Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

“A thank you?” I abandoned sorting the linens and turned to face him.

“Did you bring your passport?” he asked. Cole was smiling.

“I did. Just in case I got to go to Mexico. Wait. Are we going to Mexico?” I walked toward him.

“Maybe.” Cole leaned toward me and grazed my lips with his mouth.

I inhaled the warmth of the kiss, and pushed against him. “Tell me. What is it? I’m not good with surprises.”

“What about a dress? Did Lisa set you up with a pretty dress?”

I didn’t know where or when I was going to wear the strapless black dress when I bought it, but I was certain this was what it was meant for.

“Yes. I have a dress.” I smiled.

“Ok. Be ready tonight at six, in your pretty dress.”

“Wait. What about Grayson?”

“Don’t worry. I have a sitter. It’s all taken care of.” He walked backward out of the room and threw me a wink before closing the door behind him.

I pushed the butterflies down and sat on the edge of the bed. We were going on a real date—perhaps something we should have done before sleeping together. It didn’t really matter now. Cole was taking me out in my new black dress.

It was almost six o’clock. The corners of my eyes were lined with a smoky charcoal eyeliner I picked up at Tassels Surf Shop. I puckered my lips a bit to smooth on a pale lip gloss. I hadn’t spent as much time as I thought I would in the sun, but it didn’t take much on South Padre to pick up a tan. My shoulders were already sun-kissed. I tossed my new makeup in a bag and straightened my lotion bottles around the sink. Tomorrow, we were moving into the beach house next door.

I didn’t know what it meant, other than Grayson needed a real house and I needed to turn this room over so Cole could make more money.

Once the vacationers arrived, our time alone at the Dune Scape would be over. Tonight, I wanted to make the most of every second we had together.

I grabbed the clutch Sasha convinced me to buy and walked out of my room. Cole was standing in the corridor holding a bouquet of flowers.

“Wow. I don’t even know how to tell you how gorgeous you look.” Cole looked awestruck.

“Thanks. I think you just did.” I took the flowers. “I thought you weren’t the wine and roses guy

.”

“Technically, these aren’t roses, so I’m still good.” He laughed. “You look so hot in that dress, I’m having second thoughts about taking you anywhere.” He leaned down to kiss my neck.

“You look pretty amazing too.” He was wearing dark jeans, and a white fitted button-up shirt. The sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I looked at the ground and noticed his boots.

“Ah-ha! You are a cowboy. I knew it.”

“Everybody in Texas has boots. True fact.”

“Really or are you trying to cover up your cowboy side?” I teased.

He slid his hand into mine and led me to his truck.

“You two have fun.”

I spun to see Lisa waving wildly from Cole’s room.

“She’s the sitter?”

“Yeah. Come on. Grayson is fine.”

He opened the door for me. Cole pushed the buttons on the radio until it landed on a song that he liked.