Page 64 of Royal Trouble
She continued as if she hadn’t heard his words. “I already know who and what Katherine is, so what’s the point?”
She couldn’t really believe that. If she did, she wouldn’t be here with him now. Hadn’t she believed him to be an arrogant prick? All right, maybe he was, but there was more to him than the drinking and partying reported in the tabloids. Maybe there was more to Katherine as well.
“I can’t imagine the situation with your parents was easy for either of you, but you were kids then.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “People change, Evie. Maybe Katherine’s not the girl you knew—or thought you knew—at Westbury.”
“And maybe she is,” she shot back.
Ah, there was the little spitfire he knew and loved. “Don’t you owe it to yourself to find out?”
“I always wondered what it would be like to have an older sister,” she admitted almost wistfully.
He reached across the bed and grabbed her mobile off the nightstand. She stared dubiously as he offered it to her. “Text her. It’s just coffee.”
“What if it’s awkward?”
He smiled. “I can guarantee it’ll be awkward as hell. But if it doesn’t go well, you never have to do it again. Either way, at least you’ll know.”
She pulled herself to a sitting position, toying with the phone and turning it over in her hands. Was she thinking up more excuses or working up her nerve? He’d grown fairly adept at reading her expressions, but her eyes were shuttered in a way he’d never seen before, and he couldn’t be certain.
Bloody hell. Was he making a mistake pushing her to do this?
“Think of it this way,” he suggested, slipping an arm around her back for support. “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
She gave a jerky nod. “Okay. I’m doing it.”
His heart swelled with pride as she tapped out a quick message and pressed send. Then she promptly locked the phone and placed it face down on the nightstand, as if she couldn’t bear to see the reply.
“Distract me. Please.”
That he could do. Quick as a flash, he pulled her to him, rolling onto his back and positioning her above so she straddled him, her breasts on full display as the sheet fell away, her wet heat teasing his hardened cock.
Everly arched a brow. “No condoms, remember?”
Shit. No fucking, then.
“We don’t need condoms for what I’m planning.” He palmed her thighs, spreading them wide. Goddamn. She was already wet, her body readying for him. He brushed his fingertips across her belly, the feather-light touch causing her to shiver. He drifted lower, stroking her sex. He wanted to taste her, but what was the rush?
They had all morning, and he planned to make the most of it.
Royal Stags Gone Wild
With the royal wedding just weeks away, there’s been a lot of speculation as to whether HRH Prince William would have a traditional stag night or if the future Duchess of Carlyle would put the smackdown on the Valerian right of passage. The palace has been mum, but you know us. When it comes to royal dirt, we leave no stone—or source—unturned.
A source close to the royal family has confirmed HRH Prince William did in fact have a stag night and it was held this past weekend. To keep the ultra-exclusive event private, we’re told there was a last-minute venue change, which means, sadly, that we have no pictures (although we’d pay top dollar)!
Details were scarce, but we hear HRH Prince Alexander threw the heir one hell of a party, which we figure means there was no shortage of drunken debauchery (our favorite kind). If the royal spare knows anything, it’s how to party, so it should come as no surprise he managed to hit the trifecta with booze, gambling, and a bit of naked fun courtesy of Le Scandal, a hot new burlesque troupe in Novellus. (Check them out if you’re in the Valerian capital. If they’re good enough for HRH, they’re good enough for the rest of us peasants.)
And while the details of the royal shindig have been closely guarded, we did get one particularly juicy tidbit. According to a source close to the family, HRH Prince Alexander slipped out for a secret rendezvous in the middle of the night, which has us wondering where he spent the night and with who? Hit us up with your theories!
Chapter Sixteen
Everly’s heart raced as she opened the door to Bean & Gone and slipped inside. It was a beautiful day—too nice to spend cooped up in a café—but here she was. Katherine had responded to her text with an abundance of enthusiasm, insisting they meet for coffee as soon as possible. She’d probably been afraid Everly would change her mind and cancel otherwise.
Smart woman. Because she was still considering bolting.
Her stomach twisted in knots as she scanned the tiny café, taking in the exposed brick wall, the open shelves of mismatched coffee mugs, and the hipster barista slinging espresso shots from behind the reclaimed wood counter. There was also a massive glass bakery case filled with enormous muffins and other treats. Any other day, she would’ve been all over it, but with her nerves in the danger zone, there was a real possibility anything she put in her mouth would make a surprise reappearance.
So, yeah. No muffins.