To Steal a Prince by Cora Caraway Read Free Book Online

can’t help but grin along. “Grace, it’s safe!” He hugs me close, lifting my feet off the ground. Laughing, he spins me around with him.
    My face is pressed against his crisp shirt. Closing my eyes, I inhale. He smells faintly of vanilla and cedar. My brain feels like it’s short-circuited. How did I end up in his arms, pressed against his strong chest?
    Damon sets me down. The lab whirls around us. He leans toward me, planting a kiss on my lips. It feels like sparks leap between us. His lips are so warm, so vibrant. All too soon, he pulls away.
    “Sorry,” he says. “I haven’t been this happy in a long time.”
    Me neither. I would tell him if I had retained the power of speech. I hold onto a table for balance. If my heart beats any faster, it might hammer its way out of my chest. All I can think is that I was wrong. A kiss from him was worth the price of a crown.
    Damon seems as dazed as I am. Arian observes us, one eyebrow raised.
    “Would you like to take the crown back to the palace, Highness?”
    The prince runs a hand through his hair. “That would probably be best.”
    Arian bows. “I’ll get you a briefcase.”
    We leave the museum with a case cuffed to Damon’s hand. He still insists on opening doors for me. I let him without protest. I’m too busy thinking about how soft his lips are, and if there’s any way I could get him to kiss me again.

4
    My head is still abuzz as we drive through the palace gates. The briefcase lies between us on the backseat, but Damon feels so close to me.
    I exhale. I need to stop this. I can’t get attached. If I’m too weak to see Damon as a mark, then I need to move along. Pulling my bag onto my lap, I square my shoulders. Yes, I need to go as soon as possible. I turn to Damon to tell him this.
    “Oh no. I’m in trouble now.” He points to the palace steps with his uncuffed hand. “Nic doesn’t look too happy with me.”
    That’s an understatement if I ever heard one. His large friend looks pissed. Nic stands, crossing his arms as our car glides to a stop. His frown deepens when Damon steps out of the car. The prince walks around to my door, but Nic cuts him off, forcing Damon to look at him. I want to preserve my own hide, but I’m burning to hear what’s about to go down.
    Grabbing my bag, I tumble out of the car. The driver takes off immediately, as if he wants no part in the imminent drama. The three of us stand alone. I can’t get to Damon unless I go past Nic. I suddenly feel very vulnerable.
    “What’s the second rule?” Nic growls.
    Damon sighs, bowing his head.
    “Never make yourself a target. I should be carrying that.”
    “I’m safe here in the palace.” Damon lifts the case. “Who’s going to take this from me now?”
    “But you haven’t been in the palace. What’s the first rule? Never leave your bodyguard behind.”
    “I’m sorry, Nic. There wasn’t time to find you.”
    The bodyguard seems to enlarge in his rage, until his broad shoulders threaten to tear the seams in his jacket. “I chased after your car. Maybe you could have glanced in the rearview if you weren’t so distracted.” Nic looks pointedly at me. I can’t help but shrink a little at the blast of anger.
    “Hey,” Damon says. “It’s not her fault.”
    “No, it’s not. It’s yours. What’s the point of hiring me at all if I’m not there to take a bullet for you?”
    “I don’t want you to take a bullet for me. It’s not worth it.”
    “Yeah, but you’re not the one who would have to answer to your father.”
    Damon grins. “You’d never hear the end of it. I guess that would be a little cruel, huh?”
    Both men laugh. Nic cuffs him on the shoulder. “I’ll try to stay out of your way. Just let me do my job. Is that a deal?”
    They shake on it, which turns into a mock arm wrestling contest that Damon wins easily. If I didn’t know that Nic was a bodyguard and Damon a prince, they would look like brothers, or best friends. I realize with a