Page 112 of Tabloid Princess

“Hm.” He pulled away.

“What?”

He shook his head, but his distracted thoughts were on his face. I didn’t want us to part like this. “I don’t want to leave, but I know I should.”

The monster agreed with his first sentiment, not so much his last. It lashed inside me, begging me to ask him to stay.

I glanced back at Daisy to ground myself.

“I have my burner phone?” I reached out into my bag and with a chuckle pulled out the phone he’d given me earlier. According to his security team, my own phone wasn’t safe. I couldn’t think about it for too long because it made me shiver. “You could text me. Assuming the prince texts.” I smirked.

“Sexting only.” The glint in his eyes made my belly tighten.

“Well, I’m the wrong girl for that.”

He lifted an eyebrow and then swept forward to softly kiss my cheek. I wanted so much more, things I didn’t even know, things I didn’t understand. Secrets I’d never allow myself to contemplate.

“I’ll see you in a couple of days, Leia.”

I nodded, my cheek still against his, my heart hammering as my head swirled with spice and leather. “Sure.”

I slipped out of the car and then opened the back door to Daisy’s seat, pulling her into my arms. He didn’t get out to help, although I could almost sense his burning desire to do so.

Once she was in my arms, I gave him a small wave and shut the door, and then I turned for the house.

We’d been careless to stay out here so long.

It was good the prince was going to be busy for a couple of days. Some space might help bring back some clarity to the situation.

My heart laughed at my head.

Yeah, right.

With Daisy in bed, I sat in the lounge feeling deeply unsettled. Every so often I’d jump up and pace the living room. Then I’d sit. Then I’d stand.

An unsettled discomfort niggled. Every so often I peeked out the windows sure someone was out there. I knew they wouldn’t be. Oliver had explained that the restraining order while extreme, was the most powerful way to control the press; no paper wanted to go to court for contempt. It didn’t help.

Eventually I slumped on the sofa and admitted the real problem.

I craved him.

The monster didn’t want to sleep, not alone anyway.

For a while I sat with his phone on my knee. I could have called, and he would have come back. But then I’d be breaking all the rules I had in place to protect Daisy. The ones I’d already smashed were enough.

A while later, I grabbed my own phone and dialled.

I stood outside the black door. I didn’t even know if he’d be here, but I knew I couldn’t not come. It had taken Nana ten minutes to drive, just enough time for me to shower and shave my legs.

If he answered this door, I knew what would happen.

The last few weeks had been this collision already on its course.

I couldn’t deny it.

I couldn’t deny him.

I knocked once the taxi had pulled off around the corner. My hand shook—not even my hand; my whole arm, my whole body.