“This tree was much more daunting than the one from home, daring me take it all in. And while it served as a good reminder, it never let me forget that it was nothing close to the one at home at all…”
“It cut me,” I smile at the memory of the leaf falling into my palm, “and all I could do was laugh in astonishment at theaudacityof it. So much beauty in one creation, yet still so intimidating and formidable in its own right…”
I sigh and shake my head against my arms, still looking up at the oak. “And why shouldn’t it be? It deserves to be looked at by those who can appreciate it, and I came here tonight hoping it would consider me to be one of those people.”
The ground below me begins a soft rumble, the roots and earth vibrating against my back. Keane swiftly let’s go of my boots and leans over my body within a blink, his brown eyes finding and holding mine in demand.
I gasp at the quickness of his movements and the way his shoulders and chest hover over the full of me. His knees land on both sides of my legs, his hands falling to the ground next to my head as he stares down at me, the full of him trapping me beneath his embrace.
“You belong in Warrior, Alexis,” he states, voice hard and rough like the ground below.
“I don’t,” I shake my head at him breathlessly.
“You do,” he replies with a nod, leaning down.
His mouth moves close to mine, so much so that I can feel the heat of his breath on my lips.
“I don’t, Keane,” I assert.
The Prince looks down at me with pure intensity, his heated gaze making every inch of my body burn in return.
“I’m content in Knowledge,” I rush out, “I enjoy the simplicity of it.”
“I don’t think you do,” he laughs coolly,smugly, then dips his head down to whisper in my ear, “because I know that there is absolutely nothing simple about you.”
My body shifts under his just as he plants the softest kiss against my neck.
Fuck.
“I crave it,” I try again, “I crave the effortlessness of our Court.”
Keane lowers his body onto mine and chuckles outright.
“No. You only tell yourself that you crave the humility of the people there…” he kisses my neck again, “but I know you crave something more, Alexis. Something daring.”
My hips arch in response and bring a smirk to the Prince’s lips. I close my eyes when those lips move gracefully along my neck, every breath in my body catching in my chest as my heart pounds in my chest.
“You’re wrong,” I whisper.
“I’m not,” he grins, tongue darting to my neck before he nips down.
Ancients, this is all types of trouble.
But I’m not sure I want it to stop...
My mind is quick to send me a vision of the woman that was on him at Marybeth’s, watching as her body reacted in the very same way mine is now. That thought is enough to clear my head from the sensual fog, but it still doesn’t stop my body from humming for him.
“There is a thrill that comes with the daunting and daring,” I admit quietly,breathlessly, and move my hands to my sides. I push myself off the ground, breasts flushing into his chest in small defiance as he pulls back and takes me in.
“But that thrill will not hold me, Your Highness.”
Keane catches my gaze and leans up more fully, his brown eyes dancing across my face as he replies with a knowing smile.
“It’s holding you now, Alexis.”
I groan in response.
It is.
