Prince's Addiction (The Exiled Royals Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

idea, but she needed anything she could muster in order to keep her from panicking. She needed anything she could drink to keep her from just blurting out her whole ruse. Seeing this kinder side of him—this hesitant side—Kate wasn’t as sure of her plan as she wanted to be.
    “Hey, Kate, are you okay?” he asked, eyes coloring with concern.
    “I…sure,” she fumbled, not used to being the one out of control here. She’d been so careful to keep everything on plan and on target, and now she felt like her whole head was spinning. She was saved from having to say more when a song started to play through the sound system.
    Alex brightened and, standing, offered her one large, warm hand to take. “ All of Me , I love this song. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me, princess?”
    She blushed again and looked to all the gamblers and drinkers. None of them even seemed to realize there was music let alone be in a hurry to dance. “I don’t know. I’m not sure that we’re supposed to.”
    “Princess, I might not be feeling up to taking that other type of gamble,” he said, leading her to an open bit of casino floor by the bar. “But let’s actually have some fun, you know?”
    She nodded and found herself too drawn to him to fight. Kate feigned a bit of a limp, even now, keen to keep up her ruse. Still, the alcohol was working through her system now and she felt both light-headed and as if time were standing still. Despite better judgment, Kate gave into how she felt, into the thrall that one Prince Alexander Godonov seemed to have her in. Leaning on his muscular chest, she let him hold her tight as they swayed in time to the swelling piano chorus.
    He smelled even better up close, so rugged and male.
    How could she even think to use him?
    Was she wrong?
    As the song drew to a finish, she put her hand on his chest. “I think it’s time to head home, don’t you?”
    He frowned, looking genuinely hurt before he recovered and kissed her cheek again. “Whatever you want, princess”
    Don’t I wish…
     
    ***
     
    “So,” she said, as he pulled into park outside her modest one story stucco number in the suburbs. It had been her parents’ home and she’d had just enough after insurance to be able to pay its upkeep and taxes even now. It was the humble place she and Lily had called home together for five years all alone. “This is my place.”
    “Can I come in?”
    She shook her head and frowned. “My sister lives with me and she’s eight. She’s too little to understand, and it’s a first date. I just can’t.”
    He nodded but stroked her shoulder. “Can I offer you anything else?”
    She blushed and, yes, the wine she shouldn’t have drunk was definitely working overtime with her. “I don’t know what to say to that.”
    He leaned in closer, and it would have been so easy to kiss him, to stretch the rest of the distance and feed that strange fire burning between them. She hesitated but he didn’t.
    Suddenly soft lips were on hers and it was the best and worst thing she’d ever felt. The best because she’d like nothing more than to stay here forever and explore his body with her mouth, but the worst because he was just a means to an end, and she had to remember that, no matter how hard it was.
    Pulling back, she made a hurried excuse and bolted from the car and quickly inside her home.
    And away from temptation.

Chapter Eight
    As she rushed into her kitchen, Kate pulled out a glass and poured herself a huge glass of water directly from the refrigerator. Taking large gulps, she let the cool liquid slide down her throat and hoped that it would help sober her up a bit. Okay, a lot . Because she obviously wasn’t thinking straight, not if she was letting him kiss her.
    No, scratch that.
    She didn’t let him kiss her. He leaned in and she was more than eager to be an active participant. Even thinking about those soft, pillowy lips of his had her shaking again and she reached out for a roll