Lily busies herself wiping the counter and hanging the dish towel over the oven handle. After which, she finally liftsher gaze to mine. She glances toward the spare room and whispers, “I need to do a perimeter sweep and check the cameras.”
“Cameras?” I whisper back.
She nods. “Del set a few up yesterday. Just precautionary.”
This feels way more serious than it ought. “I’ll come with you, then.”
“No. It’s dark out. Too risky.” She picks up her phone and swipes the screen. “I won’t be gone long.”
I close the distance between us so I can keep my voice down. “What aboutyoursafety? A woman walking around at night alone? Sounds even riskier if you ask me.”
“I can take care of myself, Payton. That’s what I’m trained for, remember?”
The image of her ripping apart the head of lettuce comes to mind. I fear if I got in her way, she’d fold me like a pretzel.
“How could I forget?” I clear my throat. “What if Luke walks out?”
“He won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I drugged him.”
“You what?!”
“Shhh!” She snorts and bends over, shaking with silent laughter, then finishes with a long sigh as she straightens. “I’m just kidding. He made it pretty clear he was giving us our privacy.”
“Fine. But if you’re not back in ten minutes, I’m coming after you.”
She takes a long breath that matches her slow blink. “If that makes you feel better.”
Feel better? If there’s one thing we Brits do to extreme, it’s proper etiquette. However, letting her go outside alone at night goes against every fiber of who I am as a man.
She shuts the door quietly behind her, and I can’t rip my eyes from it. Tomorrow, we have our firstpractice for the upcoming season. Will she insist on hanging about the arena to keep her eyes on me like she did on the plane?
If so, what do I tell the blokes? That my new wife is clingy? That we can’t stand any kind of separation? That I want her there to boost my morale? I mentally groan because, no matter what I say, I’ll look like a right muppet who panicked and ran straight to the altar. Might as well ask her to wear one of my jerseys so she can truly fit the part.
Wouldn’t that be a sight? Lily wearing my jersey as she cheers me on…
And that’s the image that captures my imagination as I stare at the door, waiting for my fake bride to return.
Chapter Six
LILY
“So, how’s the honeymoon going?” Del’s snarky tone makes me grin.
“Awkward as hell.” I didn’t want to tell Payton that my true intention for leaving was to touch base with Del. She’s already done a perimeter sweep for tonight and made sure the cameras are sending signals to her phone and mine. I just needed a few minutes to clear my head and get some perspective.
“What did you expect? He’s royalty adjacent and British.” She says ‘British’ in an uppity nasal tone.
I crack a laugh. “But you Brits are always cracking sex jokes and innuendos all the time.”
“To deflect, luv. We either refuse to talk about it or poke fun at it. And I prefer the latter.”
“Duly noted.” Never a dull moment with Del. I’ve learned not take her too seriously, but I know in a life and death situation, she’s the most serious and effective person I’ve ever known.
“So, what’s on the agenda for the rest of the night?”
