“Okay, see this?” I said, trying to sound encouraging. “This is the kind of thing you need to bring to your next conflict with Mannix.”
His upper lip curled in clear disgust as he flinched back.
“Oh. No, not the sex part. You’re right—ew. I mean the… The energy!” I said with a snap of my fingers. “This confidence and determination you’ve got going on right now. That part. Bring that.”
He nodded slowly like maybe some of my nonsense was making sense. But then he wiggled a finger at me and said, “I’d feel a lot more confident if you weren’t still dressed.”
I blushed hot and cleared my throat. “Well, yeah, about that?—”
“Oh, no!” He gasped and covered himself with both hands. “Oh, Bridge, I’m so sorry!”
“No, now, hold on! I’m not saying no. I’m flattered, and you’re incredible, but I don’t want to be something the princedoes to pass the time on a rainy day, okay? Hookups just don’t work for me. I always feel used and gross afterward.”
He was blushing now. “Well, this is extra embarrassing then.”
And cue me feeling like shit. “Hydris, I’m sorry. I just?—”
“I thought I’ve been courting you.”
“Pardon?”
“We had dinner.”
“Oh, well…”
“I very nearly tried to seduce you that night, but after I told you about the magic fading, you were so sad and then you wanted to leave.”
I nodded. “Yeah, that probably wouldn’t have?—”
“And I’ve been trying to think of reasons to visit you while you’re working, but during my observations?—”
Observations? He’d been watching me?
“—I found you do a lot of heavy lifting and walking, and I couldn’t think of a single thing to ask you about that. Not that your physicality isn’t terribly impressive and definitely arousing.”
That was evident by what his two hands couldn’t quite hide. “Um…”
“I did consider making an indoor garden and requesting your assistance, though. That was going to be what I tried if today didn’t work out.” He smiled like he was proud of that plan.
“Okay, well, I apologize again because… Hydris, I had no idea. And I’m sure that’s totally on me because I’m actually really bad at noticing?—”
“And that, too. You don’t call me Your Highness or Prince Hydris. You just use my name.”
“Uh, well, technically, I’m not one of your subjects?” I cocked my head as I reconsidered that. “But, no, I should probably stillbe proper and… Uh… I’m sure there’s something about etiquette in there that?—”
“Please don’t address me formally, Bridge,” he said as he fixed me with a sad gaze and pouty lip. “I’d hate that.”
“Oh.”
He walked over, cock bobbing—lord help me. I braced myself.
“And you’re not at all something to do on a rainy day,” he said very sincerely. “That’s not me either. I like you Bridge. I think you’re wonderful. I like the way you make me feel.”
I watched as he squared his shoulders and stood up straighter, somehow managing to look down his nose at me even as he looked up at me.
“There’s no law or anything that says I can’t be with whomever I wish, so we can have dates and sex and…” He seemed to falter a bit, but rallied immediately. “And whatever else we want to do together. I’m the prince. I say so.”
Fuck me, he was adorable. I didn’t want to say no to him. I really didn’t. I also didn’t want this determined, empowered Hydris to stop.
