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“Well, then, you obviously didn’t have Pastor Jim teachin’ ya.” She lowered her voice and winked. “And a friend like Sydnee Lee makin’ smart-mouth comments to keep everybody hoppin’. Most of all, our kind-hearted pastor. The poor man.”
“Obviously I had a lack in my religious teaching.” He smiled at her. It was a fond smile, as if he liked her and the way she talked, but it was also a relieved smile, and she got to wondering … what he was hiding in that shop?
The day passed with a lot of chatter, laughter, games, physical challenges that he made far too easy on her, and lap after lap around the cabin and up and down the stairs to keep them moving. The only disappointment was she didn’t get outside and to his shop, but even more disappointing was the fact that he rarely touched her and didn’t attempt to kiss her. They’d been so close before Ray had come. Had his brother said something to keep them apart or had Curt realized he didn’t want a kissing fling with a hillbilly from Georgia?
The next day passed, and then the next and the next. They started venturing outside more and the guards watched them as they did laps around the yard and she counted and gushed over him as Curt did pullup after pullup on his homemade pullup contraption. She couldn’t even do one, but Curt came to her rescue, wrapped his arms around her legs, and helped her do ten. She was more out of breath from him close than from the assisted pullups.
She glimpsed that large shop in the trees behind the house, taunting and teasing her with what was inside, but she didn’t ask to see it again, and he didn’t offer. She couldn’t imagine a world where Curt was hiding something nefarious, but it was definitely mysterious. A shrine to an old girlfriend? A rose petal collecting hobby that would never fit her brave, manly prince?
Ray had stopped by and brought her some clothes that fit from his Macey, then a whole passel of fresh vittles, and the information that Interpol believed the suspects had relocated and were preying on women in Amsterdam and ‘across the pond’ in London. Ray’s men wouldn’t let their guard down, but nobody talked about what would happen when she flew home, which was approaching soon if she was physically cleared to travel on day ten. She’d talked to her parents a few times, and they were anxious for her to get home. She missed her family, friends, and town, always getting a little emotional when she heard her mama and daddy’s voices, but leaving Curt was going to be rough as pulling a hillbilly’s last tooth.
It was day seven that she’d spent with Curt, and they were thick as thieves. She enjoyed every bit of this man. His brain, his sense of humor, his smile, his blue eyes, his ultra-fit body that she’d seen in shirtless glory a few times now. She wished they were free to explore the mountains and his country. It would be heavenly to simply enjoy their time together without guards, but she was grateful to be safe. The men who’d killed Gracie and all those other women, and almost killed or sold her, were definitely bad news and skilled criminals. She was lucky and proud of herself that she’d escaped.
The tingling question was: if everybody was so certain they were countries away, why the constant protection? Either these Augustine men were very protective or there was still danger they weren’t talking openly about, at least not with her.
By late evening, they’d had dinner and were doing more laps around the yard, chatting about his brother Prince Derek, who was an American Ninja Warrior champion. Aliya had seen him on television and been vastly impressed.
The sun had disappeared behind the thick trees, but Aliya wasn’t ready to go back inside. She loved Curt’s cabin, but it was delightful to be outside in the perfect evening air, smelling pine trees and dirt and being with Curt.
“My sister Kiera is more talented than Derek,” Curt said.
“No way.”
“It’s true. She can climb, flip, and fly better than anyone I’ve ever seen. The first day Ray’s fiancée Macey met her, she flung herself off a top balcony of the castle, ten floors up, and slid down one of her poles of death. Terrified poor Macey.”
“Adorable little Kiera?” Nothing in the pictures she’d seen hinted at a rowdy personality.
“We call her Wild Child,” he said with obvious affection.
“I wish I could meet her.”
He paused and glanced down at her. His blue eyes said what he hadn’t said aloud. He wished she could meet his sister too. He’d told her that first day that he’d give her a tour of the castle when her head injury wasn’t making sensory overload an issue. He hadn’t wanted to take her to the castle when Ray suggested it. She’d hoped that meant he wanted her all to himself, but she didn’t know that it did. As great as he’d been, he was obviously fighting to keep his distance as well. She’d tried to steer their ‘questions’ or teasing to their almost-kiss that Ray had interrupted, but they hadn’t gotten back there, and the days were slipping through her hands like a trout in the river. A kiss with Curt would taste more delicious than fried-in-butter trout, but heaven knew she’d never been quick enough to catch one with her hands.
“Aliya, I wish …” He licked his lips and eased closer to her.
The world ceased to exist as she was consumed by the longing in his blue eyes. He tentatively wrapped his palms around her hips. She slid her hands across his broad shoulders and felt him tremble and his gaze sharpen on her. The intensity in his eyes robbed her lungs of all oxygen. Maybe she’d doubted her hopes of a kiss too soon.
“I don’t want to take advantage of the situation,” he murmured. “With you having a head injury and being my captive guest.”
She smiled and shook her head. Was that his reasoning for keeping his distance? “You are not taking advantage of any situation. I’m right grateful I was blessed enough to fall off a waterfall where the most hunky prince of the century could rescue me.”
“Hunky?” He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t know how you’ve done it, Aliya. Normally I hate being confined anywhere, but being stuck in my cabin or this yard with you has been some of the best times I can remember. I find myself wanting to be with you, and only you.”
Her heart thudded quicker and quicker in her chest. She couldn’t think of anything better than spending her days, maybe years, with this man. But how would that work? She couldn’t stay here and no matter how down-to-earth and outdoorsy Curt seemed, a prince would not fit in back in Georgia.
“I’m all for spending all of our time together.” She smiled. “Do you only want to play board games, failing to complete all the physical challenges I ask of you, or did you have some other activity you’d like to perform together?” He hadn’t failed any of her physical challenges, but she lived to tease.
He grinned. “I can think of a physical challenge I won’t fail to complete.”
“Oh? What might that be?” She fluttered her eyelashes and moistened her lips and tried to calm her racing pulse.
“The challenge of giving you the best kiss of your life.”
Her heart threatened to burst right out of her chest. “The best kiss of my life? I thought when this was originally discussed, it was going to be the best kiss of your life.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be.” His grin was irresistible. “I only want to make sure that my Southern beauty is not disappointed.”
“Don’t get your trousers in a twist.” She swallowed against her dry throat. “I am certain nothing about your kiss could disappoint.”
