I wasn’t sure how to answer her without giving too much about the insurgency away. Scratching the back of my neck, I quickly searched my brain for a quick response. “He’s not in the business of challenging royalty. He has a lot of respect for you.”
The princess didn’t respond. She simply turned her gaze back to the platform. She bit her bottom lip, sending shocks of temptation through my chest to kiss it.
I studied her profile as she let her thoughts shuffle through her mind, getting lost in the details of her beauty. Her sharp cheekbones sat high, while the bridge of her nose arched downward and curved at the tip just the slightest into a cute little button nose. Pink full lips that took a beating from her teeth were always tempting me these days, giving me the desire to know what they felt and tasted like.
“What’s he like?” she asked at last, shattering the silence while keeping her blank stare on the platform up above.
I jolted from the sudden question. It took me a few seconds to process what she’d asked. “Who? Chrome?”
She gave a curt nod.
Thrown by the question and snatched from the hypnotic state she put me in, I cleared my throat. “Chrome is…” I paused, trying to find a single word to describe my cousin, “intense. He is an incredible Warrior, yes. But he’ll do whatever necessary to protect those that he loves most.”
Gray swallowed harshly, as if she had something lodged in her throat. Finally pulling her attention away from the platform, she met my eyes. “Will I ever be able to talk to him freely?”
My mouth opened and closed, unsure where she was going with this. “Uhm,” I started, refusing to drop my gaze to the floor and display my hurt. I had no reason to feel the jealousy rearing its ugly head in my chest. “I’m not sure. But I know your father is insistent on keeping you separated for reasons unknown.”
As if that was the answer she sought, she exhaled a breath of relief, but a hint of sadness tainted the space between us. “I figured as much.” She shook her head, recovering herself to plaster on a smile for me.
“You’re so beautiful. You know that?” The words slipped from my lips on a breath. They were meant to stay in my head, but like the beacon she was, she pulled the words right from my mind without my permission.
Severe panic caged my heart, realizing what I’d just said aloud.
Gray’s lips parted, shock slackening her cheeks and turning her dark, stormy blues into a glistening lake.
Neither of us knew what to say or do, and the moment stretched much longer than I would’ve liked. I stood frozen before her, waiting for any response. Even anger would be fine. I’d take it. Anything to break the feeling of wanting to crawl from my skin.
“Uhm, I…I uhm,” she stuttered, running her fingers through her hair. She jerked her arm back down to her side when she remembered her hair was tied up in a bun. “I… Thank you?”
I forced myself to nod, my mouth still open. “Anytime,” I murmured lamely.
I fucked it all up. Fuck. I ruined everything. The insurgency’s gonna fail now because of me and my stupid hormones. Why did they put me in charge of this again?
“So, I guess we’re done for the day, then?” she asked, her eyes darting all over the room. I couldn’t help but notice the blush painting her tanned skin.
“Yeah, I think we’ve had enough for one day,” I said, my heart sinking to depths I didn’t know I possessed.
Gray gave me a tight smile. I didn’t miss the falling expression as she studied the floor. Was that…rejection? “I’ll see you here again tomorrow?”
The word “yes” was on the tip of my tongue. But I bit my lip instead, my heart pummeling my ribcage at the impulsive move I was about to make.
Fear held me back. I had never struggled with my confidence when it came to girls before. But with Gray, there were so many unknowns because of our circumstances. I really wanted to kiss her, but would she reject it?
My hesitation seemed to be enough of an answer as she turned to leave. “See you tomorrow, then.”
My feet moved before I knew what was happening. I closed the distance between us, grabbed her wrist, spinning her around. “No, I don’t want to wait until tomorrow,” I whispered, searching her bright eyes, noting each faint freckle across the bridge of her nose.
Gray didn’t back away, which I took as a win. But even still, I wanted to give her a chance to say no, despite how hard it was to refrain.
I tugged on her gently until her body pressed flush against my chest, encasing one arm around her shoulder while the other cupped the side of her cheek.
I was lost. And if I kissed her, I knew there was no coming back.
Gray’s lashes flicked downward, her gaze landing on my lips. Her breath brushed against mine, and the warmth sent shivers dancing along my shoulders.
Slowly, I lowered my head, angling it to where my lips could press comfortably against hers. It was only a chaste kiss, but the feel of her lips against mine had my mind and body reeling within a vortex that couldn’t be stopped.
I was gone.
