What was even better was that on my desk was Wynn Carter’s vacation itinerary, and beside it my new one to match his for the time he was on vacation. Sure, it would be odd to explain to people why I was island-hopping, but I was the heir apparent. No one would dare question me.
One thing Edward couldn’t tell me was where on each island Wynn would be at any given moment, so he’d tasked someone he trusted to follow him at all times. That was how I’d known he was at Lawrenceville Haberdashery.
“What is your occupation?” I asked once we’d been seated.
“Oh, I’m a journalist.” He held up a hand. “On vacation—I promise everything is off the record.”
He was cute. “I’m sure it is. Do you write for a paper, blog, magazine?”
“Well, I have a major in journalism with a minor in psychological personality, so mostly I write for mental health magazines. As of late,Psychology Weeklyhas been paying my bills.”
Psychology…I was curious if he’d be able to see the beast that lurked behind my eyes.
“Fascinating.”
“Is it?” He chuckled. “I dare say your job is way cooler.”
“It’s mostly smiling, waving, and nodding at people, really.”
That earned me a belly laugh, and I stared transfixed at his neck as he arched up. It was slender, pale, and I very much wanted to caress his skin with my tongue.
“You’re funny, Prince Julian.”
“I do so wish you’d call me Julian, at least anytime we’re alone.”
He was about to sip his drink when he froze. “And are we going to be alone a lot?”
I thought back to what my uncle had taught me. While he wasn’t like me or my great-grandfather, he’d understood it and had a temper that often required intervention, and through the years he’d found ways to blend well and not upset people. I had a blunt way of speaking, and he’d taught me to adjust my responses to questions so that others would discern them to be benign and not terrifying.
“Maybe. I am doing this tour, but perhaps we will have the chance on one of the islands.”
He bit off a piece of bread and nodded. “I’d say it’s not likely we’d bump into each other, but I’ve seen you two days in a row, so anything’s possible.”
The server arrived, a nervous gentleman who fumbled over his words, and we ordered our food. Wynn took pity on him and told him about how he’d fallen in a puddle five minutes after he’d left his hotel yesterday. It put the server at ease and oddly, it calmed me too.
There was something about Wynn Carter that spoke to the beast inside me. He was like a lit fireplace on a cold winter night, a blanket fresh out of the dryer. He was every last breath in the world, and whether he liked it or not, he was mine.
“What’s next on your agenda?” he asked me once we were alone again.
“Tomorrow I’m heading to Crellesia.”
His eyes flared. “No way!”
“I’ll be there for a few days before moving on. I’m doing things a little differently this year.”
“Crellesia? Tomorrow?”
“Mmhmm.” I knew he was shocked because that was where he was traveling to tomorrow.
“I’m headed to Crellesia tomorrow!”
I smirked. “Maybe we will get to see each other after all.”
He snorted and shook his head. “Small world.”
It wasn’t really, but I’d make it so small Wynn wouldn’t be able to turn around without bumping into me. Every second I was in his presence I wanted more, craved it like a drug. Never in my whole life had a person affected me so much.
That itch to kill wasn’t present. I simply wanted to have Wynn, near me, under me…I needed to be inside him. Fuck, I’d never leave if I was there…and I would be. Wynn Carter was never getting away from me.
