“You’re an impossible man, Taelon. And you’ve recently betrayed your closest ally. You made enemies with the wrong Queen, Rebel King.”
I moved to brush past him, intent on opening the door and forcing him from my room, but he caught me around the waist and forced another squeak from me. Shiksa, tired of my theatrics, jumped from my arms and scurried beneath the bed.
“You are not queen yet,” he reminded me in a rumble. “And until you are my sovereign ally, I think I’ll enjoy every second of frustrating a spoiled princess.”
His hands landed on my hips, searing the skin beneath my robe with the heat of his palms. Our chests brushed against each other and I had never been more aware of the differences between his muscled chest and my softer one.
I pushed at those distracting muscles. The open collar of his tunic revealed a strong throat that I wished I could ignore. “You’re playing with fire, Taelon. What if one of the servants discovers us? Like this?”
His eyes darkened and his head dipped closer to mine. “Say it again.”
“It will be the scandal of the century! Could you imagine—”
His chuckle interrupted me. “Not that rubbish, Tessana. Say my name again. Say it in that way. As though you know me. As though my name were something familiar to you.”
Tingles rushed through my blood. I licked suddenly dry lips and watched my fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt.
I could understand why the name meant so much to him. In this one thing we were united. For him to call me Tess was fine. But when he used my full name… when he called me Tessana… that was something else altogether.
“Taelon,” I whispered.
His forehead dropped to meet mine. “Again.”
“Taelon.”
“I have thought about you so often in the last eight years, wondering what happened to you. I thought I had lost you forever.”
I found myself melting into him. “You saved my life.” I had to shut my eyes to keep the tears at bay but still they leaked from the corners of my lashes. “And because you gave me the crown, you saved my kingdom.”
A shuddering breath racked his lungs and he crushed me in a tight hug. My arms wrapped around him just as securely.
I had pictured this moment a thousand times since the day we parted. I had imagined how I would run and leap into his arms. Or how I would sit upon my throne and offer him a curt nod and a conspiratorial wink. I had imagined him crying or laughing or not remembering me at all. But I had never imagined it quite like this.
I had never imagined that he would be as deeply moved or worried as I had been. I had never imagined this fire in his touch that brought my skin to life and set my heart galloping.
“I did what I had to,” he rasped against my skin. “I did what I had to do to protect you.”
“You did protect me,” I promised. “Thank you.”
After another endless moment, he pulled back and stared at my face. “And now you’re back. But what shall we do with you?”
I wrinkled my nose. “You could start by letting me sleep.”
His head tipped back and he laughed. When he looked at me again his eyes twinkled like the sapphires in the chandeliers. “I suppose I can do that. As long as you forgive me for my deception.”
I moved out of his arms and brushed my hands down my robe. “Oh, no. I cannot do that.”
He stepped forward and I instinctively stepped back. “Why not?”
“Well,” I sighed, sidestepping a plush ottoman, “there are so many reasons.”
He stalked after me, a quirk to his lips that I ignored. “Name one.”
I reached back and my hand closed around the door handle. I yanked it downward and tugged. Hard.
I tripped over my own feet when the door did not budge. Ignoring Taelon further, I clicked the lock open, hating that I still couldn’t figure out how he’d invaded my private rooms, and wrenched the door open.
I leaned into the hall and found Haemon keeping watch. “Oh, good. You’re here,” I said to the guard. He turned to me, surprised by my sudden appearance and state of undress. “I have an intruder.”
