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He looks like he isn’t going to go any further into that thought, but then he seems to change his mind. “I owe the fans.”
I think that over carefully, trying to piece it all together. He owes everyone everything, and now he owes his fans.What?“What do you owe them?”
“I have to behave. And be what they want me to be. I need to volunteer and go to charities and get them to like me.”
My gut aches as I think about the whole reason we met.
To make him likable.
“Royal...” I start to say, but he covers my mouth with his hand.
“I’m fine. I really am. This event fucks with my head every damn year, but I get over it. It’s fine.”
I shake my head. “But it’s not right. You don’t have to be fake in order to get people to love you.” I lean into him a little, breathing in his heavenly smelling expensive cologne. “I love you.”
He kisses the top of my head and wraps his big arms around me, holding me close. “That’s really all I care about. I love you too. I’ll be okay.”
I shake my head because he’s his own man and can make his own decisions, but I’m not letting him do this. “No.”
He cocks his head to the side as he holds onto my shoulders and pulls my body slightly away from his. “What?”
“No,” I say again easily. “We aren’t going back to that event. I’ll make something up for Jenny, if need be. But you weren’t yourself all day because of this. And you don’t have to tell me why, Royal. Not now or ever, if you don’t want to.” God, I hope he wants to someday, but I don’t push it. “But we aren’t going back to that event. We’re going home—to mine or yours, I don’t really care—and we’re going to get naked because we want to. Not to escape. Not to hide away. But because we can’t keep our hands off each other and we want to.”
Royal smiles, his eyes only on me. “I like you bossy.”
I grin now, leaning into kiss him hard but quickly before I pull back. “Good. Now let’s go.”
He doesn’t argue with me this time. Just leads me out of the hotel to his car before driving us to my simple little home.
And now, when we’re away from the event and it’s just us...
That’s when everything feels right again.
CHAPTER22
ROYAL
Who the hell freaks out at a children’s hospital charity event?
Me, apparently.
But who also has an amazing, understanding boyfriend who got him the hell out of there?
Also me.
I really thought I could do it this year without any problems. I put on the tux and my bowtie. Styled my hair. But I was numb the entire time, bombarded with memory after memory.
I wanted to have fun. Though I don’t really remember the conversations I had with Jenny and Axel and Sebastian. I barely remember talking to Maverick or Cash and Leslie when they came over. I was in a daze most of the night.
I couldn’t take it anymore, and that’s when I got the brilliant idea to seduce my way-too-hot boyfriend, hoping he could offer me a quick escape from my pathetic reality. But of course, Soren is far too smart for that. He saw right through me.
And I’m grateful.
He did what I didn’t have the guts to do and got us out of there. I feel like an idiot for needing to leave, but I can’t deny the wave of relief I feel when we walk into his house.
We’re greeted by Annie and Oscar right away. The kittens are probably hiding somewhere and not too happy about being left alone with the dogs, even for the short time we were away.
I strip out of my tuxedo jacket and hang it on a kitchen chair, then let the dogs out into the backyard. It’s cold as hell, but thankfully, there’s no snow on the ground yet, so they go out to do their business without complaint.
