Page 7 of Tempted By the Princess

“You said you work in philanthropy, I thought maybe you volunteered.”

“I earn a salary and pay my own way,” I said clearly. “I don’t rely on my parents financially.”

It was something they both respected and resented me for.

I saw respect in Carrie’s gaze. “That’s good.”

“What’s your story?” I asked.

“I don’t really have a story,” she said. “I just turned forty. I was born and raised in Seattle. Typical middle class upbringing. Public schools, annoying little sister, family holidays. I went to the University of Washington for my degree, and as you know, I own a catering company.”

“You said I was wearing your sister’s clothes,” I reminded her. “Are you two close?”

Carrie smiled. “Oh yeah. Lizzie is five years younger than me, but we’ve always been tight. She’s probably my best friend. She’s not going to believe it when I tell her I found a damned princess stowing away in my van.”

“Please don’t tell anyone. Not yet. Not until I figure out my next steps.”

She gave me a look that was a little skeptical but nodded anyway.

“Just so we’re clear, you can stay tonight, but tomorrow we need to figure out a plan. I’m not running a hotel here and I really don’t want to be in the center of some kind of international incident.”

“Understood.”

We ate in silence for a few minutes before I asked, “What were you planning to do tonight?”

“Besides eating crappy frozen pizza?” she laughed. “I was going to put on my pajamas and watch something mindless on TV.”

“That’s what I was planning too,” I said. “Before I found out about my engagement, that is. What were you planning to watch?”

“Ride or Die,” she answered.

“Ooh yeah, I’m watching that too. Hannah Waddingham is so hot.”

“Agreed, but she’s no Gillian Anderson.”

“Who?”

She sighed. “I can’t believe you don’t know one of the original sapphic icons. I have so much to teach you. Let’s move to the living room.”

An hour later we were finishing up episode three of the show. I’d seen it before, but Carrie had only gone up to episode two, so I rewatched it with her. Partway through the episode she wandered out into the kitchen and returned with a bag of Doritos. I’d never had them before but found that I quite liked them.

“Where do you buy these?” I asked, taking what had to be my tenth handful of the bright orange chips. I noticed that they left my fingers a matching orange color.

Carrie gave me a strange look. “Everywhere. Literally every quickie mart, gas station, and grocery store in the country has Doritos. They’re an American treasure.”

I couldn’t help but giggle. “I’m not going to argue with that.”

“Do you want to watch another episode before we go to bed?” she asked. “Well, I mean before I go to bed. You can do what you want.”

Her face flushed and I had the strangest feeling that I wasn’t the only one thinking about going to bed together.

“Yeah,” I said, slouching down on the couch with the Dorito bag on the cushion between us. “Another episode would be great.”

Carrie

After watching a second episode of the show with Genny, I said good night, took a quick shower, and headed to bed. Despite the fact that I was exhausted, I spent the next two hours tossing and turning, my mind preoccupied with the tiny blonde currently sleeping in my guest room.

I flipped over, punching the pillow as I tried to get comfortable. Unfortunately that did nothing to get my mind to shut off. I couldn’t stop thinking about my unexpected house guest.