Page 12 of Striking
Not the way I want to.
Not in any way that would explain this pull to her.
I cup her face in my hand and stare into those mesmerizing eyes. “I leave tomorrow.”
We hang here, frozen in this limbo.
Neither of us moving.
Not wanting to break whatever this is but knowing we have to.
I drag my thumb along her jaw, needing to touch but knowing I shouldn’t.
“Bellamy...” I groan, feeling like I’m standing on the edge of a blade, wondering which way it’s going to tip and how much damage will be done with our next move.
She closes her eyes, and for a moment, leans into my touch. But when her eyes open, the spell is broken, and there’s a determination in its place. “I guess you better start asking me questions if you’re going to help me study then, Your Highness. Next one. Come on.”
RHYS
“That was the last one, love.” I watch as Bellamy’s yawn morphs into a beautiful smile. One that could light up the entire palace. Kings have gone to war for less.
Sometime around midnight, we moved from the kitchen to the living room, taking up space on opposite ends of the couch. Basically close enough to tempt but not close enough to touch. Especially once a pile of notebooks was dropped between us.
Judging by the sun that’s begun to rise outside, I’d guess that was nearly five hours ago.
“Are you sure?” she asks as she pushes tortoise-shell glasses up into her hair and rubs her eyes. “That was torture. I thought we were never going to get through them.”
I stare, awed, debating an idea that came to me two cups of coffee ago. “Can I ask you something?”
The little minx smiles and stretches her arms high above her head, exposing the soft curves of her stomach and so much tanned, toned skin... Skin I want to taste.
Fuck.
“You just asked me something,Your Highness.”
“Always with the sarcasm,” I murmur and drop the last notecard to the pile between us with Bellamy tracking my movement.
She picks up her mug and pouts when she looks inside. Pretty sure it’s been empty for the past hour. “You haven’t known me long enough to assume it’s analwayskind of thing. It could just be that you bring the sarcasm out of me, you know.”
I bite back a laugh. She doesn’t even realize how sarcastic she is. “Whatever you say, little bee. Just answer me this one thing—do you love nursing or do you love helping patients and families deal with everything that’s thrown at them?”
“Why?” A curious expression wrinkles her eyes as she sits up. “Did you think I did that bad with the study questions? I hate taking tests, but I thought I did pretty well.”
“No, it’s not that.” I reach for my phone and pull up the website for the foundation I started in my mother’s name after her death, handing it to Bellamy. “I was just thinking there’s a limited number of people you can help with your job?—”
“Choose your next words wisely, Rhys, or your security team might need to intervene.” Fire blooms on her cheeks with her threat, and fuck me, but it’s incredibly enticing. Not many women are willing to go toe-to-toe with me.
I tap my finger to the phone and pull up theAbout page on our website. “I created this foundation in honor of my mother after we lost her. I’ve raised millions of dollars in her name, and yet I don’t feel like we’re doing enough good with it. I think we can do better. More.”
Bellamy’s scowl softens as she reads our mission statement. Her teeth absently graze her bottom lip as she takes it in and brings her eyes back to mine. “I’m not a researcher, Rhys. You’d need someone with a very different degree than mine for that.”
“I have researchers, love. A whole team of them. I’m given updates monthly on their trials and their plans, as well as thewhat-if’s and what-could-be’s. But that’s all dependent on a breakthrough happening. I think there’s more we can do.”
“You have to give them time,” she scolds like a nanny lecturing an impatient child. “People have been researching cancer for years. It takes time. You never know when or where the next breakthrough is coming.”
“I have patience.” I reach across the couch and take her soft hand in mine, ignoring the electricity stretching between us from that single touch. Her head snaps to our connection with wide eyes. “I also have the best team I could possibly gather. They’re amazing, and I’m not looking to replace them.”
“What are you looking for then?” Her words don’t hold the same bite as they had a minute ago. Lucky for me, since my next ask is a big one.
