Page 47 of The Royal in Room 3

“It’s not that I think you’re incapable,” he rushed to say. “You made breakfast this morning and there wasn’t an eggshell to be found. You’re doing wonderfully. Truly.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“I don’t know. I’m usually there to fix things when they go wrong. If I’m not there⁠—”

“I’ll figure it out. You can’t be there for me all the time, Daddy. I have to do this on my own, which is why I don’t want you there for my first night.”

“I understand.” He tipped my chin up. “You know I’m proud of the progress you’ve made, right?”

I slid my arms around his neck and clasped them. “It’s all thanks to you.”

He brought my face closer to his until our lips met, and with his free hand, he cupped my left butt cheek and squeezed. I moaned into his mouth, barely resisting wrapping my legs around his waist and urging him to take me on the bed.

As a royal, I’d had to be discreet. I’d been terrified of being outed and bringing shame to the royal family, so I hadn’t slept with anyone until I was nineteen. And although I’d never been into hooking up, I’d had my share of sex partners, but none had been like Jude. I’d enjoyed sex before, but Jude made it into a living, breathing thing between us that I couldn’t wait to happen.

Again.

And again.

A sharp knock had us pulling apart reluctantly. Jude glared at the door, and I chuckled.

“That should be Aaron.”

“Do you have your phone?” He followed me out of the bedroom.

“Yup. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“You should let me buy you a new phone. One that’s more current.”

With a hand on the knob of the front door, I gave him a knowing look. “What happened to you insisting that it’ll teach me how to value things if I work and buy one for myself?”

“You can learn that in other ways, but a phone is essential to communicating with you.”

“And I can communicate with you just fine on it. You only changed your mind when you found out Aaron gave it to me.” I opened the door and smiled at the subject of our conversation.

“Did I hear my name?” Aaron asked.

“You’re not that important, Vale.” Jude scowled at the other man, but Aaron knew better than to take him seriously and laughed.

“Well, someone’s in a grumpy mood.” Aaron wolf-whistled as he eyed me up and down. “You look gorgeous.”

I smiled, which deepened Jude’s scowl. He made me feel so giddy whenever he was jealous. He would never admit it, but that scowl surfaced whenever Aaron called or texted me. And while his overreaction to my friendship with the cop was out of character based on everything I’d heard and personally knew about him, I also felt pleased that he wanted me all to himself.

“Thank you. Daddy took me shopping for new clothes today,” I said. “I needed a few things for working at the club.”

“Great. If you need anything else⁠—”

“He can come to me,” Jude said.

Yikes. Time to get those two apart.

I pushed up on my toes and kissed Jude. “I’ll see you later after I’m finished at the club. You don’t have to wait up for me.”

“I’ll wait up anyway.” Jude’s hands settled at my waist as I kissed him again, slower this time. The kiss softened the grumpy look on his face, though not by much. “Call me when you get there,” he said.

“I will.”

“And if anything feels wrong⁠—”