Bad Teacher
I wipe away a tear from what he’s doing right now.
I can’t believe this is happening.
“You probably remember this spot better than I do.”
I nod, biting my lip because I can’t stop grinning.
“Our first semi-date. With a dog. And some water running down our shoes.”
I nod. I don’t know what to say because I don’t want to ruin it, so I don’t say anything at all.
“I’m the guy who tried to rescue you. Your boss. But you didn’t need any rescuing. I did. Which is what you did … over and over again … you saved my ass. You still do. And my brother would say I was a fool if I didn’t make you my girl for real.”
His brother howls like a wolf at the moonlight, and everyone laughs, breaking the tension.
“So now I’m going to make it even harder for you to run.” He winks. “In full TJ Morrows’s style, I’m sexier than you know … and I don’t ever wanna let you go.”
I laugh at the cheesiness, but it’s exactly what I imagined he’d say.
Still, nothing prepares me for the moment he turns around and whistles … and both Pepper and Dozer appear from behind the pack of people. I cover my mouth in shock as I see them tied to each other by a thin ribbon and a box dangling at the bottom.
“Hey, Pep!” I say with a high voice, pushing the tears back.
The dogs both sit down in front of TJ, and he takes the ribbon with the box off them. Flynn whistles, calling the dogs back, and takes care of them while TJ focuses his attention on me.
“So I’m going to ask you for real now.” The box opens and a shining diamond ring prettier than anything I’ve ever seen, prettier than anything I could ever afford, appears. “Will you marry me?”
I smile. I don’t know what to say except what my heart has been wanting to scream all along.
“Yes!” I say, my voice softer than I expected it to be. It’s the nerves. Happens every time something this insane, this romantic happens. Except it normally happens to other people, friends, or on the television. But now it’s happening to me.
He puts the ring on my finger, and I watch it glimmer and shine, my eyes totally distracted by its size. “Now let’s fix that memory, shall we?” he muses, and I have no idea what he’s talking about.
He reaches for my waist, pulls me up from the bench … and runs straight to the water.
“What are you doing?” I scream.
Everyone behind us is cheering like they were expecting this.
Too late to jump. He’s already dunked both of us in the water with a big howl.
I splash around and splutter out the water as I come up for air. His hands slither their way up my body, and I squeal when he lifts me into his arms.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he murmurs, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Oh, my god, you insufferable douchebag,” I say.
“What’s worse is that you’re marrying him,” he replies, the left side of his lips curling into a smile when he sees my scrunched-up face. “And it only makes me love you more.”
“You really had to go and do that?”
“Yeah … so I can finally be the knight in shining armor and save you from the water. Like I should have all along.”
I roll my eyes at him, but the moment I open my mouth, I’m interrupted by him and his mouth. All over me. And all I hear are the cheering people behind us and his moans as he claims me for himself.
“Hmm, goddamn … such a nice piece of woman,” he groans, making me grin. “And now she’s finally mine.”
“Oh, shut up and kiss me,” I growl, grabbing his face to kiss him back.
“Your wish is my command,” he jokes, licking my top lip. “Mrs. Lesley Morrows …” He pauses. “How does it sound?”
I close my eyes as I feel his hot breath on my skin, wondering if anything could be better than this.
Months ago, I would never have dreamed to meet a guy like him in the way that I did, let alone actually like him … but now that I have, I can say I don’t regret a second of it.
Not him. Not Pepper. Not the soaking wet chase. Or the hiding underneath the desk. Not any of it.
All I can do is say, “I can get used to this.”
“To what? Me? The name? Or being dripping wet?” He wiggles his eyebrows again while biting his lip.
I grin and reply, “All of the above.”
* * *
Bad Royal © 2018 Clarissa Wild
Bad Royal
By Clarissa Wild
Chapter 1
Amir
“As your advisor, I have to be honest with you, and right now … I really think this is the worst idea you’ve come up with.”
I laugh as I look at Hassan through the mirror while buttoning up the blue shirt he brought. Every time he asks me a question, I wonder why I even brought him along. “Of course, it is. That’s why I’m doing it.”