"Come for me," he said, echoing my earlier words."Let me watch you."
I did, my orgasm crashing through me with a cry that I was too far gone to muffle.He thrust up hard, once, twice, three times, and then he was coming too, my name torn from his throat as his hips jerked beneath me.
I collapsed onto his chest, both of us breathing hard.His arms wrapped around me, holding me close, our hearts pounding in synchrony.
"We should go back," I said eventually.
"Probably."
"People will notice we're gone."
"They already noticed.We weren't subtle."
I laughed and kissed his chest."Worth it?"
"Always."He tightened his arms around me."I love you, Betty Montclair.Princess of Solmarina.Maker of incredible coffee.Woman who somehow chose me even after I really bungled things."
"I love you too."I propped myself up on one elbow."And about that.The choosing you part."
"Yes?"
"There's something I should tell you."I traced patterns on his chest, suddenly nervous."The annulment papers.I tore them up in Valdoria, way before Viktor showed up and declared the marriage invalid."
He went still beneath me."What?"
"I'd already decided to stay.Already made my choice.Viktor's announcement didn't change anything because I'd already destroyed the only escape route I had."I met his eyes."I chose you, Archie.Not because I was freed from a permanent marriage or because Viktor gave me an out.I chose you while I still thought I was trapped forever.Because being trapped with you seemed better than being free without you."
He stared at me for a long moment.Then he pulled me down and kissed me so thoroughly I forgot my own name.
"You chose me," he said when we finally broke apart."Before you had any reason to.Before the pressure was off."
"I chose you."
"Betty."His voice cracked slightly."Do you have any idea what that means to me?"
"I have some idea."I kissed him again."That's why I wanted to tell you.Not because of dramatic reveals or timing.Because you deserved to know that my choice was never about the circumstances.It was always about you."
He held me so tightly I could barely breathe, and something wet landed on my shoulder.Tears.Prince Archibald of Solmarina, crying because I'd chosen him.
"I'm going to spend the rest of my life earning this," he said.
"You don't have to earn it.That's not how love works."
"Then I'll spend the rest of my life being grateful for it."He pulled back to look at me."And trying to be the man you chose.The one you deserve."
"You already are."I smiled."Mostly.You still have control issues."
"I'm working on it."
"And you sometimes forget that I'm capable of making my own decisions."
"Also working on that."
"And you get jealous about things that happened before we met, which is deeply irrational."
"That one might take longer."
"I can be patient."I kissed his nose."We have time.Our whole lives, since I tore up the only document that could have gotten me out of this."
