“The tutor that took my classes certainly seemed to thinkso,” he said. “The general might as well, but me?” He leaned forward, those keen blue eyes boring into mine. “I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be.”
Perhaps that was supposed to be romantic or something, but instead I felt a flare of hot anger. The lieutenant had seemed like a honourable man, but so did my sister’s husband. Who knew what lurked beneath the smooth facade these men presented better than me? My fingers sank into the plush pile of the carriage cushions and then I said my piece.
“Word is the Runaway Queen arrived back at the keep.”
His jaw muscle flexed and then he nodded.
“I noticed.”
“And we all noticed you noticing.” Lorien’s arm went around my shoulders as he stared the lieutenant down. Gods, was Lance really this obtuse? His frown suggested he was.
“So things have changed,” I said.
“For me?” His lips thinned down as he shook his head sharply. “Not for a second. What I said to you…” My eyes followed the bob of his Adam’s apple. “They aren’t words a man takes back.”
“Its not seen to be an honourable thing,” I said. “But the truth remains. Men do it all the time, because they’ve had a change of heart, because they felt something one day, only for it to transform into quite a different feeling in the next. The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“Yes.” Lance’s hand felt hot and hard, his touch far too immediate as he grabbed mine and then cradled it in his grip. “I know exactly what my heart wants and it’s you, Fern.”
The last time he made such declarations, the haze of ale had formed a protective barrier around me. I could be caught up in the swirl of the dancers, of what I was feeling, without really thinking about the implications. Now, I longed for a tankard of beer. I’d drain the mug before him, just to help dull this. The way his eyes searched my face for clues in a desperate, hungry way, I knew all too well.
Because what had my life been but one big need to be seen?
What did I do now I had someone’s complete attention? How did I respond? My throat worked, my lips moving, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“If you don’t feel the same.” Lance shook his head, staring at the floor. “If you know you’ll never feel anything for me.”
“Too much,” I croaked. That had every eye in the carriage upon me. Even Dain stared my way, suddenly too pale. I masked my feelings with a small smile. “When I saw you staring at Pippin, my heart felt like it fell through the floor, all the floors, and into the very foundations of the keep. For a moment, I was viciously jealous. She’s so beautiful and tall and slim.”
“Fern—”
I shook my head. My breath was coming too fast, but I had to get this out.
“When I looked at the two of you, I saw two people that fit together. We…” I flicked my finger back and forth in the space between us. “We don’t.”
“Sure about that?” With a growl, he surged forward, snatching me from my seat, then lying me across his lap. Those strong arms were like iron bars wrapped around me, keeping me still, even as the carriage rocked. “Someone put that rubbish in your head, so stop thinking, my Fern.” Those two little words had me shivering. “Stop thinking and feel the way we fit perfectly together.”
There was no way of avoiding that. Every point his body touched mine, I could feel through my uniform. It was suddenly far too thin. I needed corsets and thick voluminous skirts to get through this.
“Now you get it, Lieutenant.”
Kael leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, watching what transpired with a hungry look in his eyes.
“Fern—”
Lance’s voice had transformed into something deep and throaty.
“I know,” I said. Daring to look up, he stared at me in wonder. “I know, but I thought?—”
“How about you stop bloody thinking?”
That was the only warning I got as his hand cradled my skull. His mouth hovered over mine, the sway of the carriage forcing us together. That was enough for me. My hands slid down stubbled cheeks and into thick hair, clinging for dear life as I kissed him right back. Harder, deeper, that musky male scent of his making my head spin, until I felt the slip of something mobile. My eyes flicked open, and I pulled back with a start. That lazy smile looked far too good on Lance.
“I needed to taste you.” It dimmed somewhat under my questioning gaze. “Which was probably a little much?—”
I didn’t want him flushing, feeling bad about this, not when my whole body was singing. My hand went to his jaw, tracing the sharp line of it, right before my mouth landed back on his. Kisses, so many kisses, before my own tongue dared move. A loud groan from him had his hands clamping down on my thighs, pinning me to the spot.
“Fuck, Fern…”
