The Cursed Prince by Teresa Roman (reading e books txt) 📕

children gathered around it shout in glee as the ducks dove for chunks of bread tossed to them.

We stopped in the rose garden and sat down on an empty bench. Peter put his arm around me, drawing me closer to him. He leaned in and kissed my neck, inhaling my scent at the same time. “I’m so lucky that I found you,” he whispered in my ear. “You have no idea how long I’ve searched for someone like you.”

“I’m the lucky one.” I wasn’t the only person who thought that either. Since he’d moved to Beaver Falls, lots of women had developed not-so-secret crushes on Peter. After we’d started dating, a few of those women let me know in less-than-subtle ways that they thought Peter was too good for me.

“Screw those jealous bitches,” Grace liked to say.

I didn’t let it bother me. That was small-town life. Everyone had an opinion about everybody else, which was why I didn’t have many close friends. I trusted exactly two people—Grace and my father. Up until a week ago, they were the only people I confided in. I hated keeping secrets from them, but once Nicolai’s curse was lifted, I wouldn’t have to anymore.

How had thoughts of Nicolai crept into my mind again? “You know what?” I said, standing. “I’m getting hungry. We should get lunch.”

“So soon?” Peter said. “We’ve been here for less than half an hour.”

“We can always come back after we eat.”

“Okay. Let’s ride together then.”

While Peter drove, I managed to push Nicolai out of my head. Maybe it was the way Peter rested his hand on my knee or the look on his face. The one that told me he adored me, and that he was my boyfriend. We were one week away from making mad, passionate love for the first time in his cabin in the Catskill Mountains. It wasn’t exactly an engagement ring—not that I wanted one—but it was a commitment. I didn’t jump into bed with people I didn’t truly care for, and as far as I knew Peter didn’t either. Beaver Falls was a small enough town that if my boyfriend was sleeping around, someone would have at least hinted at his reputation, but no one had.

A few minutes later, Peter parked in the lot of a small café. As we walked inside, I heard my name being called. I turned my head to find Maria walking toward us.

“Hello, Willow,” she said.

“Hi, Maria.”

“I’m Peter, Willow’s boyfriend.” He offered his hand.

As Maria shook it, her face paled. She gave him weak smile. “Nice to meet you.”

Peter’s expression also changed. His eyes darted back and forth between me and Maria. “How do you two know each other?”

I racked my brain, searching for a suitable answer, but before I could come up with one Maria said, “I met your lovely girlfriend at the coffee shop the other day. I spilled my drink, and she was kind enough to help me clean up after myself.”

“You shouldn’t have done that, Willow,” Peter said. “My employees are supposed to clean up customers’ spills. They know that.”

Maria frowned. “You own the coffee shop?”

“Peter is an entrepreneur,” I explained. “He owns several local businesses.”

“How nice.” Maria took a step backwards. “I should go. Hopefully I’ll see you soon, Willow.” She gave me a hard look before turning and walking away.

Almost immediately after we were seated, Peter started with the third degree. “That is a strange-looking woman. I wonder what brought her to Beaver Falls,” he said.

“She mentioned that she was a guest of the Korzhas.”

He pursed his lips. “You should stay away from her.”

“You met Maria for like five seconds.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve got a bad feeling about her.” He stared into my eyes. “I just don’t want anyone taking advantage of my girl. That woman looks like some kind of gypsy, and you know what they say about gypsies, right? They’re con artists. They like to rip people off.”

“People say all kinds of stupid things. That doesn’t make them true. Besides, she’s staying with the Korzhas, who are loaded. I can guarantee she isn’t interested in stealing from me.”

“I wish that family would go back to wherever the hell they came from,” Peter muttered.

“What do you have against them? You haven’t even met them.”

“Their stupid dinner parties have everyone in town swooning over them like they’re celebrities. The sooner they’re gone, the better.”

It wouldn’t be long before Peter got his wish. At least not if things worked out the way Nicolai and his brothers hoped. If it wasn’t for Nicolai, I wouldn’t have cared either way if they stayed or left. But the idea of never seeing Nicolai again made me feel raw. He’d gotten under my skin in a way I didn’t understand. And now he was in my head again.

“Can we please just talk about something else?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “How’s work going?”

“It’s fine, never better actually. And I have you to thank for that.”

“Me? How do you figure?”

“You make me feel more alive, Willow.” He looked up from his plate and smiled at me, his eyes gleaming. “With you beside me, I feel like I can conquer the world.”

I raised my brows. “That’s quite the compliment.”

“I mean every word.” Peter reached across the table, lacing his fingers through mine. I felt a thrill at the contact. “Which is why I plan on never letting you go.”

His words left me tongue-tied. We finished lunch with no more mention of the Korzhas or their houseguest and then returned to the park. Before parting ways Peter kissed me. I loved the feel of his lips on mine and had to remind myself that we were in a public place.

“Have I told how you much I want you?” Peter whispered into ear.

And I wanted him too. More than I remembered wanting anything in my life. “Just a few more days.”

“A few days feels like forever. But I’m a patient man.” He kissed me again, making my knees weak and my spine tingle.