Page 35 of Royally Drawn (Resplendent Royals #3)

Yachting Around

INGRID

“ Y ou deserter!” Rick joked as I departed back down the pier.

I left the family to set sail to the same destination on a separate vessel. Rick couldn’t help but tease me for it. To arrive, he’d sailed from Lundhavn to Denmark and then across to Norway to meet us. In doing so, he brought his beloved sailing yacht and its crew with him. Alex and the kids flew in. She found the whole thing ridiculous. He’d decided we’d go out with the other families on their sailing yachts. However, with a single text from Keir, I’d chosen to go out on one of the Norwegian boats. We were sailing to the same private island, joined by the other Scandinavians.

I joined Cici aboard her father’s beautiful cruiser. Rick had to be jealous about now. Leah was the first to spot me, pointing my arrival out to Cici, who came excitedly bounding over.

“So, he let you out of the asylum?” She joked.

“He gave me shit about it, and I expect him to try to beat us out there, but I doubt he will. Poor Alexandra. She couldn’t care less about this, and the kids are a disaster today.”

“Oh, boo. That sucks,” Leah said. “But you’re ours for now, right? ”

“Where is everyone?”

“Uncle George and Aunt Natalie are going out with Uncle Peder and Aunt Sanne,” Cici said.

“Oh,” I must have looked sad.

“Oh, don’t worry, he’s here,” Leah said. “God, the two of you are annoying. You’re lucky I like you.”

I snickered, spotting only the back of Keir from across the deck. He was talking with Isak and Nate. I approached, still a bit unsure how to handle this. Did I kiss him or even show affection, or were we still just friends? Were we friends who fucked? We swore we weren’t doing labels, but what were we?

“Hei, hei,” I said, trying to sound cheerful.

“Hello,” Isak said. “We stole you from Rick, then?”

“Yes. I think he may be dead by the end of the afternoon, however.”

“What now?” Nate asked.

“Oh, he’s been here for one night, and Alexandra is already sick of hearing about the damn sailboat, all the waves, and his navigation plans heading back. She’s pregnant, has no patience, and the kids have overrun her. I felt bad stepping away, but Odette has them covered now.”

I tried to ignore Keir because I was concerned about being too affectionate, but I couldn’t avoid him forever. He turned slightly to say something when I saw a massive bruise on his jaw.

“ Oh, mon dieu! Que s'est-il passé ?” I gasped.

“ Lars happened,” Nate snickered. “This is why Lars is over there, and we are here. Aunt Natalie has me keeping them both on good behaviour.”

I gently grabbed Keir’s chin, taking in the nasty bruise and swelling.

“Officially, we were tossing a baseball around,” Keir said.

“Have you ever done that in your life?” Isak asked.

“No. I mean, maybe once or twice with Uncle Pat, but no. No one needs to know. Lars sucker-punched me, and he’s lucky to be alive.”

I pulled back, glaring. “Keir, that’s not funny.”

“It’s true,” Isak confirmed.

“Why?”

“Why do you think?” Nate asked. “He told Lars you two were together and?—”

“I didn’t say together. I said I had been seeing her.”

“What is the difference in Norsk? Dansk?” Isak asked. “It means the same.”

“No, I think it generally means you are sleeping together,” Nate said, noting his brother’s angry stare. “Which… I am shutting up now.”

“It wasn’t pretty. He’ll get over it. I might not, but he will,” Keir said.

“Don’t start things on my account. I’m not worth the demise of your entire family.”

“He might disagree,” Isak said in his mother tongue, forgetting I understood him.

Keir shuffled nervously. “I’m… can we talk?”

“We will leave you,” Nate said, poking Isak in the arm to get him to move.

Then, out of nowhere, Keir wrapped me up in the sweetest kiss. I felt like he might lift me and spin me around out of excitement. I knew I shouldn’t kiss him in public—even out here—but I couldn’t help but let him. He let me go, slowly pulling away.

“Sorry. Despite my broken face, I’m reminding myself why I’m excited to be out here today.”

“You’re making a scene,” I said, still flattered. “Was it worth it?”

He cupped my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb. “Always.”

“What happened?”

“Uh, Lars lost his shit. He punched me when I wasn’t looking. I threw him down. Then, my aunt intervened and shouted at me to back off. But, she’s not going to take it out on me, thankfully, and all is well.”

“Is this a bad idea?”

“Everything about you is a bad idea in the best way, Ingrid.”

I bit my lip. It was involuntary.

Keir pulled me close and whispered, “You’re dreadful and perfectly innocent all at once. I want to run you below deck and do horrible things to you. ”

His words set a tingle to places unmentionable. I would have let him if I didn’t think people would judge me and label me a wayward girl. Still, now I had visions of him fucking me against a wall somewhere while everyone toiled above deck.

“How can we get away?” I asked.

“I have a plan. I know the island. I have ideas.”

A look of surprise crossed my face.

“I am full of ideas, baby,” Keir said, patting my arse.