartoon hearts in place of my eyes.

I extended my hand without another word, wrapping my fingers around the glass he’d just finished pouring.

He smiled and said, “Good girl,” which did some messed-up things to my body.

Get yourself together, Willow, I scolded myself.

Royce had always been thoughtful and caring. This morning’s gesture was no different.

Taking a sip, I sat down as the green liquid trickled down my throat.

“Hmmm, it’s pretty good. Definitely better than it looks,” I said, then took another sip.

“How’s your room?” he asked.

“The view is amazing.” I grinned, the tension of the few last months finally loosening. “What is there not to like?”

“Excellent.”

“Where are you sleeping?”

“Down the hallway from your cabin.” He poured himself a glass of the same thing and downed it all in one go. “You look good in my shirt.”

I swallowed, blushing a deeper shade of red, and shifted on my chair. I was comfortable with Royce, my friend. I didn’t know what to do with Royce, my husband. My emotions were all over the place, and so were my hormones.

“So how did we get on the boat, and where are we going?”

He raised a brow, leaning back in the chair. “Are you worried?”

I shook my head, biting the inside of my cheek. “Just making conversation.”

“Do I make you nervous, baby?”

I scoffed. “You wish. Now stop fucking with me and tell me our plans.”

He grinned. “We’ll stay off-grid for a bit. Sail the seas. Have an extended honeymoon.”

I swallowed. “Do you think the Harrises will do something?”

He shrugged, clearly unbothered. “We’ll worry about Stuart and his family when the time comes.”