“Wait,” I moan, “I need…”
The Prince thrusts his cock against my clit, hearing my plead but listening to the way my body reacts instead. My hands start to rake through his hair, my hips grinding into his in a steady rhythm as I tilt my neck even farther to the side to embrace the sure movements of his lips. I’m positively needy for him, but my mind is still reminding me of what I want to say. What Ineedto say.
“Keane,” I moan again when his hand darts up to squeeze my breast, “wait.”
The Prince pulls away at the desperation in my voice. His hands move to the sides of my face in a tender caress, his eyes looking back at me full of concern.
“Alexis… I’m sor-”
“-No,” I shake my head, “no apologies. You aren’t doing anything wrong…”
“Then what’s going on?” he asks, thumbs skimming across the sides of my jaw.
I sigh and let my nails skim down his neck, “I just… I can’t do this, Keane. We can’t do this. I don’t want to be with you like this. It’s stolen...”
And quick. And hidden.
The two of us are quite literally hiding in the dark alcoves of the balcony not knowing if Alanna will show up at any moment. I don’t want that with him. I don’t want anything that resembles what I had with Troy. Every single part of me wants more.
“You’re right,” he nods quietly, “you’re so right.”
I sigh and let my forehead fall on his.
“So stay with me tonight…”
I groan and squeeze the back of his neck.
Ancients, I want to. More than anything.
But…
“I can’t do that,” I whisper.
“Why?”
I smile sadly to myself, hating how my next words will be perceived.
“We will be seen.”
Keane removes his hands from my jaw and falls back into the chair. He looks at me silently,coolly, as the cold features of Discerni indifference start to take over his face. I stare back at that face and search for any other reaction to my words, hoping he’ll inquire into their meaning.
But the Prince gives me nothing, and when the silence and calm disinterest becomes too much, I move off of him with a sigh, though I swear I see a hint of anger and hurt behind his gaze when I do.
Ask me!I silently yell when he stands up and starts to walk away,ask me why I’ve given you that answer!
Keane stops at the open archway leading back into the room, almost as if he’s heard me. His body tenses for a moment before he turns back around, his voice demandingly quiet.
“It bothers you? Being seen with me?”
“No,” I let out a breath, “it does not bother me, Keane.”
I just don’t think you’re ready for what it means to be seen with me.
And therein lies the problem, what I want him to understand but find it too hard to explain so soon. Iwantto be seen with him. I want to do this right. My desire is too strong to keep hidden or to settle for stolen encounters. I don’t want to settle for touches that will end in more secrecy.
I want to pursue whatever this is with him, and I want to do it in honesty. I don’t know how that will work out with him being the Prince Heir, but Idoknow that I don’t want to be seen as just another woman or conquest in his sheets.
So how do I tell him that without baring my soul?
