genuine about her. She doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what she is. Even when she tries to hide her emotions, even when she hints at having secrets I can’t understand, I know every time I look into her eyes I’m seeing the truth. She’s afraid—she’s been hurt and betrayed—but still I feel as if I can see the woman beneath the pain. The one who is generous and passionate and fully alive.
I reach over and gently brush away that stray bit of hair. Though I hardly touch her, she still stirs. A moment later, her eyes flutter open.
“Good morning,” I murmur.
A lazy smile spreads across her lips, sending a rush of warmth through me.
“Good morning,” she whispers back.
I lean down and brush my lips against hers. “Are you ready for the continuation of our date?”
She gives a small laugh and tugs the sheets up over her breasts—though why she should be embarrassed now is beyond me.
“What time is it?” she asks.
I lean over the side of the bed and find my trousers, fishing my mobile phone out of the pocket. “It’s nearly noon.”
“Noon?!” she says, sitting straight up. “I had no idea it was so late.”
“We both needed some sleep,” I say, sliding my arm around her and pulling her toward me. “We had quite a bit of exercise last night.”
A fresh blush blooms across her cheeks. “Still. I can’t remember the last time I slept this late.” She pulls out of my arms and slides to the edge of the bed. She continues to hold the sheet up around her as she grabs her clothes from the floor.
“There’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little extra sleep,” I say. “Besides, I want you well rested. I have quite the day planned for us.”
She looks over her shoulder at me, a tentative smile playing across her lips. “What sort of things do you have planned?”
“If I told you, dear Elle, that would ruin the surprise.” I rise from the bed—not caring that I haven’t a stitch on—and casually gather my clothes. “But prepare to be swept off your feet.”
One of her eyebrows goes up. “Now I’m getting nervous.”
“No need to be. You’re about to get the full royal date experience.”
She rolls her eyes, but her grin stretches even wider. “Okay, now you’re just being cheesy on purpose.”
“Cheesy? Me? Never.” I raise my mobile. “I’m going to call Matthias and ask him to bring the car around in a few minutes.”
“At least give a girl time to get dressed,” Elle says, still clutching the sheet to her as she hurries over to her closet.
“Clothing is optional,” I say.
She laughs and throws something at me. A rolled up pair of socks.
“I’m assuming you’ll at least give me time to brush my teeth?” she says. “And do something with my hair?”
“Don’t bother with the hair,” I say. “I plan on messing it up again shortly.”
She throws another ball of socks at me before grabbing her things and scurrying into the bathroom. The sheet parts as she makes her escape, flashing me a delightful glimpse of her round bottom, and I grin to myself as she closes the bathroom door behind her.
I give Matthias a call as I pull on my clothes. After I’ve made our arrangements, I wander over to the small dresser across from the bed. There are a number of things scattered across the surface, but I’m looking for one thing and one thing only.
I pause, listening. I can still hear the sink running in the bathroom, but I probably don’t have very long.
Where would she keep it? I look through the odds and ends on her dresser, then glance around the room. There isn’t a desk here, so I’m not sure where she’d stash her important papers and such. I’m used to other people handling such things.
Maybe her delicates drawer? Some women hide important things in there. Normally I wouldn’t sift through a woman’s private things—I’m above such a crass, perverted action—but this is important.
The water is still running. This is my only
I reach over and gently brush away that stray bit of hair. Though I hardly touch her, she still stirs. A moment later, her eyes flutter open.
“Good morning,” I murmur.
A lazy smile spreads across her lips, sending a rush of warmth through me.
“Good morning,” she whispers back.
I lean down and brush my lips against hers. “Are you ready for the continuation of our date?”
She gives a small laugh and tugs the sheets up over her breasts—though why she should be embarrassed now is beyond me.
“What time is it?” she asks.
I lean over the side of the bed and find my trousers, fishing my mobile phone out of the pocket. “It’s nearly noon.”
“Noon?!” she says, sitting straight up. “I had no idea it was so late.”
“We both needed some sleep,” I say, sliding my arm around her and pulling her toward me. “We had quite a bit of exercise last night.”
A fresh blush blooms across her cheeks. “Still. I can’t remember the last time I slept this late.” She pulls out of my arms and slides to the edge of the bed. She continues to hold the sheet up around her as she grabs her clothes from the floor.
“There’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little extra sleep,” I say. “Besides, I want you well rested. I have quite the day planned for us.”
She looks over her shoulder at me, a tentative smile playing across her lips. “What sort of things do you have planned?”
“If I told you, dear Elle, that would ruin the surprise.” I rise from the bed—not caring that I haven’t a stitch on—and casually gather my clothes. “But prepare to be swept off your feet.”
One of her eyebrows goes up. “Now I’m getting nervous.”
“No need to be. You’re about to get the full royal date experience.”
She rolls her eyes, but her grin stretches even wider. “Okay, now you’re just being cheesy on purpose.”
“Cheesy? Me? Never.” I raise my mobile. “I’m going to call Matthias and ask him to bring the car around in a few minutes.”
“At least give a girl time to get dressed,” Elle says, still clutching the sheet to her as she hurries over to her closet.
“Clothing is optional,” I say.
She laughs and throws something at me. A rolled up pair of socks.
“I’m assuming you’ll at least give me time to brush my teeth?” she says. “And do something with my hair?”
“Don’t bother with the hair,” I say. “I plan on messing it up again shortly.”
She throws another ball of socks at me before grabbing her things and scurrying into the bathroom. The sheet parts as she makes her escape, flashing me a delightful glimpse of her round bottom, and I grin to myself as she closes the bathroom door behind her.
I give Matthias a call as I pull on my clothes. After I’ve made our arrangements, I wander over to the small dresser across from the bed. There are a number of things scattered across the surface, but I’m looking for one thing and one thing only.
I pause, listening. I can still hear the sink running in the bathroom, but I probably don’t have very long.
Where would she keep it? I look through the odds and ends on her dresser, then glance around the room. There isn’t a desk here, so I’m not sure where she’d stash her important papers and such. I’m used to other people handling such things.
Maybe her delicates drawer? Some women hide important things in there. Normally I wouldn’t sift through a woman’s private things—I’m above such a crass, perverted action—but this is important.
The water is still running. This is my only
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