PLAYBOY PRINCESS (gxg) ✓

18. Rory Preston

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                WHEN RORY WOKE THE NEXT morning, there was still snow in her bra.

                But the shaking of her fingertips, the anxious stutter of her heartbeat—it was gone. Last night had taken the edge off.

                 There was something still and silent and soft in her chest.

                  Was that what they called peace? 

                  And then Simon said, "Where were you last night?"

                  Rory froze.

                  Her bodyguard was standing, arms crossed, at the foot of her bed. Simon's dark-lashed eyes weren't amused, or charmed, or entertained.

                  He seemed . . . 

                  "Infuriated!" Simon hissed. "I am so furious with you right now I'm ready to wring your neck."

                 "If you could break my neck instead, that would be nice," Rory said thoughtfully. "I'd probably get to spend another six weeks with—"

                  "Where were you last night?" 

                   Rory's heart stammered against her chest.

                   I was out on the ice in the middle of the night with the girl I think I'm in love with. I confessed my feelings. I lost a snowball fight.

                   Shit—she had lost that snowball fight.

                   "Have you looked outside recently?" Simon seethed, yanking open the curtains. "Because if I tell the king what you—" 

                    Through the window, a white storm raged.

                    Heavy flakes of snow lashed against the wind. Great howls of wind rattled the window pane. And the world outside . . . it was so thick with winter snowfall and frozen rain Rory couldn't even see the lake below, only the white peaks of the mountains in the distance.

                    "It wasn't like that last night," Rory said.

                    Last night . . . a clear sky. Northern lights. The gentle kiss of light snow on their hair.

                   The calm before the storm. 

                    The storm had arrived.

                    "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" Simon snapped. "Going outside exposed when there is a chance Amanda is coming our way?"

                   "You said Amanda was coming next week!"

                   "You have no shortages of people who would hurt you."

                   "What? Like when I was kidnapped in Spain?" Rory scoffed. "Different story altogether. And besides, our location is secure. The people here signed a contract."

                   "If someone leaks the truth, the paparazzi will be here no matter if there's a Class-5 hurricane outside. You have to be more careful, Rory!" 

                   Rory was ready to snap, I am careful!  But there was real concern, real worry, in Simon's dark eyes as he looked at her.