The Bossy Prince (Rugged and Royal #3) - Lili Valente Page 0,25

fizzy and dizzy and secretly hoping for as many excuses to make out with him as I can get. Because Nick’s lips? Well, I’m not sure I’ll ever get enough.

I’m in trouble.

Deep, deep trouble.

Chapter Nine

Nickolas

I slide my hand deeper into Zan’s silky hair and make a fist, holding her captive as I deepen the kiss, my tongue dancing with hers.

She tastes like strawberry jam and cream, but it’s the way she abandons herself to the moment that’s strikingly sweet. This woman has one of the sharpest tongues I’ve ever encountered, but when she kisses me…

When she’s this close, her body soft against mine and her fingers clinging to my shirt as if she needs a lifeline to remain standing, she’s nothing but delicious.

I kiss her longer than I should, distracted by how good, how right it feels to have her in my arms. But eventually, I remember the reason I pulled her against me in the first place and let my lips slide across her jaw to her ear. “Tony and Thom are by the fence,” I whisper. “By the black Jeep. They’ve already spotted us.”

“Got it,” she whispers back, her breath warm on my neck.

“You ready?” I smooth a hand down her side to her hip, giving the yummy curve a squeeze. “If not, I can tell them we need to make a stop in town before we join them at the resort.”

Her arms wrap around my waist. She tips her head back, gazing up at me with an adoring expression. “I’m ready when you are.”

“That’s my Zanda Panda,” I say, grinning down at her.

“Aw, thanks, Dimples.”

I huff out a soft laugh. “You can’t call me that.”

“Why?” She bats her lashes. “It’s the perfect pet name.”

“It’s awful.”

“Not as bad as Zanda Panda. Or Zanny Wanny.”

“Nonsense, those are adorable pet names. Dimples makes me sound like I’m a baby’s bottom,” I say, relaxing into the flirting.

Tony and Thom already here, waiting for my plane to land, is unexpected. But I’m good at rolling with the punches, and Zan clearly is, too.

Still, I confess I’m more nervous than I usually would be.

I’ve never been on a mission with someone I care about the way I care about Zan. I meant what I said on the plane—she’s family to me now, and there’s more at risk here in Bali than on any other mission I’ve been a part of.

It makes caution seem prudent. I’m tempted to turn down the surprise ride, to insist Zan and I have to head into town for razors or shaving cream or some other nonsense, and secure ourselves another half hour of privacy so our heads are fully in the game.

But that’s not the Good Time Nicky these men know. It would be out of character and could arouse suspicion the same way it did when I refused to acknowledge Zan’s glorious cleavage.

Speaking of glorious cleavage…

I glance down, humming beneath my breath as I soak in the sight of her in this dress. Her breasts are pushed up above the deep V neckline, so plump and round and bitable it’s all I can do not to drag her up my body for a nibble.

“I should call you Tits Galore,” I murmur.

“Do it, and I’ll have to slap you,” she says pleasantly, still batting her lashes. “Several times. Right on your dimples, Dimples.”

I chuckle. “All right. We’ll put a pin in pet names for now. Wait until we’ve had time to thoroughly vet all the possibilities.” I brush my thumb across her bottom lip—that soft, slightly puffy bottom lip I can’t wait to kiss again. I’m concerned about her safety and intend to remain a consummate professional when we’re in private, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to excuses to make out with her in public. “Go time?”

“Ready,” she assures me.

I take her hand, pull in a breath, and start down the stairs to the tarmac.

The humid island breeze ruffles my hair. As I reach up to push it from my forehead with my free hand, I feign delighted surprise to see the men standing by the Jeep.

Thrusting my arm into the air with a wide grin, I shout, “Nostrovia!”

Tony and Thom answer me with matching grins and echo our “let’s get drunk” male-bonding call.

The thugs actually look happy to see me. But then, I do tend to lose enormous sums of money to them in card games whenever we spend enough time together.

Still, their apparent enthusiasm puts my misgivings at ease. At