was supposed to be their ticket into the royal family. I was supposed to be the one to make their fortune more respectable by marrying royalty. Now, that’s all over.
My parents don’t know it yet, but I’m leaving. It’s done.
Except, when my eyes drift over Prince Theo’s body, I can’t help but enjoy the embers that burn in my veins. Heat feels good after three years of cold isolation. Being next to him makes something spark inside me. Something that’s lain dormant for a long time.
Theo feels me staring at his body and opens his eyes. We look at each other for a moment. His gaze is unreadable.
The chef places some bacon on a hot pan, then, and both our heads turn toward the sizzle.
Then, the smell hits.
Closely followed by nausea.
Theo groans, scrambling to his feet as the boat rocks violently to the side. He catches himself against the dining table, and I’m grateful that everything on this yacht is secured to the floor. Theo’s body lands inches from mine, splayed across the table. Even after a night of drinking, he still smells like a fresh ocean breeze mixed with manly musk.
How did I never notice that scent before? Or the way it makes my blood burn hotter?
Groaning, the Prince pulls himself off the table and mumbles something about fresh air.
I watch him leave the small room, closing my eyes as I wrap my fingers around my mug of coffee.
I must be drunk. It’s the only explanation for what’s happening in my body right now. I’ve never, ever thought of Theo this way. I’ve never been attracted to him. I’ve been able to acknowledge his attractiveness, sure, but in an objective kind of way. The way you can acknowledge a celebrity is attractive without actually being turned on by them. He’s never made my pulse quicken like he does now.
I need to get a grip.
I sip my coffee, waiting for my heartbeat to slow down.
Theo is off-limits. I used to be promised to his brother. We grew up together.
He’s my friend.
Nothing more.
And I’m leaving, for crying out loud. In a week, I’ll be gone. Now is not the time to muddy the waters.
Even if I were attracted to him—which I’m not, because I’m sure this’ll pass once the alcohol is out of my system—it would be completely inappropriate. Completely out of the question. Completely wrong.
Still, my eyes drift up to the hallway where he disappeared. Something tugs at the pit of my stomach, and I know I need to follow him.
Heaving myself off the booth seat, I catch myself against the wall when the boat rocks again.
“Captain says a storm’s coming,” Chef Alfred explains, securing all his things under straps and in drawers. He gives me a tight smile. “We might have to spend the day below deck.”
“I’ll let the Prince know.”
The chef bows his head and continues his work. I hand him my empty coffee mug and head down the narrow hallway. As soon as I emerge into the fresh air outside, my headache eases a little. The heat that burned inside me dampens, and relief floods through my body.
I’m not attracted to Theo. My moment of weakness was only the result of three lonely years and a night of heavy drinking.
I should be grateful that I didn’t act on any of these feelings last night. It’ll pass.
Scanning the yacht’s deck, I see Theo near the railing. The captain is beside the mast of the sailboat with one of the crew members, furiously trying to drop the sail down. The sky is dark. The sea is choppy.
There’s definitely a storm coming.
“You need any help?” I ask the captain, who’s busy gathering the fabric of the sail and winding it around the horizontal boom sticking out from the mast.
“I’m fine!” he calls out, waving me toward the cabins behind me. “You should get back inside.”
Theo turns to look at us. When his eyes swing toward me, my breath catches. Darkness swirls in his gaze as it drops down my body, sending heat pooling in the pit of my stomach.
I know one thing for sure—he’s never looked at me like that before.
My nipples pucker. Is it his gaze causing that, or the cold sea air whipping around my body? My hair flies around my face as the Prince and I stare at each other from opposite sides of the yacht. My feet start moving before I realize what’s happening. I’m drawn to him, like he’s got a rope wrapped around my