Page 19 of The Thing About My Prince

ME

It’s not the same.

CHASE

Are you sure that going with you isn’t a ploy for her to get inside the royal household to write a tell-all exposé after the book’s out? She is a reporter, after all.

Shit. That hadn’t even occurred to me.

But it wasn’t her who suggested coming with me. That idea was mine. And she didn’t even want to do it to start with. So it can’t be that.

Still, how did I not think about it?

Usually suspicion at everything a reporter does or says would be my first instinct.

Why did I let my guard down with her?

Maybe it was that fire in her eyes.

Or the way the outline of her bra was just visible through her white T-shirt.

Or her completely natural, unbridled laughter at myTrainspotting impression.

Merely thinking about that makes chills hum down my arms.

But Chase is right. Once the book’s out, she could easily write a piece about what life is like with a royal family at their castle. She wouldn’t need to mention why she was there at all, so it wouldn’t break the NDA. It would be a totally different and unconnected story.

ME

Good point, mate. But I’m pretty sure she’s watertight.

Am I? If anyone knows better than to think a reporter can be trusted, it’s me.

MILLER

Would never have thought “pretty sure” would be sure enough for you when it comes to the press.

He’s right too.

Have I fucked up here? Been taken for a ride?

But the publisher and my agent said she was the best person for the job, the person who would write the best possible book for me. And I need the best possible book. I need someone who isn’t going to fill it with fluffy crap. I need someone who’ll tell my truth, finally get my side of the story out into the world in a way that will be taken seriously.

And even though I spent only a short time with Lexi yesterday, I really felt like she would do that. Like I could trust my instincts with her.

Her no-nonsense, no-bullshit demeanor still makes me smile today.

Most people would have dressed up to meet me for the first time. But she showed up as exactly who she is—T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, no fuss, no bother, all getting-on-with-the-job.

ME

It’ll be fine. I just wanted to head off a bunch of piss-taking texts from you about my new girlfriend. That’s all.

I drop the phone into my lap and stare at the spire of the Empire State Building. Since living here, I’ve learned it was originally supposed to be a mooring mast for airships. But no one had thought through that the wind would make that impossible.

I’m supposed to be making better life decisions these days, and mooring my life to New York City is definitely one of them.

But while I feel like Lexi is totally on my side, there is always a possibility that taking her to Scotland could be one of the least thought-through decisions I’ve ever made.