Page 35 of Royal Trouble
Why hadn’t she submitted last night? It was a rookie mistake. She quickly skimmed the article as Mr. Larson rambled on. Any guilt she felt over her submission evaporated as she read the searing article inThe Daily Scoop. Compared to this hit job, she’d written a puff piece.
“I’m willing to give you one more shot, if you want it, but you’d better bring me something big.”
Everly closed her eyes and sank back against the pillows. Did she want another shot? Not really, but if she fell behind on the medical bills, she’d have to come clean to her mom about the fact that there was no angel donor. She couldn’t bear to watch her mother worry about finances and wonder why the aid had dried up. And explaining the angel donor would mean explaining Royals Gone Wild and all the rest of it to her mom. It would break her heart. Which meant she had to stop screwing around and get the story, whether she liked it or not.
“What do you say?” Mr. Larson asked.
“Consider it done.”
…
Xander pressed the buzzer to Lucy Calhoun’s apartment and waited. Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door, and he flashed a knowing grin at the peephole. There was a quietthunk, as if a head had just sagged against the door.
“Come on, Evie. I know you’re in there.”
He waited. Still no response.
He knocked again, more loudly this time. “I can do this all day, love. Might as well open up.”
No answer.
Xander pulled his mobile from his pocket and dialed her number. When a phone rang on the other side of the door, he chuckled and shot a victorious grin at the peephole. She didn’t answer, but he hadn’t expected her to.
The woman had a will of iron.
The deadbolt slid back with a metallicclang, and Everly opened the door. Her hair was in a messy topknot, and she was wearing the tiniest pair of sleep shorts he’d ever seen. They were practically indecent.
The postman would have a bloody heart attack if he came by.
Xander repositioned his body, blocking Everly from view of the street.
“What are you doing here, Xander?” She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her full breasts and drawing his attention to the rosy buds that were on full display under the thin cotton.
Bloody hell. She wasn’t wearing a bra. This had been a terrible idea. He really should’ve called ahead. But no, he needed the element of surprise. Otherwise, she’d say no.
“We’re going sailing.”
Everly scrunched up her nose. “I don’t sail.”
“You don’t have to,” he assured her. “All you have to do is smile and look pretty for the cameras. It’ll be a breeze.”
“Excuse me?” She dropped her arms and planted her hands on her hips. “Wanna try that again?”
He grinned. This was his favorite version of Evie, the one full of snark and sass. Well, maybe his second favorite version, because nothing could top the sexy little minx from the wine cellar.
“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you invite me in and we can discuss it over coffee like two rational adults?” he suggested, holding up the package from the corner cafe.
Everly grinned and cocked her hip. “I’m pretty sure there’s only one rational adult present here, but who am I to turn away free coffee?”
She turned on her heel and sauntered down the hall, her arse cheeks peeking out below the hem of the barely there shorts. At the end of the hall, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder, the mischievous glint in her eye making it clear she knew exactly what kind of effect the tiny shorts were having on him.
“Coming?”
Fuuuuck.He was so screwed.
He joined her in the tiny galley kitchen, offering her one of the coffees and a chocolate croissant. He didn’t know if she liked croissants, but he knew she liked chocolate and chocolate made people happy, which he hoped would make her more amenable to his proposal.
Everly tore off a small chunk of the croissant and nibbled on it. “So tell me again what you’re doing here.”