In such close proximity, he became aware of her flattering shirt. Her breasts took on a more rounded shape as they pressed to his chest, and in the silence of the room, the only sound was her unsteady breath. Kat was tall for a woman, but still fell short of Prince’s stature. She was tall enough for him to place a kiss to her forehead without hunching down to meet her, but it seemed like she was standing on the tips of her toes to make up the difference. Her power overwhelmed him, and when her liquid brown eyes met with his, primal heat began to flood his veins, reaching every extremity before awakening his ancient heart…
“I’m home!” Nadia announced, keys jingling and landing on a flat surface.
Kat swiftly moved away, her cheeks aflame and eyes downcast. She lightly touched the spot where his mouth had been and then turned around. “Hey. We were just… cleaning.”
“And what were you cleaning in my pristine apartment?” Nadia stood in the open doorway. “Please tell me you didn’t make a Packmaster scrub my kitchen floor.” She turned her attention to Prince and approached with a sultry swing of her hips. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here this evening. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Kat gave him a loaded glance.
“I owe you dinner,” he replied smoothly.
“Perfect. I’m starving. Where are we going?” Nadia reached out and held his hand.
Kat backed up until she met with the sink. She picked up the scrubber and played with the bristles, lifting her eyes just a fraction toward them.
“Candlelight dinner on a rooftop? It’s the least I can do to smooth things over.”
Nadia glanced down at her green skirt. “Should I change?”
“If it gets chilly, you can come back down for—”
“Wait a minute,” she said, flipping back her blond hair. “You don’t meanmyroof, do you? I’mnoteating on the roof of my apartment. What kind of woman do you take me for? Tell me you’re only teasing.”
Prince flicked his eyes between Nadia and Kat. He hadn’t planned on leaving Kat alone, and it was too awkward to invite her along. Insulting Nadia by canceling his offer would displease Kat. Yet the way Kat’s lips were thinning, he wasn’t sure if going on the date was going to make her any happier.
“I’m beat,” Kat announced, pushing away from the counter. “I think I’ll go to bed early.”
“It’s not even dark,” Nadia said. “The night is young. Why don’t you see what Austin has to offer and watch a few live bands? If you’d rather go to a more upscale club, I can make a call and get you into the VIP room. This city comes to life at night.”
“That’s not my thing,” Kat said, staring down at her sneakers.
When Nadia gave her a restrained scowl, Prince realized she was intentionally trying to get Kat out of the house.
It didn’t take long for Kat to pick up on it either. “Fine. Smoky air sounds perfect. What time should I be back, sis?”
Nadia looked at her gold watch and wound it up. “Anytime after one.”
“In the morning?”
“Two sounds better.”
Kat waved her hand and stormed out of the room. “Fine. You two have an amazing night full of hot animal sex while I’m snacking on peanuts and napping on crusty sofas.”
Prince belted out a laugh and quickly covered it before he stirred up more trouble between the twins. Nadia raked him over with a cold stare, but Prince found jealousy to be a surprisingly attractive quality in a woman, and seeing it flare up in Kat was confirmation that she wanted him for herself. But why would she give up something she wanted for her sister’s happiness?
Nadia pinched the hem of Prince’s T-shirt, stretching the fabric across his broad chest. “This is nice. Did you say we’d be traveling by helicopter?”
* * *
Prince neededto execute this dinner with precision. After all, it had been he who had pursued Nadia from the start, so he had an obligation to follow through with an uninterrupted date. He’d spent more time with her twin, and that riddled him with guilt because Nadia deserved a chance. So Prince had made a call and arranged for a candlelight dinner on a secluded rooftop downtown.
Dinner on a rooftop?He wished Kat had never put the thought in his head. Prince’s men made a valiant effort to meet his expectations, and it had taken him an hour to locate a helicopter pilot who was available. His men had set up a cloth-covered table, silver platters, and hurricane lamps with electric candles to withstand the wind. But for him, there was nothing less romantic than eating on top of a concrete building with ventilation systems scattered about and a perilous drop just a few feet away. Perhaps there were buildings with rooftop bars and swimming pools, but this was short notice and they needed privacy.
He pulled out the wooden chair and Nadia sat down, the strong wind blowing her hair to the left. Her smile never faltered as she pulled her hair away from her face. Some strands got tangled up in her long lashes and she gracefully tucked them behind her ear. A car horn blared from the busy street below.
“Let me pour you some wine.” He quickly filled their glasses before the wind blew the glassware over. “This is like eating with your head sticking out of a car window,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you?”
