He gives a low chuckle. “Look around, Florence.”
I do. My bed is… empty. Only us in it, and the light coming through the windows tells me it’s definitely not the first thing in the morning. In fact, I’d hazard a guess it’s much later. Midmorning at least.
My brows jump in surprise as I look back at the prince under me, looking gloriously sleep rumpled and more than a little smug. “I let you sleep as long as I could. But I do need to get up now.”
“Things to do, people to see?”
He grins, a flash of white teeth in his dark beard. “More like a bladder full of too much champagne.”
“Oh!” I scramble off of him, and tug the blankets up to my chin, which is ridiculous, I’m still fully covered in the shirt I stole from Grieves last night. Right off his body too. He only grinned when he helped me tug it over my head, though, so I don’t think he minded all that much.
Forsythe chuckles and leans over to brush a kiss on my forehead, before climbing out of the bed. “Wait here, I’ll be back.”
I watch wide-eyed as he heads into my bathroom.
I’ve never woken up with Forsythe before.
Ever. He’s always gone before I get up in the morning, and I suspect he doesn’t necessarily climb into bed with us when he gets home late at night.
What is even happening?
I hear the flush of the toilet and then the water running in the sink and I brace myself for him to come in here and say he actually does need to go, that he can’t stay. Maybe even to leave without saying anything at all.
But he just reenters wearing nothing but silk boxers and crawls back onto the giant bed with me, until he’s hovering over me, one knee on either side of my hips, one hand on either side of my head.
“You look terrified,cor mea,” he murmurs, sounding amused.
I shake my head. “Not terrified… confused.” I don’t stop myself from brushing my fingers over his beard, scrubbing gently, and he turns into my touch, pressing a kiss into my palm. “What’s going on, Sythe?”
He sighs and drops on top of me, pressing me into the mattress with his much greater weight and my omega glories in it.
“I’ve been neglecting you,” he says softly, meeting my eyes. “It’s unforgivable. And I won’t be doing that anymore.”
Hope swells, but I force it back and down. I can’t afford to feel it, not until I understand what he’s saying.
“What does that mean?”
He bends and presses a chaste kiss to my mouth. Soft and sweet and not nearly enough. “I told you, I’m not going anywhere, and I meant it.”
“So we have the day together? You don’t have any meetings or events you have to rush off to?”
“None,cor mea.You’re my focus now.”
It's almost too good to be true. This is what I’ve wanted though, isn’t it? To have some kind of indication from him, specifically, that he’s choosing me. And it seems like this is the first step.
Still I have to know.
“Is-is this because of what we did in the kitchen? Are you feeling guilty or like… you took advantage or something?”
I don’t meet his eyes as I wait for his answer, staring instead at his collarbone. He doesn’t say anything for the longest time. And when he does it’s only to command, softly, “look at me, Florence.” Then he adds even softer. “Please.”
I lift my gaze to his face and what I find there nearly steals my breath. It’s… love. Or something awfully close to it. “I’m only going to say this once, so I want to be sure you hear me. Are you listening?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Good girl. Now, I do not, nor will I ever, regret kneeling for you in the kitchen. It was one of the sexiest moments of my life, one I plan on recreating as often as you’ll let me. I do feel guilty, but not for that. Never for that. You told me exactly what you needed and I was able to give it to you. That makes my alpha fucking proud. You understand?”
I give a jerky little nod and blow out a breath. His lips twitch into a smile. “The only guilt I feel is for how I treated you before this. I should never have sent you home, Florence. I should never have stayed away from you. I should never have suggested even for one moment that the most we could offer you was to keep you by our side, but hidden, a secret. It was a mistake. One made because I was a coward, like you so helpfully pointed out. But I’m working on not being so scared anymore. On becoming the alpha you and Piers both deserve.”
