Chap 23 #2
Sebastian narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you smiling?"
Penny pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You are impossible."
"Accurate."
Wade folded his arms.
"Mostly."
Penny looked at him.
"For your information, he is the one who helped me out of the betrothal gown."
Wade froze.
The joking vanished.
"He did what?"
Penny immediately regretted saying it.
"Helped."
"He undressed you?"
"Wade."
"He undressed you."
"Not like that."
Wade stepped closer.
His eyes narrowed at Sebastian.
Then at Penny.
Then back at Sebastian.
The sea prince looked deeply offended.
"You left me at the gate and then let him undress you."
Penny grinned.
"Jealous?"
"Very."
The answer came far too quickly.
For a moment even Wade seemed surprised he had said it out loud.
Across the room Sebastian shifted awkwardly.
"What is she saying?"
Wade never looked away from Penny.
"Still translating."
"You are absolutely not translating."
"Close enough."
Penny smacked him in the chest.
Wade caught her wrist.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop her.
The humor faded again.
"Penny."
His voice dropped lower.
"Dance with the prince."
He glanced toward Sebastian.
"Kiss the prince under a willow tree."
Sebastian looked upset as he watched the translator hold Penny's hand and speaking in low sultry tones that didn't sound like translating his request at all.
Then Wade looked back at her.
"Or come with me to the sea."
The room grew quieter.
For the first time all morning, Wade wasn't joking.
"We test the magic."
Penny looked between them.
The beach carried the same salty breeze as home.
Penny pulled off her court slippers and walked barefoot feeling the lingering sea salt in very step.
Sometimes through the sand.
Sometimes over the large black rocks.
The long crimson ribbon streamed behind her in the wind.
Sebastian stayed close.
Mostly because Wade had removed his clothes and thrown himself into the ocean the moment, they arrived.
Leaving the prince alone with Penny.
Which seemed to make him both happy and nervous.
"Rocks."
Sebastian pointed at the black stone beneath her feet.
"Rocks," Penny repeated.
A sharp edge caught her palm, she made a noise he didn't know.
Sebastian immediately brightened.
A teaching opportunity.
"Ow."
He pointed at her hand.
"Ow," Penny repeated.
Sebastian gently took her hand.
Lifted it.
Then pressed a kiss against her palm.
"All better."
Penny looked at her other hand.
"Ow."
Sebastian laughed.
Then dutifully kissed that hand too.
Penny found a tiny scratch on her arm.
"Ow."
Sebastian stepped closer.
One hand settling lightly on her waist to steady himself against the uneven rocks.
Then he bent and kissed the scratch.
"All better."
Penny's smile became suspicious.
Very suspicious.
She pointed to another tiny mark.
"Ow."
Another kiss.
Penny looked delighted.
Sebastian looked doomed.
"Ow."
Kiss.
"Ow."
Kiss.
"Ow."
Kiss.
Finally Penny pointed at her cheek.
"Ow."
Sebastian froze.
The sea breeze blew between them.
Penny looked entirely too innocent.
Sebastian looked entirely too aware that she was not innocent at all.
Slowly he stepped closer.
His arm slipped around her waist.
Then he pressed a kiss against her cheek.
Penny smiled.
Turned her face toward him.
"Kiss?"
Sebastian swallowed.
His hand slid upward.
Fingers brushing lightly against her neck.
His gaze dropped to her mouth.
Then lifted to her eyes.
Then back to her mouth.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He lowered his head.
Wade exploded from the water.
"COME IN THE OCEAN IS WONDERFUL!"
Sebastian jerked back.
"OH STAKE IT ALL!"
The shout echoed across the beach.
Wade blinked.
"What?"
"You know exactly what."
"Oh."
Wade grinned.
"That looked important."
Penny rose onto her toes and kissed Sebastian's cheek.
Then before either prince could recover, she ran toward the water.
Only Wade understood her words.
"Did you figure it out?"
His grin faded.
A little.
"Yes."
He held his arms open to her.
"I think it will work."
Penny didn't hesitate.
She waded deeper.
The heavy court skirt immediately began soaking up water and dragging at her legs.
Behind her, Sebastian followed to the edge of the surf.
"Penelope!"
She turned.
The prince looked increasingly alarmed as the water climbed higher.
"I can't swim."
The confession sounded almost offended.
Wade laughed.
"I'll take care of her."
He glanced toward the shore.
"Go back to the castle. We'll be back before the ball."
Sebastian's jaw tightened.
"No."
The wind stole the rest of his words.
But he didn't leave.
He folded his arms and remained exactly where he was.
Watching.
Waiting.
Wade's smile softened slightly.
"Stubborn boy."
Then he disappeared beneath the waves.
A moment later he surfaced beside Penny.
One arm wrapped securely around her waist.
"You sure about this?"
His voice was quieter now.
No teasing.
No jokes.
"I can take you back."
He nodded toward the distant shore.
"To your prince."
Then toward the castle beyond.
"Or your king."
Penny looked back once.
Sebastian stood where she'd left him.
A lone figure against the dark rocks.
Waiting.
Then she looked toward the distant palace.
Toward the kingdom she had never meant to become part of.
Finally she looked at Wade.
"I didn't agree to any of that."
Her arms slipped around his neck.
"But I'm agreeing to this."