Chapter 11: Carrie
I sighed as I leaned back against the rim of the tub, lifting my leg in the air to watch the bubbles slide off in rivulets. After our beach day, a bath full of wonderful smelling bubbles was in order, and I had probably spent more time than I probably needed to in this tub.
But the water was still warm, and I had absolutely nothing to do other than enjoy the fact that I was not paying the water bill. With the music from my playlist playing in the background, it was almost perfect.
Idly I wondered what my prince was doing at the moment, hoping that I would see at least a glimpse of him today. I knew he was busy with the coronation plans, but it didn’t mean I didn’t want to see him.
Closing my eyes, I allowed my worries about what was going to happen melt away. I could deal with this. Erik was going to be fine and if I did go home after this month was over with, it was going to be fine. There had not been anything set in stone, anything to say that I even needed to think about staying, but the thought of leaving him. Well, needless to say, I didn’t like the thought.
“Now this is a sight I could get used to.”
I opened my eyes and turned my head, my mouth curving into a smile. “Do you have free range to enter anyone’s suite whenever you want?”
Erik chuckled as he pushed away from the doorframe, a sexy grin on his face. “Actually, I do. I own the building or will in a few days.”
“I imagine Jeanie got a kick out of your visit then,” I teased as he came closer, my body already starting to heat under the water, but not from its temperature.
Erik’s eyes sparkled as he stopped a few feet from the tub, looking down at my bubble covered body. “Oh, I’m selective with the suites I visit.”
“That’s good to know.”
He watched as I lifted my leg out of the water once more, rubbing the bubbles off my skin. “Apparently, I need to invest in a larger tub,” he murmured. “Do you think I can fit?”
I laughed, looking at his tall, muscular form. “I don’t think so. Don’t you dare attempt to ruin my bath.”
“Alright,” he laughed, holding up his hands. “I did knock by the way.”
I arched a brow. “Sure, you did.”
Winking, Erik leaned down and brushed his lips against mine, a single taste of what I knew lay under his suit. “I want us to go on a date today.”
I sat up quickly, water sloshing over the rim and splashing on his polished shoes. “Really? Just the two of us?”
He nodded, his eyes drifting down to my now bared breasts, the nipple puckering from the coolness of the bathroom. “Though if you want to, we can spend the day here as well, in the bed. Naked.”
“Not even close,” I answered with a laugh, splashing water his way. “A proper date. I don’t think we’ve ever had one before.”
“Me neither,” Erik admitted, walking toward the door. “There’s going to be some ingenuity in getting out of here without being noticed. After all, you are splashed all over the headlines now.” I laughed again as he walked out of the bathroom, nearly giddy with excitement. Sure, we had the beach sex last night, but a date? We hadn’t had a date since we met. It would be like we were, well, a regular couple.
I couldn’t wait.
***
An hour later, I followed Erik down a rather tight hallway, my elbows brushing the sides of the wall as we walked. “Are you sure this is going to work?”
“Trust me,” Erik said as he walked ahead of me. “I’ve done this a few times before. It’s a piece of cake.”
A piece of cake. More like some kind of broken law to allow a royal to go without his detail. Still, Erik was attempting to stay as incognito as possible, a ballcap on his head pulled low, his normal suit replaced by a pair of jeans that had me staring at his butt more than once.
I too had dressed like I was up to no good, a ballcap on my head as well, though I felt as if there was a big sign on my back, blaring lights waiting to give us away.
We reached the end of the hallway and Erik forced open the door, pushing against some invisible force before the night air rushed in, the salty smell of the ocean filling the space. “Where did you take me?” I asked as he crossed the threshold. “Down a drainage pipe?”
His chuckle was my only reply as I stepped out into the night, seeing that we are just outside the sea wall that covered the back side of the palace grounds. “Not exactly. I believe this used to be a smuggling route, but I have yet to prove it.”
“How fitting,” I replied as Erik closed the door shut, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Goods aren’t the only thing that can be smuggled apparently.”
Erik grabbed my hand and pulled me along an overgrown sand covered path, away from the palace. “You worry too much. It will be fine. The worst thing they can do to me is follow me around.”
“Well I could be thrown in jail you know,” I added as we rounded the corner and headed up a flight of stairs to street level. “Do you have dungeons? I’m sure you have dungeons.”
Erik was quick to laugh. “Only for the really bad people. We feed them rats and water.”
I punched him in the shoulder, my heart light. This was the kind of banter I enjoyed about him, about Erik the man, not Erik the royal. “This girl needs more than water.”
He looked over at me. “What about popcorn and a bad movie?”
I tucked my arm into his, leaning against it. “That’s perfect.”
In fact, it couldn’t get any more perfect than it was right now.