Stealing Kisses With a King (Kings of Carolina #3)- Sylvie Stewart Page 0,67
wants to hear.”
He frowned at me. “Alice, I spent more time with you than anyone.”
“All the more reason for you to take notice.” I knew I was being a bit unfair, but the logician in me said this sudden desire for a relationship was too good to be true.
“I can’t change the past. I may have certain powers, but that one still eludes me.”
“I’m sorry if it’s not so easy for me to throw caution to the wind, but I’ve seen you parade around with half of the country’s women.”
This brought out a proper scowl. “I don’t parade.”
“You absolutely parade.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, but I promise none of those women meant anything to me.”
I coughed out an incredulous laugh. “That’s not always a selling point, Malcolm. Habitual disregard for women’s feelings and seeing them only as objects for your gratification isn’t very attractive.” I knew I’d put him in an impossible position with that, but he’d obviously never had a woman make it hard for him.
“Well what about Reggie and his feelings?” He straightened, willing to fight fire with fire. “You’re upset that I didn’t try it on with you before now, yet you had a boyfriend—fiancé—for half that time.”
He had me there. And I’d sound insane if I told him I’d loved him while still accepting Reggie’s proposal. Forget Snow White, I was the Evil Stepmother.
I sighed and straightened my glasses. “I suppose.”
His brows spiked. “You suppose you were engaged?”
He was going to make me say it. “I suppose… you’re right.” It was more difficult than I’d thought to force those words out.
“I’m sorry, I’m not sure I heard you?” He cupped his ear with a hand, barely containing his enjoyment of the moment.
“I said even a blind squirrel eventually finds a nut.” I stood and carried my empty plate and mug to the sink.
“Hmm, I could have sworn you said I was right.” I couldn’t decide if his smile was more handsome or smug. Either way, I was powerless against it.
I turned and leaned against the counter, crossing my arms over my robe. “So, what are we going to do?”
Malcolm stood and walked over before taking the lapels of my robe in his hands. “Well, I figured we’d start out with a morning shag and then move on to a late morning shag.” When I rolled my eyes at him, he amended his statement with a shrug. “I don’t know, really. Take things day by day and see where it goes?”
“But we have to have a plan.” I squinted at him. He claimed to know me, yet this defining detail of my character managed to escape him?
“No, we don’t actually.” He was being serious.
I shook my head. “Let me rephrase. I have to have a plan.”
He grinned and leaned in to drop a quick kiss on my lips. I’d missed that, and it had been less than a day. “All right, then. Here’s the plan: I trust you and you trust me. That sounds like a solid plan to me.”
I reluctantly gave in, despite all the complications swirling in my mind: my job at Triumph, Malcolm’s track record, my privacy, his entire family. Oh, and the minor fact that I apparently had a boyfriend who was about to be a king. So much for flying under the radar.
Chapter 18
Malcolm
“You expect me to jump? Are you mad?” Alice’s gaze flashed back and forth between me and the water below.
“It’s the last chance of the year to do a rock jump. You must.” I extended my arms out and didn’t miss the way her gaze roamed all the bare skin exposed by my wearing just a pair of swimming trunks.
She pulled her oversized cover-up tighter around herself, which only served to make me want to rip it off and check out the sweet little body underneath. I’d had a glimpse of a swimsuit earlier, but hadn’t had the chance to properly inspect it. “And security is on board with you hurling your body off a cliff?” She pushed her glasses up on her nose, her brow puckering.
I couldn’t help but scoff. She was being ridiculous. “It’s barely eight meters. You should see the other ones. I’ve been doing this jump since I was an ankle biter.” It was practically tradition to begin and end the warmer months with a few rock jumps.
“What about the current?” She edged closer to the drop off to take another look at the water below.