Paper Princess (The Royals #1)(82)

“Thanks for your insight,” I say dryly. “But I think it’s time for you to go.”

I try to steer her toward the stairs, but she flinches away, stumbling against the opposite wall. A peal of maniacal laughter tumbles from her cherry red lips. “I’ve had the Royals in my palm for a lot longer than you have, honey.”

I’m done listening to her. She just wants to whine and bad-mouth the Royals. My patience evaporates, so I just duck into my room, slam the door shut, and run to the bathroom. With a shaking hand, I feel inside the cabinet. When my hand brushes across the taped wad of bills, I sag with relief.

I need to move my cash to somewhere only I have access. ASAP.



* * *



“What’s wrong?” Reed asks the moment I step onto the patio.

I can’t answer him immediately because my tongue is attached to the roof of my mouth. I don’t know how I’m supposed to function when Reed stands there in only a pair of board shorts that look like they’re about to drop off his hips. His chest is a wall of lickable muscle, and it’s hard to concentrate. My argument with Brooke fades in importance when the hottest guy on the planet is standing there on display for me.

“Ella?” he prompts, with humor in his voice.

“What?” I shake myself. “Oh I’m sorry. It was Brooke. She was coming out of my bedroom. Or at least I think it was my bedroom.”

Callum’s room is on the other side of the house. The sweeping staircase bisects the two wings and the boys’ rooms are on one side and Callum’s room is on the other. Guest rooms are on the first floor. There was absolutely no reason for Brooke to be on our side of the house.

Reed frowns and starts to move toward the door.

“She left,” I tell him. “I saw her car heading down the drive before I came out here.”

“We need to change the gate code,” he mutters.

“Mmm-hmm.” I can’t stop staring.

Before I can blink, Reed lifts me in his arms and throws me in the pool.

I land with a huge awkward splash, spitting up water as I kick up to the surface. “What was that for?” I yell, pulling wet strands of hair away from my face.

He grins wickedly. “You looked like you needed cooling off.”

“You’re one to talk!” I swing myself onto the tiled surround and lunge for him.

He skates away easily. There’s no point in chasing him. He’s bigger and faster than me, so I have to resort to trickery.

I pretend to bang my foot against a lounger.

“Ouch!” I holler and stagger over to the pool’s edge where I bend down and clutch my foot.

Reed comes over immediately. “You okay?”

I lift my supposedly hurt foot up for his inspection. “I stubbed my toe.”

He leans down and I push him into the water.

He surfaces immediately, whipping his head around to get the water out of his eyes. Then he grins. “I let you do that.”

“Sure you did.”

I watch with fascination as the water clings to his body. He beckons me toward him. “We’re both wet so you might as well get your pretty ass in the pool.”

“Why? So you can dunk me?”

“I won’t dunk you.” He holds up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

I squint at his spread fingers. “I think that’s the Vulcan greeting, not a Scout’s pledge.”

He slaps a hand hard against the surface and a huge wave of water sprays over me. “Smart ass. The Vulcan greeting is four fingers. Now don’t make me come out there.”

“I’m only getting in because I want to, not because you ordered me to.”

Reed rolls his eyes and sprays me again.

I back up and then run hard, launching myself high in the air and then curling into a ball to drop right beside Reed. I hear him hoot with laughter as I sink into the water.

We spend about ten minutes trying to drown each other.

In the process, I might have tugged his shorts down a little too far and he might have grazed my bikini top with his hand. My body responds immediately to even that light caress.

The next time I dive for his hips, he wraps his hands around my wrists and hauls me up to the surface. He drags me backward until he’s sitting on the ledge that surrounds the pool and I’m standing in front of him, still in the water.

“You think you can depants me, huh?”

“I was just swimming.” I blink. “I’m innocent, officer.” I raise my still shackled wrists.

Reed flicks a finger over my breast. “You don’t look innocent.”

In retaliation, I run my foot along his calf and smile smugly as he shifts uncomfortably against the tile.

“It’s cold out here,” I say. “Anyone would nip out.”

“If you’re cold, I should warm you up.” He takes his free hand and nudges aside my bikini top until I’m fully exposed.

I think I’ve always closed my eyes before when he’s touched me here, and it’s shockingly erotic to watch him, in broad daylight, take me into his mouth. He gives me a gentle little bite and then licks the sting away before opening his mouth and sucking my nipple.

Holy hell.

“I, ah, I think I’m going to drown in here.” I gasp.