The use of her name brought a rush of warmth to her cheeks.
He needled her with a teasing look. “It’s five dollars to Pie a Prince.” His brows rose in challenge. “Even for you.”
A few in the crowd laughed in response.
Charlie almost joined them. Without breaking eye contact, she reached into her back pocket, pulled out a bill, and slapped it down on the table in front of Jay.
“That’s a ten, Charlie,” came Jay’s response.
She nodded, picking up two of the pies. “It sure is.”
Without one hitch, Arran leaned back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest, waiting with a much-too-relaxed air for her liking. Very princely.
“Go for his face, Charlie!” came a call from the crowd.
“The hair! Get him on the hair, then it’ll drip down his face!” cried another.
Man, these folks were ruthless.
Her gaze never left Arran’s as she drew up to the throw line.
“Okay, y’all!” Charlie called back to the crowd. “How many of you will give an extra dollar if I hit him on the chin?”
Hands flew up.
“A dollar?” Arran shook his head as if unimpressed. “For this chin? It’s worth much more than that.”
She snorted out her laugh.
“What about the nose?” Charlie said back to the crowd.
“Two dollars!” someone called.
“Cheap.” Arran scoffed, gesturing toward his face. “This is a royal nose.”
She nearly lost the battle with her grin yet again. “Who’s in for two dollars each if I get him on the nose and put this Mouthy Monarch in his place?”
Arran’s golden brows shot high at her moniker, but the crowd’s approval roared.
“Let’s not make this personal, Charlotte.” His warm voice steeped over the night air, sending another temperature hike to her cheeks. “Mouthy Monarch?”
“What about Royal Rogue?” She drew the first pie back.
“I think what you meant to say was Sexy Sovereign.”
The comment shook her from her focus, and the pie didn’t even make it to his shoe. Disappointment echoed from the crowd, despite a few chuckles. In fact, Charlie had even laughed atthattitle.
Sexy? With his hair in all directions and melting cream dotting various spots of his blue shirt?
Her attention fixed on his strong shoulders and chest.
Okay, well, maybesexywould work, but she wasn’t about to admit it.
“How about Prince Nosebreaker?”
And, with his mouth wide in response, she released the other pie. It flew through the air and landed with aplopdirectly on Arran’s face.
Applause and laughter exploded around them, and within a few minutes, Arran was released from his position as target practice.
