She pulls her face out of my hands. “He gave me a one-armed hug for completing the obstacle course and breaking your record, by the way.”
I was proud of her for that accomplishment. Truthfully, I was a little jealous that he congratulated her first. All I could do was stand there and act nonchalant. I was jealous that he stole my moment, so I had Ean yank him out of class today and clean the pool. It wasn’t my idea, though, to make him clean it with a toothbrush.
I shrug. It was a win-win situation. I got to pick on him for touching my girl, and he got out of doing something that bored him to death. When he finished cleaning some of the pool, I asked Ean to work with him on some things I knew he needed help with. But I’ll keep that my little secret.
She narrows her eyes. “Stop picking on him. I mean it, Tyler. He’s myfriend.”
“You don’t see it. Do you? That kid is in love with you.”
She scoffs and shakes her head. “You’re looking way too much into it. We’re. Just. Friends. And maybe I don’t see it because you’re the only one I see. I’m in love with you, Tyler. You don’t have to harass innocent guys to mark your territory. You didn’t see me lose my shit a couple months ago when that redhead hit on you at your parents’ charity event.”
Laughing at her, I run my hands down her thighs. “Sure. Because Emily had your back and dumped wine on her dress.”
She feigns innocence. “Emily did not dump wine on her dress. She accidentally bumped into her, and her wine spilled.” She mimics my shrug.
I didn’t notice that redhead until Emily started a commotion. All I could see washer, my Princess, in her pretty gown and long hair. She wore a wig, but it reminded me of the way she looked when I brought her home that night I found her near the pier. She was perfect in every way, not just in appearance.
She held conversations with anyone who approached her. Most were merely curious about her, as the Princess, since the royal family didn’t officially announce her adoption. Shehandled herself with grace and even rose a time or two when someone challenged her intelligence. She held her own, not needing Anders, her parents, or myself to defend her. She didn’t back down or shy away, as I expected. She handled the challenges with finesse and a bit of wit. In the end, she won everyone over, and no one could stop talking about her.
I squeeze her in closer at the thought, nipping at her chin, wanting to keep her in my hold forever, “I didn’t notice the redhead because I only had eyes for you.”
She grabs my chin in her hands and leans in closer. “That’s my point, Tyler. Emily was more irritated with the redhead than I was. I trust you, and I know who you belong to.”
She’s the love of my life, and sometimes, as perfect as everything has been, it scares me that I could still lose her. “Are you saying that I don’t trust you?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
I gaze into her eyes, seeing the underlying hurt—an emotion I put there—and I hate it. I do trust her. What she doesn’t understand is that it’s in our natural instincts to want to mark our territory. Since I can’t do that, not yet anyway, I want to chase away any threat that prevents her from being mine.
“I do trust you, and I’ll prove it to you. I’ll lay off the kid and stop using my position to pick on him.”
She stares into my eyes, chewing on her bottom lip. “There is one way you can prove it to me. You’ll behave when he comes to my house for dinner tonight for my birthday.”
Briefly I close my eyes, making a disgruntled noise. “You’re fucking killing me, Princess.”
Smiling down at me, she raises an eyebrow.
I want to say she won’t like because she really doesn’t see it. Inviting him to her house is not a good idea. She’s giving him false hope by letting him into a part of her private life, a part she has kept secret for almost a year.
We banter for a few minutes, but I know I won’t get my point across this way. I concede to her demand. “Fine. Invite him to your dinner party, under one condition. You sit next to me for the duration of the meal so I can touch you and hold your hand under the table.” I entwine our hands together to accentuate my point.
She snorts. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She drapes her arms over my shoulders and willingly gives me her lips. Our kiss intensifies, and she begins to rub her sex against my already-hard cock.
I break contact and push her hips back a fraction. “Speaking of birthdays, there must be something you need or want but are too stubborn to ask for.”
She masks the disappointment clouding her features and tilts her head in thought. “Let’s see. I have a family, the bestest friends anyone could ask for, and...” she smiles, “a sexy, secret boyfriend.”
I playfully tug at her hair, pulling her head back to direct her gaze at me. “Not going to be a secret for very long.” I crash my lips into hers, never missing an opportunity to kiss her. I nip my way down her neck.
Her fingers play with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I enjoyed the trips and concert you took me to last year.”
I groan against her skin. I did, too, but a trip outside of the territory means risking our secret being exposed. I lift my head. It pains me to deny her anything she wants. “We can’t this year. I promise, when things settle and we no longer need to keep this a secret, I’ll take you anywhere in the world. For now, there has to be something you desire and refuse to get for yourself.” I narrow my eyes in a mock-threatening way.
She simply shakes her head and replies, “Nope.”
I bury my head in the crook of her neck and grumble, “Come on, Princess. Give me something, anything.”
“Anything?” She waggles her brows.
