make you agree to things without my knowledge. If you fight it, they’ll fight harder. At least if we’re both gone and both together, it’ll keep them happy for a while. It’ll buy me some time.”
“So we pretend to agree.”
Theo nods. “Or at least, we pretend to consider it.” His brows are drawn together, concern etched on his face. “I know. I’m not asking you to give up your dreams, Cara. I just need time.”
I gulp. My thoughts are at war with each other. I was supposed to leave the Kingdom this week and start my new life. I was supposed to chase my dreams. Now, the future King is asking me to stay and pretend to be his future fiancée.
The Prince sighs, taking a step closer to me. He strokes the side of my cheek with his good hand and I close my eyes, leaning into his touch.
How does he manage to smell so good all the time? Being near him is like standing in a soft ocean breeze on a warm day.
When I open my eyes again, Theo’s chest is almost brushing mine. His eyes are low. When his tongue slides out to lick his lips, my heart stutters.
“I guess I could delay my disappearance,” I say in a small voice. A hint of a smile twitches over my lips. “You’ve been good to me and my family. The least I can do is return the favor.”
“You’ll get a free trip around the Kingdom, too.”
My smile widens. “Could be worse.”
The air between us crackles. There are so many things unsaid between us. I can see, reflected in his eyes, the desire I feel. Pretending to be his future fiancée isn’t a terrible thought. A part of me kind of likes it.
The Prince lets out a low groan. His fingers stroke my face as he gently shakes his head. “Something happened between us on that boat, Cara.”
My throat tightens. I know what he’s talking about, but I ignore it. “Uh, yeah. I saved your life.” I force a smile. “Twice.”
The Prince’s hand sweeps along my jaw to tangle into my hair. His touch sends shivers running through my body. Goosebumps erupt all over my skin and I suck in a deep breath to try to contain myself. My fingers disobey, though. They hook into the waistband of his pants and before I know it, I’m pulling him toward me.
The air between us thickens.
A few inches of space separate his lips from mine.
He’s right. Of course he’s right.
Something happened on his sailboat, and it wasn’t me saving his life. It was a shift in the energy that flows between us. A change in the course of our destinies.
This whole marriage thing isn’t the cause of it. What’s going on between us had already started before my mother decided to find me a royal husband. It started the instant he stepped into my house and asked me to come sailing with him.
The Prince sweeps his thumb over my cheek as he erases the distance between us. My back presses against the wall as his big body cages my much smaller one. I can feel the heat of his chest against mine. The raw power coiled in his muscles.
I want him. Badly.
“There’s only one thing that worries me about this plan.” His eyes drop momentarily to my lips.
“What’s that?” I’m breathless. My body is burning up. My nipples pebble under my thin shirt, and I know the Prince can feel them.
“Whatever’s going on between us. That worries me.”
The words send a thrill through the pit of my stomach. I like the sound of something going on between us. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
I suck in a breath. “There’s nothing between us,” I force myself to say.
“No?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“Why does that sound like a lie?”
“Because it is one.” My voice is a whisper.
Theo grunts. His eyes are hooded. My body screams.
“This is a bad idea, Theo.”
The Prince inhales. “I need time. Just for this three-week tour. We can tell your parents and my father that we need to get to know each other.”
“We’ve known each other our whole lives.”
“Not like this.” His finger strokes my cheek, and a wave of heat crashes into me.
No, definitely not like this.
“Why me?” My voice is a breath. A whisper.
He shrugs, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “Could be worse.”
“Okay, Casanova.” I roll my eyes and shove his chest ever so slightly, clinging onto anything that