“I’ve never forgotten. You had no idea who I was. I could see it on your face. You were some thoughtful fellow who saved me from being run over, and you got splashed with mud for your trouble.” Everand reached up and lightly ran his fingertips down Hugo’s cheek, the tender caress sending a wave of heat through Hugo even as his eyes filled with tears. “I wanted to say something. Help you. But you looked so embarrassed. I was afraid that once you learned my identity, it would make the situation worse instead of better.”
“But you said nothing at the luncheon.”
Everand’s smile became crooked. “Neither did you. I thought maybe you’d forgotten the whole thing. That I was the only one who’d felt something that day as our eyes met.”
“No, never.” He leaned in the last couple of inches that separated them and kissed his love slowly, savoring the feel of his lips, the haunting taste of him, and the seductive, possessive sweep of his tongue. From the first time their eyes had met, he’d belonged to Everand, and Everand had belonged to Hugo. Nothing was going to come between them. Not kings or wars. Not even snarling wolves.
“You know, King Victor could have at least given us a ride to the nearest town,” Hugo murmured against Everand’s lips.
The prince tilted his head back and laughed. “It would have been nice.” Threading their fingers together, Everand stepped away and tugged Hugo with him. “Come on. It’s a short walk to town from here. We’ll be able to send a quick message to my father and arrange for a carriage to take us to Frostbourne.”
“Home at last.”
There was just one more thing Hugo needed to take care of before he could claim his happily ever after with a prince.
Thirty
Alow groan slipped past Hugo’s parted lips, and he stretched his legs, his feet sliding along the silken sheets. He was exhausted. Sleep should have claimed him the second his head had hit the pillow. The past twenty-four hours had been draining. Night had been falling around them as they’d stumbled into the tiny town of Bluebell. They’d sent an urgent message to the palace announcing that Prince Everand was free and working his way home. Since they’d decided it was too late to start for Frostbourne, they’d traded some exquisitely made wineglasses for a room and food at a local inn.
However, they’d barely finished eating and bathing when a carriage and fifty guards sent by the governor of Bluebell had arrived at the front door of the inn. King Hubert had issued a royal edict that Prince Everand and his companion were to leave that night for Frostbourne with at least fifty guards on horseback.
They’d traveled through the night, getting little sleep in the bouncing carriage.
Of course, upon arriving at the palace, endless meetings had taken place with ministers of war, trade, and other departmentswanting to know every shred of information they could about King Victor and Wulia.
At the end of the meetings, Everand was escorted off to a private dinner with his parents, leaving Hugo alone in his room. While Hugo had missed the prince, he was grateful that he was not dragged off to the dinner as well, too tired to even think about pasting a smile on his face and making pleasant chitchat with the king and queen. Amidst all the meetings and chaos, the one thing he had done was send a quick letter to his family informing them he was safe and well. With any luck, he would be returning home to them tomorrow.
That night he’d enjoyed a quiet meal alone in his room and a long, hot bath. He’d fallen into bed, expecting to fall asleep instantly. But he was awake now and missing Everand.
Would it be wrong of him to knock on Everand’s door? They’d placed Hugo in the room right next to Everand’s yet again. No one would notice if he sneaked out for a visit.
No, he couldn’t. Everand had to be just as tired, if not more so. He was probably unconscious already, happy to be in his own bed.
He’d shoved the thought from his mind when there came a soft tapping on his door.
Hugo instantly threw off his covers and snatched up the robe neatly folded on the back of a nearby chair. He finished tying the sash and ripped open the door to find Everand standing on the other side, looking anxious and unsure. Hugo’s heart flipped. It was a struggle not to reach out and pull Everand into him.
“Did I wake you?”
Hugo shook his head. “No.”
“I was thinking…”
To hell with restraint.
Hugo’s hand shot out and grabbed Everand’s arm. He pulled the prince inside his room and slammed the door shut behindhim. As he turned his head toward Everand, soft, smiling lips found his in an urgent kiss that lit Hugo up. Days apart. Hours apart. Minutes, even. It was all too long. Their bodies came together, and they stumbled until Everand was pushed against the wall. Hard muscles, soft kisses, eager hands grasping and caressing. Hugo tumbled into this needy love, never wanting to be parted from him.
“Sorry. You were thinking?” Hugo said between kisses.
Everand huffed a laugh. “My brain may never work again.”
“How about we pick up where we left off at the ball?” Hugo suggested.
“Yes! That’s what I was thinking.”
Hugo pulled his mouth from Everand’s and licked his way along the prince’s throat. A shiver passed through Everand’s frame, and his fingers dug into Hugo’s hips. “I believe you had a request.” Hugo exhaled, sending his hot breath across damp skin. Goose bumps followed.
“Yes,” Everand hissed. “Fuck me. I want you to fuck me.”
