Huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf, I staggered to the top of the tower and paused to revel in my accomplishment. I felt like I’d scaled the Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower. One-hundred and seventeen steps—this place really needed to invest in some elevators.
Ahead of me, our rescuer paused to open a heavy wooden door. With a formal bow and a flourish of his hand, Prince Duncan MacCrae waited for us to precede him into the room. “After you, m’ ladies.”
With a murmur of thanks, Vee hurried across the threshold. All that climbing and she wasn’t even winded. I lumbered behind her, doing my best not to sound like a mouth-breathing phone stalker. Panting through my nose only made it worse, so I pretended to admire a painting on the wall until I could recover.
While I feigned an interest in bovine landscapes, Vee paced across the room, busying herself with our new surroundings. Despite the polite smile on her face, the corners of her mouth pinched in tight lines, as if she were holding herself together by sheer determination. Her eyes slid across mine, threatening to storm as she bit her lower lip. Hastily fixing her focus on the opposite end of the room, she exclaimed, “Oh, wow!”
Tearing myself away from the riveting oil canvas of cows, I walked over to where Vee had paused in front of a wall of glass. Floor to ceiling diamond-cut panes sparkled in the sun. Vee pointed beyond them to the tranquil rolling hills. “I’ll bet you can see the whole kingdom from here.”
“Aye, that ye can.”
Sweet Baby Sondheim! I nearly jumped out of my skin as Duncan’s words assaulted the back of my neck. While we’d been gawking at the sights, the sneaky prince had crept up behind us. Or, more specifically, me. He was light on his toes for a big guy. And a little too close for comfort.
With effort, Vee turned her attention away from the view. She flashed the prince a thousand-watt smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s spectacular—like being suspended in the clouds. Isn’t it, Kenna?”
Still trying to recover from being scared half to death, I managed a shrug. Which apparently wasn’t good enough for my friend, because she suddenly dug her stiletto elbow into my ribcage. “Gaphf—I’m breathless with admiration.”
Duncan chuckled. “So I noticed.”
“Would you look at this?” Vee spun me around so the ogre and I were nose to nose as she gracefully slipped between us. “This room is amazing!”
I supposed I’d have to take her word for it, since my vision was blocked by the Medieval Hulk. Didn’t this creep know about personal space? Up close and intimate with the prince, tiny details jumped out at me. His short dark hair contained some sort of styling product, giving his unruly waves an effortlessly tousled look. The golden flecks sparkling in his brown eyes created an effect that reminded me of melted caramel. Laugh lines creased the corners of his eyes. And he smelled … like sun-warmed saddles.
His eyes widened at the same moment I realized that I’d sniffed him. Fabulous. Now he would think I was some deranged girl who went around smelling people. Before I could come up with some sort of plausible explanation, Vee made yet another comment about the decor. “Everything works together so well.”
With a silent smirk, Duncan retreated enough to give me an unobstructed view of the roaring fire opposite the windows and sitting area in between. But not enough space to pass without brushing against him.