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Looking out at the dance floor, I go to take a bite—and stop. Lower my sandwich.
Because from across the yard, I see him.
Frederick’s scanning the crowd, clearly looking for something or someone. And when his eyes fix on me, my mouth goes dry, because he cuts through the dance floor and heads straight toward me.
The gaze he’s wearing takes my breath. Completely steals it. It makes me a little bit angry that he still has such power over me. That he can melt my insides with one look.
And then he’s there.
All of my friends’ heads shoot up at his presence and they split around me to make room for him. I don’t know whether to be grateful or call them all traitors.
“Sorry, ladies,” he says. “I need to steal Chloe for a moment.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he just takes the sandwich from my hands, tosses it into the grass, and tries to tug me away.
Hey! “What are you doing? Let go.”
Frederick drops my hand, puts his hands across his chest, and drat it all if the posture emphasizes the muscles there. “Fine,” he says. “Will you come with me, please?”
Oh, just like that? He expects me to stop what I’m doing becausenowhe wants to talk, after a day of glowering at me and making me miserable? My own hands find my hips. “Why?”
“Princess.”
“Frederick.”
“Fine.” He sighs. “Just remember that I tried saying please.” People are staring at us, but he doesn’t seem to notice. “And also that you left me no choice.”
Then he advances toward me and hefts me up and over his shoulder. I feel myself falling, but then he’s there, bracing me around my thighs as he walks with purpose across the grass.
“Frederick! Put me down!” Each of my words bobs in my throat as I’m whisked away. I try to push myself up, to get out of his hold, to beat against his back—and that’s when I realize I’ve got no chance of escape and had better just enjoy the view.
And let me just say—the view is good from where I’m sitting. Er, hanging.
It’s almost enough to extinguish my ire.
Almost.
But not even an amazing butt can excuse Frederick’s horrifically embarrassing behavior.
The sounds of hoots and hollers follow us into the darkness of the Loveland house’s side yard where Frederick first fake kissed me.
Finally, he sets me on an empty barrel.
I glare at him. “How dare you!”
“Is it weird that I find you attractive when you’re mad like this?” He steps closer to me and wraps his arms around my waist.
I still. That, I did not expect.
“Princess,” he says, his voice all throaty. Oh my.Focus on your anger, Chloe. Do not give in to the handsome man who thinks it’s all right to capture a woman against her will—even if it was a rather sexy display of his masculinity.“If you truly don’t want to hear what I have to say, then I will take you right back out there. I’m a gentleman like that.”
I snort. “More like caveman.”
“Only for you.”
“I thought …” I clear my throat. “I thought you didn’t want me.”
“You know that was never the problem.”
