“Do you often creep into your guests’ quarters in the middle of the night?”
He gives a deep laugh. “Only the cute ones.”
My traitorous cheeks burn, and I fall back to the bed, eyeing him. He’s filthy, dirt covering his loose pants and bare chest. Of course Dayton wouldn’t bother with a shirt. His long blond hair falls over his shoulders in messy waves. How is it possible he’s even more gorgeous than I remember?
A bone-deep ache runs through me at the sight of him, and I can’t seem to catch my breath. He is real. A part of me feared I’dmade him up, or I’d gone mad last summer, and he never existed at all. But he’s here. With me.
I don’t know if I should scream or cry or smile or laugh.
“What are you doing here?” I finally ask, impressed I can even form words.
He walks off, an almost awkward gait to his movements. “Didn’t realize you arrived today.”
“The rest of your family was there.”
“Right.” He lets out a long breath. “I was training for the games tomorrow. Got someone in the audience I want to impress.”
I have to look away. He’s…flirting with me? I haven’t heard from him in a year. Not a single word of reply to any of the letters that I sent.
But what did I expect? An apology for whisking me away and making me feel like I was special, only to have my heart shattered every single day that passed when I heard nothing from him?
Yet, my stupid heart still swoons at his smile.
“You were not so diligent about training last year,” I say.
“Well, that’s your fault. There was too much to show you. The ocean, the islands.” His voice is a purr.
I hold my breath, remembering the turquoise water, feeling the soft sand beneath my back as he kissed my neck, his naked body above me glistening with sweat and seawater…
I shift, making sure my legs are covered with the thin blankets, hoping it’s dark enough to hide my hardening length.
“Do you remember one particular island? Captain Katharine’s Isle?” The bed dips as Dayton lowers before me, his breath warm, the scent of salt and?—
“You smell like goat,” I snap at him.
He pulls back, lifting an arm. “I should take you with me to see Justus one of these days. You’d like the goats. And I think he’d like you.”
Was that what he wanted, really? For me to return and have things be like they were last summer? Has he even thought of me this past year?
Has he been with anyone else?
I shake my head, ignoring his comment. Of course he has been with others. I know him.
I’d tried to move on, too. After the Winter Solstice, when it was clear he had no intention of seeing me again, I resolved to forget about him. But no one piqued my interest.
A calloused hand tucks a strand of hair behind my ear as he leans closer. Perhaps the smell of goat isn’t so bad. “There are more places I want to show you, Fare. Other things I want to do.”
My breath hitches in my throat. It would be so easy to fall back into this. But he hasn’t even offered an explanation. Hasn’t even said sorry.
I don’t want to feel how I felt when he didn’t show up at the Autumn Equinox. The Winter Solstice. Every event since.
It’s clear the Summer Prince and I want different things.
Not that I’m entirely sure what I want from him.
I scoot back on the bed. “I won’t have as much time on this trip. My mother wants me to inherit the Blessing soon. I’ll be shadowing her and spending time with the High Prince.”
Dayton blinks at me. It’s clear from his expression that he is seldom rejected.
