Page 61 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
Was this what passion felt like?
If so, the feeling frightened her even as it thrilled her. Allowing herself to be carried away by the strong current of emotion would be stupid. She had to be rational about this.
He hadn’t proclaimed his undying love and affection. He’d simply kissed her until she couldn’t think straight. He’d made her feel so special, like the only woman in the world.
Would that be the only time she ever felt like that? Her heart hoped not.
“Julianna.”
The sound of Alejandro’s voice sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine, but brought a twinge of uncertainty, too. She stopped walking. “I thought you were going to the boatyard.”
He caught up to her. The beam from his flashlight pointed at the dirt floor. “I wanted…”
You. She held her breath.
“…to talk with you,” he finished.
Disappointment squeezed her heart even though she knew his wanting her was as likely as her living happily ever after.
Alejandro reached forward and tilted her headlamp so the light shone up. “We never got a chance to talk on the boat.”
Her uncertainty increased three-fold. “A hard day of sailing. We needed to focus.”
“You didn’t smile much.”
“I had a lot on my mind.” Like now. She started walking. “I should get back to the palace.”
Being so close to him sent her out-of-whack emotions spiraling into the danger zone. His scent made her want to lean in closer for another sniff. His warmth made her want to seek shelter in his arms. And his lips made her want to forget what her future held.
He fell into step next to her, his flashlight swinging at his side. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“You mean on the boat?”
“And now.”
Jules didn’t know where to start. She took a deep breath. It didn’t help.
“Julianna,” he prompted.
“You. You were…are…on my mind.” There, she’d said it. Even though she figured Alejandro had guessed as much.
“You’ve been on my mind, too. We’re equal.”
Not even close. Jules had never felt this way about any man, not even Christian, whom she believed at the time she loved. Of course, she’d been sixteen then.
Not that she was in love with Alejandro. Except…
She wanted to be with him on the boat, off the boat, all the time. She wanted to sneak out of the palace for good and sail off into the sunset with him. And Boots. They wouldn’t have to sail—they could walk, run, drive or fly. She wasn’t particular on the mode of transportation as long as they were together. The thought of being without Alejandro…
What was she thinking?
Being with him was impossible. What she felt now was a crush. The new sensations he had awakened with his kiss were causing her to feel this way.
Not…love.
“About this morning below deck,” Alejandro said.
“It’s okay.” Jules didn’t dare look at him. No one could ever know how much his kisses had affected her. “Each time I exit this tunnel, I enter a whole new world full of wonderful, but forbidden things. Freedom. Sailing. Kissing.”
“You’ve never—”
“I’ve been kissed.” The surprise in his voice made her cheeks grow hot. Jules was embarrassed enough by letting a crush get so out of control. She wasn’t about to tell him she could count on one hand the number of times she’d been kissed. “But I’m not…as experienced as you.”
“I couldn’t tell.”
Well, she could tell he was an expert kisser. That kind of expertise took…practice.
Alejandro has a horrible reputation. Worse, his taste in women is far from discriminating. Royalty, commoner, palace staff, it doesn’t matter.
Yvette’s words were the cold dose of reality Jules needed. She was probably one in a long line of women who’d come before. A part of her—okay, her heart—didn’t want to believe that, but she’d allowed this to go way further than it should. Romanticizing his kisses made no sense. “Kissing you was a nice addition to my adventure.”
“Adventure?”
She nodded. “Escaping the palace, wearing a disguise and sailing on La Rueca’s crew. It’s all been a grand adventure, a fantasy I’ve been able to experience for a brief time, but I know it’s not…real.”
