Page 118 of A Legacy of the Light

My heart falls. “Oh. Where are you going?”

“Father and I need to visit Alba. Dorche attacks have increased in the surrounding villages. We need to meet with the lords there and see what they need.”

Ice runs across my body. “I hope there aren’t too many Seelie hurt?”

“We don’t know. The reports are mixed. Which is why we need to leave immediately.” He takes a step closer to me. “I didn’t want to go without talking to you.”

I tilt my head to look up at him. I can admit that I will miss him. But I’m also relieved to have a few weeks where I won’t bump into the king. After what I saw last night, I don’t think I can look at Raghnall the same way.

“Talk to me about what?”

Tavish takes another step closer to me, his leg brushing against mine. “About last night,” he begins.

“What about it?”

“You said you wanted to be friends. But I don’t think I can only be your friend. After everything that happened yesterday, I can’t go back to looking at you like a friend when I know how your lips feel against mine.” His voice is low and quiet, and he watches me closely for a reaction.

“I can’t be your friend either,” I finally admit with a whisper. “But it’s . . . complicated. What about the Seelie in the green dress?”

Tavish rolls his eyes. “She’s my father’s choice. Not mine.”

I can’t deny how Tavish makes me feel, how he sets something on fire in me with the slightest look, but I don’t see how we can navigate this. He’s a fucking prince. Do we date? That would piss off Raghnall. Do we sneak around the palace while we pretend to be nothing more than friends?

“Do you regret it?” he asks, pulling me from the whirlpool of my thoughts.

“Regret what?”

“The kiss?

His jaw ticks as he waits for my answer. I consider for a moment. After what I discovered today, I have to keep him at arm’s length. I may trust him but he is loyal to his father, who currently sits on a throne that I would be a rival for. It’s useless me continuing to say I just want to be his friend because I don’t. I have no idea how I’m going to balance getting closer to him without sharing this.

“Elsie, do you regret kissing me?” he asks, harder this time, and anticipation radiates from him.

I shake my head softly and Tavish relaxes. He reaches out and runs the back of his knuckles against my cheek.

“Good,” he says and he relaxes.

“I don’t know what this means, Tavish.”

He shrugs, dropping his hand. “Neither do I.”

We stare at each other, and the tension that followed us from the meadow sparks to life. My heart is thrumming, and I know he can hear it.

He pinches the ends of my hair that have fallen over my shoulder. “I needed you to know how I felt before I left. I’ll write as often as I can,” he whispers, never taking his eyes from mine as he twists the strands around his fingers. The gentle pull on my scalp sends prickles down my neck.

The side of my robe slips open, exposing the expanse of my leg. His eyes dip to the skin on show, and the softness that was in his gaze turns hot and heavy. His eyes track back up my body. When he looks at my mouth, his tongue dips out onto his lower lip. I remember moments of our kiss from last night, but alcohol had made my memory hazy.

I'm exhausted, drained, and emotional, but that doesn’t stop the heat pooling in my belly as Tavish stares down at me with raw desire.

He slides a hand from my wrist up to the top of my arm, watching me closely for a signal to stop. I don’t want him to. After today, I just need to get lost for a few moments in the comfort of him.

His other hand slips to my waist, each pass over my body sending an electric current racing through me. The hand that was on my arm moves to grip my other hip, his hungry eyes never leaving mine as our breathing picks up. His hold on me tightens, and he lifts me from the stool and onto the counter. I gasp and desire coils through me, sharp and wanting.

He parts my legs gently, then slides his hands from my hips to the top of my ass and pulls me to the edge of the counter so my legs are cradling his waist. Instinctively, I wrap them around him and rest my palms on his chest.

His heart races under my touch as he watches, and waits. I fist my hands in the fabric of his dark shirt and tilt my chin up.

It’s all the permission he needs, and his lips crash into mine.