Prince Sutton’s left cheek dimpled as he grinned. “Come on.” He took my hand in his and led me onto the platform. “No weapons, hand to hand only.”
I nodded, removing a dagger from each of my thighs. I set them on the edge of the ring and walked to the center.
With blue eyes glittering in the sun, he moved and circled around me. Years had passed since Kam and I had sparred in the garden, a pastime I so badly missed. Our mother would yell at us for ruining the crops, her shouts getting louder each time. I think she secretly enjoyed the quarrel just as much as we had.
I sidestepped to my left, mirroring his moves. We made one full circle around the ring before I lunged forward and attacked. I threw a right open-palm strike against the left side of his face, landing harder than intended. He merely smiled as the skin of his cheek pinked. I retreated and created space between us.
“This is improper!” Leanna shouted from the sidelines, “You must stop! A lady does not conduct herself in this manner and certainly does not strike a prince.”
Unsure what to do, I looked between the prince and his sister.
“Your opponent will always try to distract you,” he murmured to me before throwing a punch I dodged. “Don’t let yourself get distracted.”
“Never.” I smirked and returned my full attention back to the man.
He squatted low before charging toward me. Wrapping his arms around me, he lifted and dropped me onto my back. The impact knocked the breath from me; my lungs gasped—begged for air to enter into them. I recovered and encased his waistwith my inner thighs, pulling myself into him and reducing the space between our bodies.
His sweat-soaked chest pushed into the side of my face, and I breathed in the musky scent of him. The heat of his body sent a rush of heat to my core, and I forced myself to stay focused. At least if he sent me home, I’d be able to brag that I had the Prince of Rivale half naked on top of me.
Slowly, he leaned back onto his thighs while I remained attached to him. He was so much bigger than me, fighting on my back would end badly. If I gave him any room, he might swing and end the fight before it really got started. His breath sputtered as he moved up to a kneeling position, one knee down to brace as he put his other foot under him.
“You’re like a peel on a banana,” he breathed out a laugh.
I giggled under my breath. “Give up, prince. You’re not going to get rid of me.”
“I wouldn’t want to,” he muttered as he got his other foot under him, “and it’s Ryder.”
“What?” I garbled into his chest, the saltiness of his sweat hitting my lips.
We looked ridiculous to anyone who’d bothered to watch. Crossing my ankles at the top of his ass, I locked around him as he went to stand. My arms slipped down, nearly unable to fit around his wide rib cage. I clutched my left wrist with my right hand and held myself in place.
“My name is Ryder. Call me by my name,” he groaned as he made his final ascent. “Look, no hands!” He shot his arms out as I remained clinging to him. His laughter overflowed with pure childish joy.
I released my arms and quickly jumped back, eyes as wide as a schoolgirl with a crush.
“Shall we continue?” Ryder taunted me, “Or will you join me for a walk instead?”
I dropped my hands and started to speak before he rushedme again, taking me down to the mat once more. He straddled me and began frantically tickling my sides, pinning my body in place between his knees.
“Distraction, Audryn!” His fingers moved frantically against my ribs. “You let your opponent distract you.”
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” I clamored through my laughter.
“You must yield—I cannot stop until you do. I’m forced to continue otherwise.” Ryder leaned down and breathed into my neck, his warm breath dancing against my ear. “Will you endure or do you yield?”
His long fingers began poking into my ribs once more while laughter rose from my throat. “Yes,” I shouted between my attempts to catch my breath.
His frenzied fingers didn’t slow. “You must say it completely for it to count. We don’t want anyone confused. Tell them who the real winner is.”
“Yes, I yield! I yield!”
Ryder stood, and I instantly missed the feeling of his warm body against mine. He raised both of his arms in the air. “Winner! I’ve been declared the winner!”
My chest heaved as I attempted to recover from the delirium. Allura rose and ferociously clapped as if Ryder had slain a dragon and rescued her from an enemy tower. Meanwhile, Maris sat unimpressed with a scowl on her face, muttering to Leanna, who wore the same expression.
“We will meet you inside for dinner,” his sister snarled while looking between us. “You should bathe if you expect us to sit next toeitherof you.”
“Together?” Ryder droned sarcastically to her and turned to me. “I wouldn’t complain if you’re up for it.”
