The Provocative Prince (BOOK 1)

Chapter 20: Cheesecake and Premonition

Vincent

Melanie was gorgeous.

And I mean that literally as I walked her to her car where her mother patiently waited for her. Had my parents been the ones to tell me she was beautiful, I really wouldn't believe them. The women they felt were beautiful were mediocre to me. But since Shadé told me she was beautiful, I was a little eager to see what the Lady of Hawthorne looked like.

But fuck was she so fucking gorgeous.

Her curly, golden tresses fell along her shoulders with a flattering cascade onto her milky skin. Her waist was lean and her hips gave her that slender hourglass figure that would've surely driven my younger self crazy. But it was definitely her green eyes that drew me into her alluring demeanor. I could tell that even without makeup, they still held that seductive appeal to them.

I could work with this. I could definitely work with this.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness. It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you," Melanie said as we came to a stop outside of the parked Range Rover.

I kissed the back of her hand before replying. "Thank our parents for introducing us to one another. I really enjoyed my day with you, Love," I agreed with her. I opened the back passenger door of the SUV and peeked my head in there with a smile. "Thank you for raising such a lovely woman, Baroness," I smiled graciously.

"Aww, Your Royal Highness, that truly means a lot," she replied sincerely with a warm smile of her own.

"I suppose I have to return you to your mother," I said jokingly, earning a sweet laugh from her. The sound was an entire 180 from the laugh Shadé makes from time to-.

Woah, let's not think about her right now! She has absolutely nothing to do with the woman standing in front of me!

"Vincent, are you well," I heard Melanie ask from beside me.

I blinked multiple times and shook my head to bring myself back to reality before giving her my undivided attention. "Yes, I'm alright. Just felt a migraine coming on," I lied with a low laugh. I stepped to the side to allow her into the SUV before wishing them both a safe drive back home.

As I watched them drive down Castle Hill, I suddenly felt the urge to call Shadé, or at least text her to make sure she was okay. I'm sure she didn't enjoy seeing me with Melanie and knowing that I was with her all day.

I leaned against the stone half-wall outside of the castle. I bit the corner of my lip as I stared at her name on my phone. It was only 10; she had to be off from what I could assume.

I tapped the call button anyway, telling myself that the worst she could do is not answer. My eyes scanned the dim street lights of Windsor as I waited patiently for her to answer me.

And unfortunately, she didn't.

I sent her a text, asking for her to call me back. Immediately, she replied.

S: Who is this?

Unknown: It's Vincent... did you not save my number?

As soon as the text said delivered to her phone, her name instantly popped up on my screen and like the eager nut job that I was, I answered the call.

"Hello," I said, a bit too lively.

"You know, you didn't exactly give me a number to save you under," she said pointedly. Her voice was strangely different over the phone. She sounded very sexy, and I swear I could hear her talk all day.