Page 123 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

“Oh, hello!”It was actually Terry’s husband who opened the door and seemed strangely shocked to see him.

“Hi, I was hoping to talk to Terry.”Luke wondered how much Bill knew.Most likely Terry had told him at least some part of the truth if not the whole truth, judging by his uneasy reaction.

Luckily, Terry, wearing a rather sexy top with a keyhole cutout, breezed over to them and took charge.

“Bill, go on over to the main house,” she said, “I’ll join you very soon.”

“Are you sure?”he asked, giving her a very obvious meaningful gaze, which made Luke absolutely certain he knew something.This was just what he needed, the whole state of Texas knowing he was a royal prince!

“Go!”she insisted.

“Okay...”

As soon as he left, Luke said, “I’ve thought about your proposition, and I’ve decided I’m not giving in to any of your ridiculous demands.”

“Is that so?”Terry faced him confidently, her arms folded in front of her chest.

“Yeah.I don’t care if you reveal my royal status to the family.I could go do it right now if I wanted to.I’m sure they’d understand my need for secrecy.They already like me, which is more than I can say for you at the moment.”

“Ha!You’ve got some nerve!You seriously think my parents like you more than me?”

“I’m willing to gamble on it.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“You and Hallie need to get over your differences,” he said, suddenly losing his patience.“Nothing I do or say is going to change that.”

“You like her a lot, don’t you?”

Perhaps he unwittingly gave himself away because he couldn’t help but feel a warm glow whenever he thought of her.It must have translated to his face.

“I don’t know what that has to do with it,” he replied.

“Oh yes.”Terry smiled evilly.“I see it now.You’re crazy about her.”

“I’ve never been crazy about any woman,” he said.

“You’re gay?”

“No, I just don’t get emotionally attached.Anyway, what difference does it make?”

Terry considered him with a lingering gaze, her blue eyes accentuated with heavy black liner.“What is it about her that you like so much?”

“Why do you care?”

“Just curious.Hallie and me are not that different in some ways.So why do you like her and not me, for example?”

“I could just as easily like you,” he said carelessly.“You and Hallie do have a similar set of mind, though I’m sure she would be loath to admit it.”

He noticed Terry’s eyes flicker when he said this.Maybe flattery was the way to get to her.

“You mean we both tend to manipulate people?”she suggested.

“I wasn’t going to say it so bluntly, but you may be on to something,” Luke said, flashing one of his charismatic smiles.“But then bluntness is one of your winning qualities.You’re very honest, and it’s refreshing.”He felt he was about to go on a roll.When he came to think of it, Terry had many positive qualities.

“Some people refer to me as the ‘ugly sister’,” Terry said, pouting.

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.”When Luke actually took in her overall physique, there was nothing ugly about it.She was a strapping ranch girl, and her face looked a little more straight-edged where Hallie’s was rounded.It wasn’t a typical kind of beauty, but it had its appeal.Her eyes were a different color than Hallie’s, but equally alluring.