x
It really was silly of me to feel embarrassed. Chevalier called up an army to rescue me, and he’d spent so much time with me and doing things for me over my lengthy recovery that everybody in the palace knew what was going on between us, and, according to the Stotts, rumors were trickling out into the general populace, too. So, there was really no reason for me to be shy about walking hand-in-hand with him through the palace.
The king. I was walking hand-in-hand with the king through the palace.
Nope. Still embarrassed.
I kept my eyes on the floor, too nervous to look up and risk making eye contact with anybody. My cheeks had to be bright red. It was such a relief when the library door closed behind us - until I heard Chevalier’s amused chuckle.
“It’s not that funny,” I pouted, glaring up at him. “This is my first day out of bed, and I’ve only been a princess for two weeks, so I think I’m entitled to being a little shy.”
“No, you’re not.”
“What?”
The mischievous sparkle in his sidelong glance set the butterflies in motion. He led me into the back room, and I pulled free from his hand, spinning to face him as the lock clicked in the door.
“A princess should always hold her head up high,” he said, removing his gloves and tossing them on the end table. I took a step back from him, the nervous fluttering in my stomach growing with the intensity in his eyes.
“But, if you would prefer that I treat you as a maid,” he continued, each slow, deliberate step forcing me further back against the bookcases, “I suppose I can humor you.”
My hands touched the shelves behind me a moment before my back pressed into them.
“Well, I don’t know that I want you to treat me as a maid,” I said, keeping my voice steady even as my heart raced out of control. “You weren’t very nice to me when I first started working for you.”
His fingers touched my neck, sending a shiver of anticipation down my spine.
“And yet, you stayed,” he said, tracing lightly up and down, back and forth, his eyes drawing nearer and nearer. “But you always have been a foolish little dove, haven’t you?”
I bit my lip nervously. His eyes dropped to my mouth, then flicked up to my eyes, giving me a split second to register the heat in his gaze before his lips were on mine. He pressed into me with a hungry urgency I’d never felt before, sliding his fingers around my neck to cradle the back of my head, his other hand circling my waist to bring me closer as he nibbled on my bottom lip and drew a surprised gasp from me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as the kiss deepened, his tongue tasting mine and stealing my breath, making my head spin more with every kiss. When I was sure I couldn’t take any more, his lips left mine to travel down my throat, giving me the chance to catch my breath as his onslaught of affection continued.
“Chevalier, I think you’ve had too much champagne,” I gasped, digging my fingers into his cloak as his hand slid down my shoulder and his kisses trailed down my neck.
“I only had one glass,” he breathed. “What I’ve had too much of is you.”
“Wh-what? Oh…”
He nibbled on my collarbone, and my knees went out from under me.
“Or not enough of you,” he amended himself, pulling my collar aside to expose my shoulder. The sensation of fabric leaving my skin and cool air drafting across it sent a sudden surge of panic through me that far outweighed the pleasure of his kisses. I shrank away from his hand and into his chest, the breath catching in my throat and escaping as a soft whimper.
“Don’t-”
He released my collar immediately, nuzzling into my neck and stroking my hair soothingly. “I’ll stop.”
His heart pounded against mine, steady and true, a heart that never meant to hurt me. I took a deep breath, focusing on his heartbeat instead of the anxiety crawling under my skin. A pang of guilt struck me for reacting to him like that.
“Y-you don’t have to stop,” I whispered. “Just - don’t do that.”
He kissed my neck lightly. “You’re trembling, Ivetta.”
I took another deep breath, feeling the panic beginning to fade. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
“But - I liked it until-”
“Until I went too far.” He sighed and said, “This is an interesting habit you’ve developed, little dove.”
‘Little dove.’ His brothers didn’t call me that much anymore, but Chevalier called me that all the time. It was his pet name for me, his term of endearment, and hearing him say it released the tightness in my chest so I could breathe again.
“What do you mean?” I asked, peeking up at him.
“The way you come to me when you’re overwhelmed or frightened, even when I am the source of your discomfort.” He kissed my cheek tenderly. “Come. You need to sit down.”
He led me back out to the main library, guiding me to a sofa and wrapping his arm around my shoulders as I snuggled into him. The security of his embrace chased the last of the fear away, leaving me drained. I hadn’t expected that level of passion from him, but it awoke something in me that burned as hot as his kisses, and the knowledge that I brought it all to an end frustrated me.
“I’m sorry, Chevalier,” I said miserably.
“Stop apologizing,” he said firmly, threading his fingers through my hair and down my back. “You have more reason than most to fear intimacy.”
“But it’s you, and I know you won’t hurt me,” I said, looking up at him.
He smiled and leaned in to kiss me, warm and gentle, until his tongue swiped teasingly across my lips and started my heart pounding again.
