Page 68 of Royal Trouble
The king looked up, his gaze shifting from his wife to his sons, who, for perhaps the first time in their lives, presented a united front.
“I don’t give a damn who he brings to the wedding as long as he keeps his face out of the bloody papers.”
Chapter Seventeen
The front door of the cottage opened as Everly climbed out of the car. Either Xander had ESP or security had called ahead to let him know she’d checked in at the gate. His large body filled the doorway, and he leaned casually against the jamb, watching her approach with a wicked grin on his face. It was the kind of smile that promised toe-curling orgasms, and she was definitely going to have sex with this man tonight.
Maybe more than once.
Xander always looked good, but today, with his jeans hanging low on his hips and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to expose his muscular forearms, the sight of him made her mouth water.
Lord, he was fine.
And the smirk on his face said he knew it.
“Hello, Evie,” he drawled, giving her a slow once over as she climbed the front steps.
“Xander,” she said, trying to sound unaffected—and failing.
Dammit. Someday she’d have the upper hand, but clearly it wouldn’t be today.
He straightened and pulled her in for a kiss, his crisp outdoorsy smell enveloping her as he snaked one arm around her waist and tangled the other in her hair. His tongue moved along the seam of her mouth before slipping inside like a thief in the night.
She liked this side of Xander. Affectionate, possessive,hers.
For now, anyway.
It was enough. It would have to be. She’d be leaving after the royal wedding, and he’d made no promises for the future. Which meant she’d just have to make the most of the time they had left. She rose up on her toes, deepening the kiss as his tongue skated across her own in a slow, seductive sweep that lit a fire low in her belly.
When he finally pulled back and stepped aside to let her enter, she was only slightly weak in the knees, so, winning.
“Come on,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the kitchen.
She wasn’t sure if she was following Xander or her nose, because the mouthwatering aroma that hung in the air smelled divine. Her stomach growled in anticipation of food, earning a quiet chuckle from Xander.
“You’re in a good mood,” she said, eyes growing wide as they entered the kitchen. It was nothing like she remembered from her first visit. Oh, there was still an abundance of stainless steel and modern white tile, but the last time she’d set foot in his kitchen, it had been spotless. Sterile, even. Today, it looked like the set of one of those cooking competition shows. Pots and pans were stacked all over the place, spice bottles littered the counter, and the sink was overflowing with dirty dishes.
“I am,” he agreed, moving to the counter to pour her a glass of wine as she dumped her purse on the island. “I met with my father and Liam this morning to discuss the plans for the Blue and Gold Foundation.”
Everly’s pulse quickened. This meant so much to him, but obviously it had gone well if his mood was any indication. “I take it the meeting was a success?” she asked as he handed her a glass of red.
She took a sip, letting the flavor bloom on her tongue as she waited for his reply. The wine was bold, complex, and she was pretty sure she picked out notes of black cherry and vanilla. She allowed herself one more taste before setting her glass on the island. Best to pace herself. It was still early, and with a flavor like that, the bottle would go down easily.
“My father’s going to run the proposal by a few of his advisors, but yes, the meeting was a rousing success. I daresay the old man was actually impressed.” He grinned and leaned against the counter, crossing his ankles. “If everything goes according to plan, we’ll make the official announcement prior to the wedding.”
“Xander, that’s wonderful.” She moved to stand before him, looping her arms around his waist. “I’m so proud of you.”
He started as if surprised by the comment, and her heart sank. Hadn’t anyone in his life ever told him they were proud of him? How was that even possible? Well, from now on she’d make it her mission to tell him every day if that’s what it took for him to see himself the way she did.
“It feels good to have a purpose again,” he said quietly. “I’ve been so lost this past year, but I think I’ve finally found my place. I still miss the military, but I know I can’t go back, so…”
“It’s time to move forward,” she said, nodding in agreement as she finished his sentence. “There’s something to be said for taking control of your life.”
“Speaking of which.” He twisted around to grab something off the counter behind him. When he turned back to her, he held up two plastic bags, each one containing a toothbrush. “Here are the samples. Are you sure you don’t mind doing this?”
“It’s no trouble.” She took the toothbrushes and stashed them in her purse for safekeeping. She’d already made arrangements with the lab, fabricating a story about verifying the paternity of her own non-existent child. The entire process had been much easier than she’d expected. The lab had stressed that the results wouldn’t hold up in a court of law since there were no witnesses to the sample collection, but that didn’t matter. Xander didn’t need legally binding results; he just needed to know if King George was his biological father. “I’ll drop these off at the lab tomorrow. You should have the results in a couple of days.”
“Thank you,” he said, unusually serious.