Chapter 14 #2
We might be on bikes, but he’s keeping his security formation.
I can’t help but be impressed. He’s not going to compromise my safety, even now.
We weave through traffic. When we get on the highway, he guns the bike forward.
I whoop. The freedom. The thrill. The edge.
The brush with danger that being on the bike brings spikes my blood with adrenaline.
I’m out of that hotel room. I’m free. Ryot zips past a few cars, then a truck, and exhilaration bubbles up my throat.
I’m on a bike, and no one passing by knows I’m the Princess of Verenza.
I’m just another girl holding my man tightly as we head out to who-knows-where.
I cling to him, allowing myself to relax so my body flows with his.
We ride for about half an hour, then he takes the next turn off, and my body leans into the turn with his.
We continue down another road, then emerge onto one that skirts the Thames.
In the distance, I can see Tower Bridge, or London Bridge, as it is wrongly called by tourists.
He slows down as we near it, but instead of stopping in front of it, he turns into a side road.
A few more minutes, and he pulls up in front of a doorway.
He switches off the engine and kicks down the stand.
I jump off without waiting for him and notice that Cole has already parked his bike to the side.
He walks over to stand by the doorway. Brian comes to a stop a few feet behind us.
He dismounts and walks past Cole, then through the doorway.
I'm about to follow him, but Ryot stops me with a touch on my elbow. "Let him make sure it’s safe."
Pinpricks of awareness course out from the point of contact. I pull away, studying the quiet street. It seems to be residential with overhanging trees. There are a few cars parked up the road, but other than that, there's no one around.
Why did he bring me here? It doesn’t look like the entrance to a restaurant.
Some of my excitement fizzles away. I thought he was bringing me somewhere special, but this looks like an ordinary London house.
My shoulders droop. Disappointment coils in my belly, but I shake it off.
At least, I’m not eating dinner from room service while watching TV.
That has to count for something, right? I’m outside.
I just rode on a motorcycle with my body wrapped around Ryot's!
I take a deep breath, relishing the fresh air, so different from the recycled hotel air I’ve been breathing over the last week.
Before I can ask Ryot where he’s taking me, Brian walks out of the doorway and nods. He holds the door open, and Ryot indicates I should move forward.
I step into the hallway and realize the space is bigger than it seemed from the outside. There’s a winding staircase that leads up to a landing, and above that is a roof with skylights set into it. He brushes past me and walks up the staircase. "Careful, the steps are a little steep," he warns.
I follow him, trying to keep my eyes off his butt and failing.
Bet he stares at mine when I walk in front of him, too.
I’ve felt his eyes on me. I push that thought away.
I follow Ryot onto the landing on the second floor and through the short hallway through what seems to be the door to an apartment.
When I step in, my breath catches. It is an apartment…
But there's no furniture. Except for a table set for two with a candle in the center and two chairs, both angled toward a stunning view.
And what a view it is! Massive floor-to-ceiling windows frame a view of the Thames and the beautifully lit Tower Bridge in all its glory.
"Wow." I hook my jacket on the coat rack and deposit my purse on the entryway table. Then walk past Ryot toward the window. I come to a stop next to the table and take in the sight of the iconic landmark. My breath catches.
Ryot—who’s also taken off his jacket—walks up to stand next to me. For a few seconds, we gaze at the monument.
"I’ve never seen it from this viewpoint before," I whisper.
"It’s a secret," he says in a soft voice.
"Thanks for sharing it with me." For some reason, tears drum at the backs of my eyes, and I blink them away. I don’t know why I’m feeling this emotional.
Maybe, it’s the fact that the spectacle of the London bridge is so breathtaking?
Or it’s that he was thoughtful enough to arrange for me to see it? "It’s beautiful." I whisper.
"It is."
Something in his voice makes me shoot a sharp glance in his direction, and our gazes hold. And connect.
Instantly, the air between us heats. My heart seems to descend to the space between my legs, the pulse loud and insistent. I sway toward him, and Ryot… He leans in. He lowers his head, I raise mine, when footsteps sound.
"Good to see you, Ryot."
I spring back, but not before I catch the annoyance and the disappointment on Ryot’s face. It’s my only consolation for not being able to see that kiss through to fruition. I turn to find a tall man with dark hair and intense features looking between us.
"Princess Aurelia." He bows. "James Hamilton, at your service."
He turns to Ryot, then closes the distance to him and slaps him on the shoulder. "Davenport, about time you crawled out of the hole you've been hiding in."
Ryot jerks his chin, then the two of them shake hands. "Thanks for doing this on such short notice."
"Anything for you, man."
A glance passes between the two, then it’s James’ turn to nod. He turns to me. "Ready for dinner?"