“You trust me too much, little dove,” he murmured, his low, husky voice sending a thrill through me. Maybe I hadn’t ruined everything. I pulled my feet up to the sofa and shifted onto my knees beside him.
“Well, I am a foolish little dove,” I replied, dropping my eyes to my fingers, playing with the gold fastenings over his chest. “And everybody seems to think I don’t know what’s good for me. So, when I say that I wouldn’t mind you kissing me again, I just have to trust that you know better than me.”
I peeked up at him through my eyelashes. His eyes were burning again. I bit my lip and looked back at my fingers, splaying across the fabric of his jacket and sliding up to the ruff of black fur at the neck of his cloak. He groaned in exasperation and grabbed my chin.
“You really don’t know what’s good for you,” he growled, a moment before his lips crashed into mine. I slid my hands up his neck and into his hair, relishing in the contrast between the soft strands flowing through my fingers and the tight grip of his arm around my waist, pressing me into the hardness of his chest and his almost forceful kisses. It felt like he could, and maybe wanted to, devour me whole, but he was holding back, his fingers light against my skin, his arm loosening when I shifted to get more comfortable. I knew force, and this wasn’t it. This was sweetness and fire, swirling together to make me think that, at least in this specific aspect of my life, I knew exactly what was good for me.
“Ivetta,” he breathed, tracing my jaw with his lips, “do you still trust me?”
“Yes,” I giggled, tilting my head to the side to give him more room to work.
His deep chuckle against my skin resonated through my entire body. “You’ll regret that.”
His teeth tugged on my earlobe, and all conscious thought vanished from my mind. I barely recognized my voice in the soft moan that escaped my lips.
“Chevalier…”
“You like that, do you?”
I bit my tongue to stop from moaning again when he teased the sensitive spot. “Chevalier, what are you doing?” I breathed.
“What I wanted to do last night.”
“Last night? Oh…”
“Why do you think I took you outside?”
I felt dizzy. He was invading my senses, wrapping me in heat and roses and passion, his lips wandering down my neck and stripping me of the ability to speak. My neck was wet with his kisses when he came back to my mouth, slowing down and taking his time to taste me thoroughly. I couldn’t tell where one kiss ended, and the next began. His breathing was as ragged as mine, and he finally pulled back with one last tug on my upper lip.
“That’s enough for now.”
I collapsed against his chest, exhausted and panting for breath. His light, infrequent kisses over my six weeks of bedrest did nothing to prepare me for that test of my stamina. He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head.
“You had your chance to run, little dove.”
I shook my head, too breathless to speak. There was nowhere I’d rather be than right here, with him, and I never wanted to leave. I’d ended up on his lap somehow, and his chest rose and fell beneath me as he caught his breath, grounding me so I didn’t float away on the cloud of pleasure where he’d taken me.
“The coronation ceremony is just over two weeks away. All I ask is for you to stay by my side and hold your head up. The rest will come with time.”
I smiled as a soft, fuzzy warmth wrapped around my heart. “I love you, Chevalier.”
He chuckled softly. “You’re easy to please.”
“Then why do you work so hard to do it?” I asked, opening my eyes to smile up at him.
“I told you before,” he said, tracing my lips with his fingers. “I enjoy spoiling you.”
“Well, I hope you’re done spoiling me for today, because I’m not sure I can take anymore.”
“I have no more surprises for you,” he replied, brushing his thumb across my lips. “Your neighbors were the only surprise I had planned for you today. But I’m far from done spoiling you.”
A rush of emotion made me sit up and throw my arms around his neck in a hug. “That was a wonderful surprise. I still can’t believe you invited them here for me.”
“Is that really so surprising to you?” he asked, returning the hug with a light squeeze.
“Yes, it is. I didn’t even think of them coming.” I kissed him on the cheek and hugged him again, my heart full to bursting. “And to see Rachel and Licht together - she’s been asking about him since they met, but he’s too busy blaming himself for everything to go see her. He always looks like he really is happy when he’s with her. And the boys are growing like weeds, and talking to Mr. and Mrs. Stotts - it was just the best surprise ever.”
“They’ve been worried about you.”
“I know.” I sat back, his arms keeping me from falling off his lap. “They wanted me to stay with them that night, and then Rachel wanted to stay with me, and…I’m just glad I said no.”
Silence fell between us. I wished I hadn’t brought that up, but it was something that weighed on my mind. If I hadn’t said no, they’d be dead. Enough people died that night because of me.
“You need to tell me,” Chevalier said, his quiet voice issuing a statement, not a question.
“Not now,” I replied, looking up from his chest, where my eyes had fallen, back up to his face. “Today, I’d just like to be happy.”
He leaned in to place a chaste kiss on my lips. “Then we should go back to the gardens, before Belle and Rio leave.”
I smiled and returned his light kiss. “Thank you, Chevalier."
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