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Seven
Chalisa tried to talk normally to her family as they headed down to dinner, but her heart raced out of control. Aiden. Even dirty and bloody, he was the most enticing man she’d ever encountered. Maybe the dirt and blood added to his appeal. She knew he could fight like a charming ninja, and he’d used those skills to rescue her three months ago.
His lips making their way up her neck … she pulled in a breath and shivered. She wanted to be back in that room with him, kissing the night away.
Yet what would that accomplish? She’d fall for him all over again and then he’d leave her at the end of the week. She thought she might love that man, but she didn’t trust him.
“What did you get on your beautiful dress?” her mom asked after they greeted many friends from Magna and sat down to dinner. She pointed to a reddish-brown smudge on Chalisa’s shoulder.
“I don’t know.” Aiden’s blood and dirt. Oh, no. “Excuse me.” She stood from the table and walked out into the grand entrance.
“Chalisa!” Princess Belle glided down the steps on Stuart’s arm.
“Hi!”
They hugged. Belle pulled back and grinned. “Stuart tells me your man is quite the tough and impressive charmer.”
Stuart pumped his eyebrows at her. “He took down Kingston. It was epic.”
Chalisa envisioned how tough and impressive Aiden was, but she knew she had to clarify before the rumors spread throughout Magna. “He’s not my man.”
“Oh.” Belle looked to Stuart.
Movement came on the stairs above them. Chalisa glanced up, and all the breath rushed out of her body.
Aiden strode confidently down the stairs, his dark-blond hair brushed back, his handsome face shadowed by the perfect length of stubble, his lips curved in an appealing smile, his blue eyes completely focused on her, dressed in a dark gray suit that looked tailor made for his lean, perfect body.
She swayed to the side and tripped on her high heels. Stuart and Belle had turned to look at Aiden as well. She reached for the railing but missed, and she was going down.
Aiden pushed off from the staircase, flipped over Stuart and Belle’s heads, twisted underneath her, and took all of the impact of her fall with the marble floor.
Chalisa landed cushioned in his arms and knew this was where she was meant to be.
She could hear Stuart and Belle exclaiming above them, but she could only focus on Aiden’s brilliant blue eyes.
“Are you all right, love?”
“How could I not be with you around?”
He smiled, but she felt his body stiffen as if he knew he couldn’t stay around, protect and love her like they both wanted.
“Did you break any bones?” she asked.
He chuckled at that. “I actually am the Bionic Man. It’s a thing.”
She laughed with him.
He lifted her up and popped to his feet. Wrapping his arm around her, he turned to Stuart and Belle. “Ah, Princess Belle. I’ve heard far too much about you from your smitten husband.”
Stuart chuckled at that as Belle gave him a sassy look. He lifted his wife’s hand and kissed it. “You know I love to brag about you.”
“I’m sure.” Belle grinned and focused on Aiden. “Are you a ninja or a warrior?”
“Parkour and ultimate fighting expert, actually.” Aiden grinned.
“You remind me of James Bond when he’s flying all over the buildings chasing the bad guy.”
He was more appealing than James Bond in Chalisa’s mind.
