“I-I guess I panicked.” My stomach cramps, and I’m exhausted all of a sudden.
He pulls me against his bare chest and wraps his arms around me. “You’re shaking so hard,” he says softly, running his hand up and down my back. “It’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you. Remember the part about how I’m a prince?”
I can’t answer. I only hold him. My shoes are gone. I must’ve dropped them as I swam away. I still have my clutch, although I’m sure everything in it is ruined. Thank goodness for Lifeproof phone cases. I’m pretty confident Reggie won’t be replacing any more of our things.
“I want to go… Back to the hotel.” I almost said home. Where the hell would that be anymore? “Will you take me to my hotel?”
He leans back and smiles. “Sure, my little gypsy.” Then he laughs again. “I swear, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were something out of Oliver Twist.”
If only he knew. We paddle to one of the long concrete piers. A metal ladder leads out of the water, and we hold it, catching our breath before we climb.
“Sorry,” I manage. “I’m not used to being caught breaking the law.”
Once we’re standing on the pier, I survey our appearance. My dress is soaked, and I’m barefoot. Cal is only in his soaked black tuxedo pants. He runs his hands back and forth through his hair, leaving it messy and cute, and his eyes are sparkling like his white smile.
Shaking my head, I open my clutch, turning it to the side so all the water can pour out. “I guess my credit card will still work.” Lifting out my phone, I press the button and it lights up. “This case just paid for itself.”
He’s watching me, that amused expression firmly in place. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to figure out how we’ll get back to my hotel.” Looking up, I see we’re on the far end of the marina. “We can probably walk.”
“Hajib is with the car in the parking lot.” He points to where we boarded the yacht just a few hours earlier.”
We wait for a moment, watching the elegant guests leaving the boat in pairs, walking slowly to the waiting cars. A little break occurs every few minutes, but the photographers are still hanging around as are a few of the spectators.
“You’re right,” he says, glancing down at his pants. “We should probably skip the car. If those photographers catch us, it’ll be all over the Internet.”
Reaching up, I squeeze the water out of my hair. I try to do the same with my dress, but I’m pretty much stuck looking like a drowned rat. We start to walk, hanging close to the shadow of the tree line. Every few steps, I hit a sharp rock and do a little skip and yelp.
Ten paces more, and Cal stops and catches my shoulder. “Hop on.”
He turns his bare back to me, and I hold up my hands.
“It’s okay, I can manage. My feet are just… out of practice.”
“Get on,” he says impatiently. “I’ve been wanting to toss you on my back since the night you twisted your ankle.”
Snorting a laugh, I take his shoulder and hop on, wiggling to a comfortable position as he slips his hands under my thighs. He’s moving faster, heading away from the crowd at the pier.
“That night seems so long ago,” I say, resting my chin on his neck, inhaling his warm man-scent mixed with the fresh, briny air. “It’s strange to think I was supposed to be with Rowan.”
“Supposed to be?” His voice isn’t angry, more curious, and I decide to take a chance…
“Reggie wanted me to meet him.”
“Right,” Cal nods, surprising me. “He thought you might be a solution to Ro’s problems.”
That’s news to me! “What are you talking about?”
He does a little exhale. “The economy has been bad—unemployment is up, oil prices are down, tourist spending is down. Reggie thought the money from your uncle’s oil reserves could be a new source of revenue for the country.”
“Oh,” I say, quietly, my lips pressing into a frown.
That story doesn’t get me off the hook, it only plays into the con Reggie was running—the con I knew about when I stepped out of that town car at the Royal Sports Club all those nights ago.
“I’m sorry,” Cal’s voice is quiet. “Marrying for political or economic advantage is a longstanding tradition in the monarchy.”
Tilting my head to the side, I study his profile. He’s frowning, but it only sharpens his square jaw, making him look even more attractive.