“If you don’t go through all those frogs, how would you find a prince?”
She lifted her shoulders in a clueless shrug. “I don’t really care to find out.” She stole a look at him, one that had his cock turning rigid in an instant, and when she spoke, her husky voice made his chest tighten. “I’m not looking for one anymore.”
****
IT WAS THEIR THIRDnight to sleep together.
She lay on her side, one hand under her pillow, the other holding Nik’s hand, which he had only tried to pull out of her hold once. It was an improvement, considering how last night he had tried to do the same thing five times.
Outside the tiny window of his room, Daria had the barest glimpse of a starry night, nothing that particularly screamed party island or tropical paradise. It should have disappointed her, she knew. All her life, she had lived in homes or stayed in places that always had the most stunning views. They painted the prettiest pictures of the world, but all those nights, she had either ended up broken-hearted or empty. Given the chance, she’d have traded all those nights for more nights in Nik’s small room. Even though four plain white walls made up her world right now, Daria couldn’t remember feeling happier. Couldn’t remember feeling more complete. And it was all because of the man sleeping next to her.
She knew so little about Nik still, like the fact that he had finished college with a degree in economics, or that he had no immediate family left. All of those things, she had practically twisted his arm to find out.
If Alyx and Yanna were with her now and she had told them about Nik, they’d tell her he was hiding something from her.
But it wasn’t that, she thought.
All the twenty-eight frogs she had dated – she had known everything about them, from their bloodlines down to their passport numbers because she had been nothing but thorough in trying to find the ideal person to fall in love with.
And what did those things get her?
Her brain knew those men, but her heart had not. With Nik, it was the opposite. She didn’t have all the facts yet, but that didn’t matter, not when her heart knew him.
Beside her, Nik stirred, and when she looked back at him, she saw his eyes drifting open. “Hey,” she whispered. The brooding look in his gaze made her smile uncertain. There were so many times she had caught him looking at her like this, like he didn’t know what to do with her. And all those times, she had been so afraid, wondering if that would be the time he’d realize he was the prince and she was the frog, and it would be all over.
“Have you been awake all this time?”
Nik still hadn’t returned her smile. At her nod, he said, “You’ve been staring at me all this while?”
Daria nodded again, even though his words hadn’t been a question.
“Why?”
“Because...” Daria’s brain cautioned her not to continue, and so did her heart. Both of them told her to play it safe.
She didn’t.
“I don’t know if it’s a good thing you make me so happy.”
Nik didn’t answer, but his grip on her hand tightened, and somehow she felt that was enough...for now. Chewing on her lip, she blurted out, “My return ticket’s for tomorrow.”
Nik’s eyes became hooded. “I see.”
She wanted to tell him to ask her to stay, but she managed not to. Whatever it was they had now, she had been the one who had often made the first move. People would probably think she was shameless for that, but she didn’t care. She was done being ashamed about what she did for love. She loved, and when she loved, she wanted to give it her all.
But there were also things that she shouldn’t force.
So she made herself wait.
A full minute had passed before Nik spoke again.
“I want you to stay longer.” His voice was rough, possessive.
Oh.
Tears stung her eyes. “I thought you’d offer to drive me to the airport or something.” The sob she had locked in her throat made Daria choke on the words, and she furiously punched him on the shoulder. “Why did it take you so long to say it?”
“I wanted to give you time.” Nik’s voice was flat.