Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

&nbs

p; I saw his shoulders relax.

“And I thought you had given up bar fights.”

There was a naughty gleam in his eye. “That wasn’t a fight, sweetheart. You should really see me fight.”

The shiver running through me was wicked. He was right. He hadn’t laid a finger on either of them, yet the testosterone was dripping from his posture, his voice, his eyes.

“You wouldn’t have let it get that far though, right?” I didn’t know why I was questioning him. Would I have walked away if he had decked one of them? Would I be any less turned on by how he defended me? Was I worried that maybe he had once been involved in something illegal?

“I take things as far as I want.” His voice was low and even. “I set the limits. Always.”

There was an edge to Vaughn. On the outside he was calm, but there was a barrier he was willing to break through.

“Thank you.” I grinned.

“Not a problem.” He winked. “Anytime.” He checked over his shoulders and smiled when he saw the douchebags paying the tab.

“All right. So back to you. You were telling me about your move here.”

“Was I?” I couldn’t think of anything before Vaughn stood in front of me like a protective wall. The moment I actually enjoyed being the rescued damsel.

“Yes. Boxes and a new job,” he reminded me. His eyebrows rose playfully.

“Can you believe I haven’t made it to the White House yet for a tour?”

“Sounds like you’re a busy woman right now.”

I placed my empty glass on the table. “I’m trying to get my bearings.”

He leaned forward and I inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the way he smelled. It might be the last time I inhaled a man so intoxicating.

“Maybe when you get settled in, I’ll give you a call. Dinner sometime? Maybe I can take you to the White House.”

I met his eyes head on. His question sounded like a promise, but he was giving me an out. A chance to postpone things. There was something about Vaughn that excited me. He was gorgeous as hell, but there was more to him than that. I didn’t think I could define it, especially not this close to him. Words were jumbled and fuzzy.

“I-I…” I scolded myself for not getting it together more quickly. “Yes. I’m free this weekend. I’d love to see the city.”

Truth was I was always free. My calendar was wide open. Greer was my only lifeline here and she didn’t have time to give me between the demands of her job and Preston. I wasn’t anxious to have another night of being the third wheel, or pretending like I wanted to know Preston any better than I did.

He looked down at the solid watch on his wrist, it glinted under the lights. “It’s getting late.” He didn’t use his phone to check the time.

He stood from the table. “Let me walk you outside and make sure you get a cab.”

I wasn’t ready to go, but I had clinic in the morning, and something about his words made it seem as if I was supposed to follow him outside.

I found myself being led through the bar with his palm on the small of my back. His hands were wide and firm, pressing his fingertips into my skin with a possessive touch. We stepped outside and I heard the noises of Georgetown filter around us. Somewhere in the distance a dog barked. A car honked as it rolled past us, setting off a chain reaction.

Vaughn whistled as one of the taxis slowed in front of the bar. I stepped toward the curb.

For the first time all day it didn’t feel sweltering outside. There was a warm breeze that wisped over my skin. The city felt different at night—there was an air of romance in the history of the buildings surrounding us. A couple walked by holding hands. I scooted closer to Vaughn.

“Thank you for the drink.” I was close enough to smell the juniper on his skin. God, he smelled incredible.

“Thank you for plowing into me.” He winked.

He opened the door to the car, but I hesitated.