Her Royal Highness (Royals #2)(58)

“I have a crush on you,” I go on. “A stupid and hopeless crush, and honestly, I am very disappointed in myself about it, but there it is. I like you. I wanted to read that magazine so I could learn more about you, and also look at pictures of you because you’re pretty, and this is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me, so enjoy watching it, I guess.”

Only once all the words are out do I realize I didn’t do the nervous stuttering thing, that moment when all the words I want to say form a logjam of awkward in my mouth. I just spat it all out directly in her face, and oh my god, I just told her . . . everything.

She’s still staring at me, her arms still folded across her chest.

“You like me,” she repeats, and completely defeated by my humiliation, I shrug, both palms up.

“I do. It’s so dumb, but I do.”

Flora drops her arms, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears. “Why is it dumb?” she asks, and I look at her, my heart seeming to speed up and slow down all at once. I’m so aware of it thudding there in my chest, in my throat, in my ears.

“What?”

Stepping closer, Flora murmurs, “Why is it dumb, Quint?”

And then . . . holy crap, she’s kissing me.

Flora’s hands are cold on my cheeks, or maybe it’s just that my face is hot, but I can feel each of her fingertips on my skin, pressing in like a brand, and my own hands come up to catch her wrists. It shouldn’t be a big surprise that Flora is such a stellar kisser, but my knees didn’t get the message because they’re trembling like I just did four laps around the school.

And underneath my fingers, I can feel the steady pulse of Flora’s heartbeat, a reminder that I’m not the only one feeling shook here.

Smiling against her mouth, I pull back a little, and she grins at me, that real smile that probably shows too many teeth to be a Proper Princess Smile, but the one that is definitely my favorite.

Then it fades from her face, and a trio of wrinkles appears between her perfectly groomed eyebrows. “Oh god, is this too much?” she breathes. “Is it too soon, do you need more time? I can give you more time, if you want, I just . . . I just felt like I had to kiss you, so I did.”

Pulling back even more, I raise my eyebrows at her. “Are you, Princess Flora Ghislaine Mary Baird, actually saying you might have rushed into something? Like, you’re admitting that?”

She presses her forehead to mine briefly, and I wonder why the scent of the same soap we all use here smells so much different on her skin than it does on mine or anyone else’s. “Did I rush in?” she asks, and I take a deep breath before shaking my head.

“No. No, for the first time since I met you, I think you might have had perfect timing.”





CHAPTER 33



Somehow I’d forgotten what it feels like to be in deep smit for someone.

With Jude, there was that weirdness carrying over from how long we’d been friends, from keeping it kind of secret, from still trying to figure out what the whole thing meant. With Flora, there’s just . . .

Well, there’s just moments like right now as we do our laps around Gregorstoun, and she glances over at me with a bright smile, cheeks pink, hair sticking to her face even though it’s freaking freezing, and my heart feels so big in my chest I can hardly stand it.

“Are you going to sing this time, Quint?” Flora teases, turning to jog backward, and I nod at her.

“Maybe. If you fall and bust your ass, I’m definitely going to sing a song about that and the perils of hubris. Like an Oompa-Loompa.”

“What is it with you and the Willy Wonka references?” she asks, turning back to jog like a normal person, and I slow down a little, Flora falling into step with me.

“Maybe ‘Veruca Salt’ can be our always,” I joke, and she laughs.

Then, as we approach a rise in the path, she reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me behind a rock formation to press a quick but heated kiss to my mouth, and yeah.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten what this feels like, because I’m not sure I’ve ever felt anything like this.

Pulling back, she studies my face for a long moment, then runs her thumb over my lower lip, sending a shower of sparkles through my blood.

Then I lean in to kiss her, and this time, there’s nothing quick about it.



I happen to think Flora and I are being very discreet about this new thing between us, but I’m immediately disabused of that notion at lunch as Sakshi and Perry sit on either side of me, almost simultaneously. They’re good at that, so good that I sometimes wonder if they’ve practiced.

“Spiiiillll,” Saks sings out, opening her bottle of mineral water while Perry reaches over me to steal the roll off Sakshi’s tray.

“Or don’t,” he tells me, glaring over at Saks, “because it’s none of our business.”

Saks rolls her eyes. “Honestly, Perry, don’t be such an old lady. Millie is our friend, and we support her happiness, which means we need to learn all about it. So. Spill.”

Blushing, I roll my shoulders and continue pushing beans around my plate. “There’s not much to spill,” I say, and Saks heaves out a huge sigh, ruffling her hair.

“Not much to spill? Millicent—”

“It’s Amelia, and you know that.”