CHAPTER TWELVE
Blythe stood on the threshold of her apartment, unexpected dread washing over her. But she'd been spied on while she thought she was in the safest place possible.
Her own home.
The bugs had not had video, but that didn't lessen her feelings of violation.
Someone had listened to her when she thought she was alone.
Working and talking on the phone weren't the only things she did in her bed. Neither was sleeping.
For the past year, especially, Blythe had become adept at finding stress relief with her vibrator. How many times had she cried out Tor's name when she came, thinking no one else would ever know?
"There are no more bugs," Tor said from over her shoulder.
He'd given his security team instructions to clear the apartment and then wait for them at either end of the hall. He was giving Blythe what privacy he could and she appreciated it.
"But there were." And that knowledge was really messing with her.
"Tell me what you want and I will grab it for you, and then we will go back to my place." No censure for her hesitancy, no criticism.
Just an offer to alleviate her stress.
Blythe turned to face him, feeling like smiling for the first time since arriving at her building's parking garage. "You are a pretty special guy, you know that?"
"Because I am willing to pack for you?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.
Her smile morphed to a full-on grin. "Because you are you."
Pleasure sparked in his grey eyes. "I'm glad you think so, because I cannot be anything other than who and what I am."
His emphasis on the word what was not lost on her. "I don't mind you are a prince. Not really."
"Dammed by faint praise. How many women have tried to get close to me simply because I am a prince? And you? See it as something you have to tolerate."
"What can I say? The whole concept of royalty feels really archaic to me."
"And yet, here I am, a modern prince."
"Offering to pack for me. That's sweet, but I can do it."
"If you are sure?"
"Yes." But she still didn't step into the apartment.
He didn't pressure her, just rubbed her shoulders. "Tell me what bothers you the most."
"For the past year, I've just had my hand and vibrator." It didn't bother her to admit something so personal to him, but it devastated her to know someone else was aware of it.
"Ah."
"They heard me. Pleasuring myself."
He made a growly sound. "Those sounds belong to me."
"Don't go all caveman on me." She didn't mention that the primal reaction was more a turn on than turn off.
It was also comforting that he took her privacy as seriously as she did.