Up for Heir - Stella Starling Page 0,23
what he was trying to ask. Had he done something wrong?
Never.
“No,” he said, a smile coming easily for Eddie despite everything else. Leo suspected he’d always have a smile available for Eddie. True, they still barely knew each other, but it already felt like the man was his own personal sunshine. Like they… fit.
He reached out and straightened Eddie’s glasses, making a mental note to get him a better fitting pair. Or… maybe not. They were kind of cute when they were crooked. Eddie was kind of cute, and Leo rather liked the look.
Eddie gave him a tentative smile back, but then von Tarr moved into his view, her gaze sharpening as it flickered between the two of them. “Interesting,” she purred.
“We’re leaving,” Leo repeated firmly, giving her a look that he’d learned at his father’s knee. The resolve behind it was one of the reasons that Rosavia, while small, remained a player on the world stage.
Unfortunately, von Tarr was known for her tenacity, not her intelligence. “Before you go, Your Highness, I have some questions for your friend.”
“No,” said Leo.
“Yes,” Von Tarr snapped.
“I-I-I-I—” stuttered Eddie, shrinking in on himself and still swaying a little even though Leo suspected that adrenaline had burned off a fair portion of the alcohol in his system. He looked more shaken now than intoxicated, but since Leo knew Eddie had no trouble standing up to authority, that wasn’t it. He strongly suspected that Eddie simply didn’t want to say the wrong thing. For Leo. He wanted to protect Leo’s privacy. He cared, genuinely, even though they’d only known each other such a short time.
Von Tarr’s gaze zeroed in on Eddie, her smile turning vicious. “I-I-I-I…?” she mocked him. “No, darling. I do have questions, but I’m not doing a story on you. It looks like you might be someone with the inside scoop, though, so use your words like a big boy, hm? Who’s the prince sleeping with lately? We haven’t had any new pictures for weeks. Are rumors of his engagement true?”
White-hot rage flashed through Leo’s body at her ruthless ridicule. He’d grown up with reporters in his face, and while he didn’t love it, he was used to it. Even true leeches like von Tarr generally sparked only mild irritation or annoyed distaste. But having her talk to Eddie that way? Sneer at him and dismiss him? It was the first time Leo had actually felt violent.
He clenched his fists, so tightly that his blunt nails cut into his palms.
He wanted to hit her.
He should have brought Nils.
Nils could have hit her.
“L-L-Leo?” Eddie said, his voice shaking with nerves and clarifying Leo’s priorities once again.
Right. He turned his back on the grasping vulture and her hulking photographer, tucking Eddie against his side. “Ready to go?” he murmured, keeping him close and ignoring the camera flashes as he hustled the two of them out of the restaurant.
Royal privilege. The bill would be taken care of. For now, his only focus was on getting Eddie out of there. And, since he really had let him overindulge, getting him home, too. The next time he took him out, though—when Eddie was sober and would know how sincerely he meant it—Leo would apologize for such an abrupt and unpleasant ending to their evening. And while he passionately hated that von Tarr had interrupted them, maybe it was, in one small way, at least, for the best. Leo did tend to be an impulsive person, after all, and rebellious or not, the idea that had taken root over dinner was—as much as it went against his nature to wait when he decided he wanted something—probably one he should think through a little before pursuing.
Because his impending engagement? It was more than just his duty to crown and country and an obligation he had three short weeks to fulfill. It was also the rest of his life… and just maybe, if the whirlwind of unexpected feelings he’d been caught up for the last week could be trusted, if they could grow, then just maybe it would be the rest of Eddie’s, too.
Chapter Six
Edvin
Edvin had woken up with a hangover the day after his appointment-not-date with the prince. It had been the first and only hangover of his life, and while it had started out relatively miserable and wasn’t an experience he’d want to repeat, it had been worth it. The fact that dinner with Leo hadn’t been a date—because of course it hadn’t, which would have been true