“I wanted to do this romantically, maybe in front of the court, on one knee, but since you're being so silly about it—”
“Silly!”
“—I'm just going to do it here. Konstantin—”
“This is fucking serious!”
“—I love you. Will you—”
“If I'm going to stay—”
“—marry me?”
“—here I—” He stopped mid-sentence and gaped at me. “What did you say?”
“Will you be my husband? You'd be the first Kaplan King of the Larchs. Kinda cool, right?”
“That won't fly, swanling,” he whispered. “There's no way that your people will accept me as their king.”
“Not their ruling king, no. But you would be king only in name. Mainly, you'd be my husband. You'd get the prestige of that position, but with significantly less power. Would that fly withyou?”
“I . . .”
My heart sank. Marriage was evidently too much for such a young relationship as ours. I slid off his lap and stared at his loose expression. “Oh. Right. I'm sorry. I thought . . . I misread—”
“Get back over here!” Konstantin yanked me onto his lap and kissed me wildly.
He rolled me onto my back, grinding his cock against mine to bring mine back to life. Growling in my mouth, he tongued me boldly, and his hands roamed my body possessively. Thumbs tweaking my nipples, thighs pushing mine apart, hips rolling. He surged over me like the tide. A big, muscular tide.
Then a strange sound came—a sort of slapping noise.
I opened my eyes to see him smacking the side of the tent. “What in the Gods' names are you doing?”
“I'm trying to find the fucking lube!”
I burst out laughing, then reached down to retrieve the bottle from a lower pocket in the wall. I held it out to him, then yanked it back when he tried to take it. “First, answer my question.”
“I thought I just did.”
“No, I need words, Kon. Not just actions, though those are appreciated. Words, please.”
Konstantin went still. “I love you, Mikhail. More than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. When I was waiting for my clan to arrive, I couldn't stop thinking about what you were going through. What he could be doing to you. I've never been so terrified. When I saw that bastard standing over you, all reason fled, and my beast took over. I barely remember killing him. All I could think about was protecting you. And it's all I want to do for the rest of my life. Protect and love you. Yes, I'll marry you. I'll be your kingandI'll command your army.” He smirked. “Your soldiers could use some help.”
“So confident,” I teased. But then a tear slipped down my cheek.
“Aw, fuck, why are you crying?”
I burst into laughter again. “I'm just so happy.”
“Swanling, I don't want to see you cry ever again.” He wiped away my tears. “Not even in joy. Laugh for me.”
He nipped at my neck, and I giggled.
“Moan for me.”
He rubbed our shafts together until I did, until I was moaning and clawing at his back. Then he snatched the lube from my hand and deftly squeezed some onto his shaft. After he coated himself, he mounted me, sliding slowly in, little by little, making the sexiest sounds. I pulled my knees up and hooked my legs onto his shoulders, making him moan as well.
Then, fully sheathed, Konstantin began a steady thrusting and finished his commands, “And always say my name when I make you come.”
