Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
I nod because it’s not like Harper’s going to talk. “There’s a rumor he might be sexually harassing some of the women on his sets.”
“I’ve met him three times now, and he’s been perfectly lovely. We’ve talked about Gilded Age architecture. He didn’t even look at my chest and I was wearing a serious bra, if you know what I mean. He did not fall into my honey pot.”
And he hasn’t come close to mine. Besides being a rat fink bastard who is giving me some low-key trauma, he’s not bad to work for, though Patrick seems constantly on the edge. That’s his problem, not Joe’s.
I can leave if I want to.
I can walk out the door, and then I don’t have to feel this way.
“Ani, come on. We can be home in fifteen minutes. Ivy’s going to yell at me, but I don’t care.” Harper stands and offers me her hand. “We can have you packed up in no time at all.”
Packed and gone, and I can call Jessica and tell her this whole thing has been a big old nothing burger.
“Oh, shit. You don’t want to go.” Harper is staring at me with something akin to horror. “I know it’s not because of the friendships you’ve made along the way, so this is about Luca. Honey, what’s going on. Is he still sneaking in here?”
I nod, and Harper sighs and sits back down, her hand finding mine.
“Have you changed your mind? Are you thinking you want to try to win this thing?”
The very fact that she’s asked if I want to win makes me wince. “Luca’s not a prize to win. He’s been coming in to watch some reality shows with me. He didn’t do a lot of research, so he’s trying to figure out how it all really works. He didn’t understand why the producers were upset he won’t kiss anyone.”
“Anyone but you.”
“Not on camera,” I admit. “No one knows he’s coming in here at night. I mean except his bodyguard who sits out in the stairwell waiting for someone to try to murder him.”
“Okay, that’s weird,” Harper allows, “but I think we’re missing the salient point here. He’s only interested in you, and it’s obvious you’re totally into him. I know what happened was annoying, but he’s got a good reason he’s doing this show. So I don’t see the problem.”
Then she hasn’t been listening. “I can’t be a queen.”
“I thought you said that wouldn’t happen.”
“Luca’s got it in his head that he needs to get married anyway, so he might as well go with someone he likes.” He’s been teasing me about it. “And he thinks it would be economically effective since the producers have to hand over seven million if we get married.”
“A seven-million-dollar wedding?” Harper whistles.
“That seems cheap for a royal wedding, but yes.” I can see she’s already wondering what her bridesmaid dress will look like and how many glasses of champagne she can fit in on that private flight to Europe that would certainly be scheduled. “I can’t marry him. He doesn’t love me.”
Harper groans. “Don’t get hung up on a word. Some guys aren’t great communicators.”
“He’s the head of his country. He’s an excellent communicator.” And he’s an incredible kisser, and I’m worried if I do stay those make-out sessions are going to go further.
I’m more than a little worried that I want to know what it feels like to sleep with him, to have his hands on me, to not stop doing what seems to come so naturally between us.
“Watch his actions, not his words,” Harper says quietly.
There’s a knock on the door, and I can’t help but start at the sound.
Harper crosses the space and opens the door, revealing a more irritated than normal Patrick.
“Don’t you have a job to do? Like a light to fix or something?” Patrick moves out of the way to allow her to leave.
“I would love to fix the stick that somehow got shoved up your ass,” Harper replies as she waves my way. “See you later, Ani. Think about what I said. You have options.”
“No, you don’t,” Patrick counters. He moves into my room, glancing around. “You need to come back downstairs. Joe still wants a house meeting about Shelby, who I heard is on her way back from her one-on-one, so don’t be surprised when she walks in. Or do be. Whatever Joe wants from you. Unless you’re going to cry and run away because the girls were mean to you.”
“What the hell did I do to you?” I’m sick of his attitude. “Do I look like the person who kicked your favorite puppy or something?”
“You’re a pain in my ass.” He stops and stares for a moment at the pink bear sitting on my bookcase. A long sigh runs through him. “And you’re dumb as dirt. I can’t even with you right now. Either get downstairs or let production know you’re leaving.”