A Princess for Christmas - Jenny Holiday Page 0,10
a card with your direction? I will ensure that you’re compensated.”
Your direction? What century was this woman living in? “There’s no need to pay me.” Though if he got a ticket, he was totally sending it to her. So he took the card she produced from the world’s tiniest purse, a diamond-encrusted thing that dangled from a strap around her wrist.
He didn’t like the idea of her alone in New York with no money. “Do you have a credit card?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t planning . . . I just have my phone.”
He heard what she wasn’t saying. She wasn’t a person who normally had to sully herself by carrying cash or credit cards.
They’d reached the park. He handed Max’s leash to Gabby and pointed down the path to where a big boat was visible. “Gabby, make sure Max pees. I’ll be over there, and then I’ll be right back.”
“Bye!” Gabby’s farewell was drowned out by a foghornlike noise. Despite being dragged out to Long Island on the reg by Dani, Leo didn’t know boats. But to him, that sounded like the kind of noise a really big boat might make before it departed.
Marie must have thought so, too, because she squeaked in protest and started jogging.
He matched his pace to hers, even as he dug in his pocket for a card. He carried cards with his cell number on them. He had a handful of regulars—passengers he’d hit it off with and who called him personally when they needed a ride.
He had not hit it off with the princess, but he pushed a card into her hand anyway. “You call me if you need a ride home or if you get into any trouble.”
“Thank you.” It was more breath than words—she was panting from the running.
“You know which boat it is?” he asked.
“It’s called Lovely Lucrecia.”
Was he mistaken or did he detect a hint of derision in her tone? Like she knew Lucrecia and found her not very lovely?
“There.” He pointed. The Lovely Lucrecia was still docked. It was glowing with lights, and laughter and conversation spilled from its deck.
“Thank you so much,” she said again, her voice all quivery. She gave him a little wave and set off toward the boat.
He was about to turn away, but he noticed the back of her dress was gaping. It looked like it was supposed to be tied up with a pair of pink ribbons that were hanging loose. She’d worn some kind of fur cape thing in the cab, but she was currently carrying that over one arm, leaving her back exposed. Almost bare.
“Wait. Your dress.”
“Oh! Oh, I forgot!” She ran back to him and turned around. “Please, can you do it up?” Her voice was even shakier than it had been before, and as she lifted one of the ribbons as if to hand it to him, her hands trembled.
This was definitely not just a party. Something else was going on.
“It’s like an exercise shoe,” she said. “Tighten the laces and tie a bow at the top.”
She was misinterpreting his inaction as confusion. And it was, in a way, just not over the mechanics of how her dress worked.
He was confused by the fact that she was apparently so afraid of whatever awaited her on that boat that she was shaking like an abandoned baby bird. But also by the sight of her almost naked back, covered with a fine sheen of sweat despite the cold evening air.
Clearing his throat, Leo moved to tighten the ribbons. He tried not to touch her skin. His clumsy hands were too rough for her. But he couldn’t entirely avoid it.
Goose bumps rose on her back when his hand brushed her spine. Goose bumps and sweat. That was . . . something.
He tied off the bow, hoping he’d done a decent enough job. There was probably some kind of royal knot he didn’t know about. “There you go.” His voice had gone low. Husky. It was those goose bumps. They were fucking with him. But those goose bumps only meant she was cold. His brain was moving slowly for some reason, so the realization was belated. He sincerely hoped the boat was heated. Who had yacht parties in the winter?
Absurdly rich people, apparently.
He took the fur cape from her and settled it over her shoulders. Then he patted her back—which was now covered with silky fur. Somehow, nonsensically, that fur didn’t seem as soft as her actual back had been.