“I feel like I did. Like this is all my fault, somehow. We’re going to be going into war. If something happened to you, I—”
In a flash he was on his feet, his body crowding mine against the door.
“Listen to me, Luke Alexus. I want to be very clear on this.”
I had no choice but to look at him, he was so close, I could feel the heat of his body burning against mine. I had never heard anyone call me by my full chosen name before. It felt… strange. Strange, but good. I saw his lips tighten and eyes narrow at me slightly as he spoke.
“I have been training my whole life to fight the Alexandrians. I had almost given up on the thought that I would ever find a Mageia of my own. Actually, Ihadgiven up, really. I—I signed up with Omada. When I thought you had found someone else… I was not in a good place.”
The realization that he had signed up with one of the suicide squads we had heard about made my heart freeze. I felt the truth of his words, the echo of despair that rang through the bond between us.
“I wish you would have said something,” I whispered, raising one hand up and tracing the line of his jaw.
“I had been rejected so many times already. With my hearing challenges, I was certain no Mageia would ever choose me, ever want me. Even you.Especiallyyou. I mean, fuck, I know you want to deny it, Luke, but youareroyalty. Whether you want it to mean something, or not. There are Somas out there who have all their senses. If I really cared about you, I would let you go and Bond with someone else.”
I saw the agony on his face. His eyes were filled with a soul-deep longing.
“But I’m selfish. I look at you, and in your eyes I see someone who sees me. Not my challenges.Me. And I desperately want that. I’m too selfish to let you go.”
“I don’t think it’s selfish if I want the same thing,” I whispered. “You don’t look at me like people look at a prince. You don’t want anything from me. You don’t even look at me like most of your people look at Mageia. That combination of hope and desperation is overwhelming. So it’s my turn to make something absolutely clear, Rhuyin Katastrofis.”
I seized him and pulled him in for a kiss. The feel of his lips on mine made me shiver, little earthquakes of pleasure rocking through me. When I finally let him up for air we were both gasping; the warmth his kiss generated spreading through my entire body.
“Iwant you.Ichoose you.”
His smile lit the room as he read my lips.
He leaned back, pointed at himself, then cupped his hands in pulling motion, as if grasping something and pulling it toward himself, then he pointed at me.
“I wantyou,” he responded, teaching me the signs. He pointed at himself, then made a sign like picking something up with his thumb and forefinger, then pointed at me.
“I chooseyou.”
I repeated the motions, then leaned forward hesitantly this time. He met me halfway, his gaze focused on my lips. Unlike our first kiss, this was slow, delicate, gentle. I could feel his warm breath whisper across my cheek, and he brought one hand up to twine in my hair. I shivered at the feel of his strong hands threading through it.
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. He felt so damn good pressed up against me. My heart was racing, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of the gentle brush of his lips against mine, or the feel of his hands hungrily roaming over my body.
Before I realized it, we were both on the bed, Rhu’s legs tangled with mine, both of us tugging at each other’s shirts, trying to get them off. As we both moved I brushed up against him and the feel of his arousal was clear through his pants.
Fuck. Something else I needed to tell him.
“Rhu…” I gasped, his lips trailing kisses down my throat. “Rhu, wait.”
He froze, his worried eyes turning to mine.
“Am I going too fast?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Goddess, no! I just—I need to tell you something.”
He stopped moving, his eyes serious. I felt the blood rushing to my face and echoes of the Panicked Prince haunted the edge of my vision.
“Shit.” I said, running my hands through my hair.
“Luke, we don’t have to do any—”
“I want to!” I exclaimed, clapping my hand over his mouth before he could say anything else.
