Page 29 of Princessa
Chapter 18
Feeling Grayson’s impressive arousal against my center brought on feelings, tingles, desires that were all brand new, and when he whisperedBella—all breathless and hot—I nearly came undone.
Yet the charming and irresistibly sexy prince was right about us holding back. And although a night between the sheets would have rocked every part of my sheltered world, sex right then and there would have only complicated matters. Falling for him, opening myself up to potential heartache was complicated enough.
So, we did the responsible thing: fought our urges to level up while I fell fast asleep, safe and most definitely sound, in his stronger-than-hulk arms.
What seemed like mere hours later, I awoke to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, my eyes fluttering open to find a steaming cup of java sitting on the nightstand beside my bed. Grayson was nowhere in sight, yet from the en-suite kitchen, I could hear what sounded like a microwave oven timer going off.
What’s he doing in there—cooking?The thought brought an amused smile to my face.
Sitting up, head and back resting against a set of fluffy pillows, I picked up the coffee—hoping it was decaf—and sipped. It was prepared to my liking which made me wonder how he knew the way I took it.
By the time I swallowed my third sip, a chipper Grayson strolled in the room, dressed in jeans and a muscle-enhancing sweater, a serving tray of food in his hands. “Morning, beautiful. I thought you might wake up with an appetite, so I ordered room service.”
“Breakfast in bed?” A grin stretched across my face. “Is this a taste of what life with a charismatic prince will be like?”
His cheeks brightened as he positioned the tray of food across my lap. “Looks like you bring all sorts of charisma outta me.” He leaned in with a smack to my lips that stirred up memories of the night before. I seriously felt like every Disney Princess who swooned her ass off after the dreamy prince waltzed in, beaming with a set of too-perfect teeth.
Silverware, napkins, and a single red rose sat on the tray, alongside a plate of scrambled eggs, and one fluffy croissant topped with butter and jelly. “This looks and smells amazing, Grayson.” I looked for his plate of food. “Where’s yours?”
He sat on the edge of the bed beside me. “Ate already—been up since the crack of dawn. You were still fast asleep, so I grabbed your keycard, slipped out, and went back to my suite for a shower and change of clothes. Then I ordered us room service and brought the cart of food here.”
“And let me guess, yours truly was still sound asleep?” I took a bite of the warm croissant and it practically melted in my mouth.
“Yep, like Sleeping Damn-She’s-So-Freaking-Sexy Beauty.” He winked. “So I covered up your plate and stuck it in the fridge then ate my breakfast. After a while, I thought maybe the smell of fresh coffee would wake you up. I brewed a pot—decaf—prepared your cup, then placed it on the nightstand, right under your nose before heading back to the kitchen to warm up your food in the microwave.”
Picking the cup off the nightstand, I took a hearty sip. “Coffee tastes perfect. How did you know how I take it?”
Grayson ran a thumb across his jaw and his lip hitched up to one side in a way that exuded cocky swag. “The first night we had dinner, you ordered decaf coffee with dessert, then I noticed you poured one packet of sweetener in, no cream.”
See what I mean? Total. Swoonfest.
He had this unwavering way of hitting me right in the ticker, casting a spell that turned me into a puddle of bedazzled, eye-lash-batting mush. “Sometimes I feel like you’re too good to be true.”
“I am too good to be true,” he joked. “How are you feeling?”
I placed the coffee back on the stand then took a bite of the eggs. “Much better. Thank you for staying with me, for holding me.”
He leaned over, chucked my chin. “Anything you need, I’m here for you, okay?”
I nodded, in pure awe of his sincerity, fighting the urge to pinch myself, doubting that any of it was real—including how heated things got between us hours before. What we shared was an earth-shattering glimpse into what life on the verge of a blossoming happily-ever-after could be like. A possible fairy tale in the making—a sexy one—the kind that would make Cinderella, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty envious enough to demand their own risqué retelling.
“Finish your breakfast, then shower and get dressed. If you don’t have plans, I’d love for us to spend the day together.” There was something about a man with alpha-sweet qualities that I found endearing, protective, and a turn-on.
After I showered,put on jeans, a blouse, strappy heels, and pulled my hair up in a ponytail, I called Grayson. He left my room to give me privacy and to supposedly finalize plans for today—a surprise for me.
Minutes passed and there he was standing at my door, a delicious treat for all my senses. His deep-sea blues rendered a perusal from head to toe, clearly appreciating the view. “You’re so incredibly…beautiful.” He drew me close, gifting me a kiss destined for so much more. “Come, Camille and Finn are waiting with the car.”
Going forward, it was understood that anytime we stepped off resort grounds together, we were to be escorted by our bodyguards, who also happened to be growing pretty fond of one another. Once outside, Grayson and I were shuffled into third-row seats of an ebony-colored SUV, its windows heavily tinted. Finn and Camille hopped to the second row, while a driver with gray facial scruff and dark shades sat behind the wheel.
“Arabella, meet Oliver, one of Finn’s trusted drivers who’s been sworn to secrecy about my whereabouts,” Grayson said, helping me fasten my seat belt.
Oliver dipped his ball-cap-covered head down then up—a straight-lipped acknowledgment through the rearview mirror before he maneuvered the car off resort grounds and onto the quiet streets of Saint Jean de Luz.
Apart from a few errands and an offsite meeting at the perfumery, I hadn’t spent much time exploring the city I now called home. Bordering Spain, Saint Jean is a small coastal town that thrives on year-round tourism, which is why RRF—the largest five-star in town—is almost always fully booked. It’s actually quite calm and serene—a hidden treasure.
“Where are we going?”
