awning.
“Where did those clouds come from?” Olivia said. She stared up at the quickly darkening sky and down at her white blouse. “Crap.”
“We’ll make it before the rain hits,” he said. “Though rain might not be such a bad thing in your case.”
She shot him a look as he held open the door for her, and they hurried back down the street as the first bolt of lightning shot across the sky and booming thunder chased it.
Chapter 5
Contrary to Quincy’s words, they did not reach the palace before the rain fell, and man, did it fall. Torrential waves soaked them head to toe in seconds. Olivia wanted to wring his neck by the time they made it inside, dripping on the floors as she stomped to her rooms. Her blouse was a bit see-through, and the bra underneath hadn’t helped a damn.
“We will get you out of those wet clothes very quickly, miss,” Allete said beside her.
“You’re soaked, too. Please, go get yourself changed. I can handle myself.”
“No, I must see to you first,” Allete insisted.
Olivia stopped and shook her head. “As princess, I am telling you to go change before you catch a cold. I will be fine, I promise.” She could tell Allete wanted to argue more, but the woman finally sighed and curtsied before heading back down the hall towards her own rooms in the servant’s wing.
“You know she means well,” Quincy said as he caught up to her.
“Stop following me,” she said and quickly put her arms back across her chest.
Quincy grinned at the movement and that damn left dimple appeared, making Olivia’s eyes dart to it. He pointed to the left, and she followed his hand. “We’re standing outside my rooms, Princess.”
She turned around to stalk to her own rooms to change. The minute the rain had wet her shirt, she’d felt his eyes on her chest and saw the glimmer of longing in his eyes. Did he want to kiss her? Pull her close and hold her under an awning as the storm raged around them? Or maybe that was just her thoughts of him.
“Stupid. You are being absolutely stupid,” she muttered as she pushed open her doors, closed and locked them. The last thing she wanted was for him to barge in while she was changing.
First, she headed to the bathroom to grab a towel; she stripped her clothes off, dried her body, and attempted to deal with her mess of hair. The rain had made it go flat, and it was nothing more than a tangled mess. She glanced around for her hairbrush, but it wasn’t in the bathroom. Cursing, she saw it on her nightstand. Not even thinking, she rushed across the wood floor to grab it, but it was slick and she slipped and fell hard on her elbow.
“Damn it!” Pain ricocheted up her arm as she winced. At least no one had been around to see that not-too-graceful move by the future princess. She tried to get up, but the floor was so slick, her hand slipped out from under her and she fell back again, cursing even louder.
She lay there with a towel around her head and stared up at the ceiling. Laughter bubbled up until there was a knock at her bedroom door. Her laughter stopped, and she struggled to pull the towel over her naked body and get up again but failed and slipped for a third time. “Yes?”
“Just wanted to make sure you were alright. Sounds a bit violent in there.”
Quincy. Really? “I’m fine!” she called back. “Just slipped is all. Nothing to worry about.”
“Are you sure? Do you need help?”
“No,” she said as she managed to get almost to a standing position, but she took one step forward and slipped again. A few more words came out of her mouth that would make her mother blush. “What the hell are these floors made out of?”
“That’s it. I’m coming in to help you.”
“No! You can’t!” Olivia panicked as she looked around for anything to throw on, but nothing was close. “The door’s locked!”
“I’ve been picking locks since I was seven,” he said.
“I’m uh… I’m not exactly decent,” she called
“Where did those clouds come from?” Olivia said. She stared up at the quickly darkening sky and down at her white blouse. “Crap.”
“We’ll make it before the rain hits,” he said. “Though rain might not be such a bad thing in your case.”
She shot him a look as he held open the door for her, and they hurried back down the street as the first bolt of lightning shot across the sky and booming thunder chased it.
Chapter 5
Contrary to Quincy’s words, they did not reach the palace before the rain fell, and man, did it fall. Torrential waves soaked them head to toe in seconds. Olivia wanted to wring his neck by the time they made it inside, dripping on the floors as she stomped to her rooms. Her blouse was a bit see-through, and the bra underneath hadn’t helped a damn.
“We will get you out of those wet clothes very quickly, miss,” Allete said beside her.
“You’re soaked, too. Please, go get yourself changed. I can handle myself.”
“No, I must see to you first,” Allete insisted.
Olivia stopped and shook her head. “As princess, I am telling you to go change before you catch a cold. I will be fine, I promise.” She could tell Allete wanted to argue more, but the woman finally sighed and curtsied before heading back down the hall towards her own rooms in the servant’s wing.
“You know she means well,” Quincy said as he caught up to her.
“Stop following me,” she said and quickly put her arms back across her chest.
Quincy grinned at the movement and that damn left dimple appeared, making Olivia’s eyes dart to it. He pointed to the left, and she followed his hand. “We’re standing outside my rooms, Princess.”
She turned around to stalk to her own rooms to change. The minute the rain had wet her shirt, she’d felt his eyes on her chest and saw the glimmer of longing in his eyes. Did he want to kiss her? Pull her close and hold her under an awning as the storm raged around them? Or maybe that was just her thoughts of him.
“Stupid. You are being absolutely stupid,” she muttered as she pushed open her doors, closed and locked them. The last thing she wanted was for him to barge in while she was changing.
First, she headed to the bathroom to grab a towel; she stripped her clothes off, dried her body, and attempted to deal with her mess of hair. The rain had made it go flat, and it was nothing more than a tangled mess. She glanced around for her hairbrush, but it wasn’t in the bathroom. Cursing, she saw it on her nightstand. Not even thinking, she rushed across the wood floor to grab it, but it was slick and she slipped and fell hard on her elbow.
“Damn it!” Pain ricocheted up her arm as she winced. At least no one had been around to see that not-too-graceful move by the future princess. She tried to get up, but the floor was so slick, her hand slipped out from under her and she fell back again, cursing even louder.
She lay there with a towel around her head and stared up at the ceiling. Laughter bubbled up until there was a knock at her bedroom door. Her laughter stopped, and she struggled to pull the towel over her naked body and get up again but failed and slipped for a third time. “Yes?”
“Just wanted to make sure you were alright. Sounds a bit violent in there.”
Quincy. Really? “I’m fine!” she called back. “Just slipped is all. Nothing to worry about.”
“Are you sure? Do you need help?”
“No,” she said as she managed to get almost to a standing position, but she took one step forward and slipped again. A few more words came out of her mouth that would make her mother blush. “What the hell are these floors made out of?”
“That’s it. I’m coming in to help you.”
“No! You can’t!” Olivia panicked as she looked around for anything to throw on, but nothing was close. “The door’s locked!”
“I’ve been picking locks since I was seven,” he said.
“I’m uh… I’m not exactly decent,” she called
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