“That is a lot to deal with, but you’re a pro.” He reached out and touched my hand. “I’ve been watching and I can see how you work the crowd. It’s so natural, I imagine most people don’t notice when you turn it on. Turn on the princess.”

“That’s exactly what I do,” I said. In less than a week, David had noticed more about me than most people. “I turn on Princess Catherine and do my duty.” I shook my head. “That makes it sound like I don’t enjoy it and I normally do. But I have to be so careful and follow certain protocols. There are days that I just want to be Cathy.”

“I get it.” He frowned. “I don’t mind teaching, actually enjoy it when the students are interested, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to just be David. It’s why I turned down the professorship.”

“I think you’re going to like the FBT. You’ll get the best of both worlds.” I stood up and started cleaning up the trash while he got a rag to clean off the table. “I think we’ve left Chadwick alone long enough. Who knows what type of things he’s planned for you.”

“Scary.” His voice was odd as he turned and looked at me. “I’m thinking . . .”

“You’re right. That is scary.” I threw the trash away and watched him as he walked toward me.

“We agreed that this was our second date, right?” His hand cupped my face while his thumb rubbed along my cheek.

“Yes.” My voice came out husky as he leaned a little closer.

“Then I think a kiss is in order,” he said. His free hand moved to cup my hip and pulled me a little closer. “I’ve been dying to since the other night.”

I went willingly, eager to taste his kiss once again. He didn’t rush the moment, dragging out the wait as his lips neared mine, but still didn’t touch. His breath washed over my face and I leaned forward even more. When his lips finally touched mine, it was the softest whisper of a kiss, brushing against my lips like a feather’s touch. While his lips moved slowly, there was a barely contained heat behind his touch. His fingers tightened on my hip and his other hand dipped my head back so that he could have better access to my mouth.

I ran my hands up his arms to rest on his shoulders, enjoying the slow kiss that ignited fire in my veins. When he slowly pulled away, I kept my eyes shut, savoring the moment. It was the best kiss I’d ever experienced.

FIFTEEN

“WHERE ARE MY nude heels?” I got down and looked under the hotel bed. Pushing the extra pillows out of the way, I made sure they weren’t hiding.

“I think they’re out here,” Max hollered. “If by nude you mean beige.”

“What the hell are they doing out there?” I mumbled as I ran into the living area. “Thanks.”

I plucked them from his fingers and ran back to my room. David was supposed to be here any minute and I still wasn’t finished getting ready. Sliding into the bathroom, I grabbed the curling iron and added a few loose curls to my hair, giving it that careless look that was anything but careless. I checked my makeup and spritzed on a light perfume. Nothing too heavy, but just enough to know it was there.

Turning, I looked at my outfit and frowned. I didn’t have a lot of options at the hotel and no time to shop. I’d picked out a pair of jeans, a dressy tank top, and a blazer. The shoes and some jewelry pulled it all together. It wasn’t exactly my best outfit, but it was comfortable and I liked it. It also wasn’t too dressy for the movies, but not so comfortable that it looked like I hadn’t cared what I was wearing tonight.

Voices coming from the living area made me hurry, and I grabbed some lip gloss quickly and threw it in my bag. I rushed out, to save David from Max. I wasn’t sure if my brother would give my date the third degree or not. He usually didn’t seem to care if I dated someone, but he’d been much more interested in David for some reason.

“Where are you going?”

“The movies and dinner.” David’s voice was calm and polite.

“Which theater?” Max asked.

I rounded the corner in time to see that Max hadn’t let David very far into the suite.

“I’m not sure exactly. I believe the bodyguards chose the one they felt was most secure.” David tucked his hands in his pockets. He had dressed up, still in jeans, but in a button-up shirt under a light sweater. He had shaved too, which was the first time I had seen him that way. I liked it just as much as I did when he had a five-o’clock shadow. No matter how you cut it, the man was mouthwatering.

“Max,” I warned. He held his hands up in the air in mock surrender.

“You look great.” David smiled at me.

“Thanks.” Smiling I walked past Max to stand in front of David. “So do you.”

“Have her home by midnight,” Max grouched from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and held my hand out to David. His warm fingers wrapped around mine, and the familiar feeling of heat from his touch traveled up my arm and over my body.

The car was waiting downstairs, but at an employee entrance instead of out front. I wondered if the press would have caught on to our sneaky attempt, but there was no one with a camera in sight. Of course, that didn’t mean someone with a telephoto lens wasn’t hanging out in a tree.

“How did we manage to escape the press?” I wondered aloud.

“Jameson’s idea. He has the car I came in idling at the front entrance.” David sat next to me and turned so that his long legs were tucked into the backseat comfortably. “You know, the last time someone drove me on a date was back in middle school. Feels like I should be asking my parents to extend my nine o’clock curfew.”