His deep chuckle cuts me off. “God, you’re stunning.” Rough fingers have never felt so gentle against my skin as he brushes a strand of wet hair out of my eyes. “But so damn stubborn.”
I can’t do this anymore. I can’t not give in to the temptation that is him. I’m suddenly unable to think of a single reason why I’m fighting this, why I shouldn’t close the gap between us right now. I want to—
His lips meet mine.
Barely.
It’s the whisper of a kiss, a promise of passion. And yet, I nearly melt at the contact. His hand is cupping my face, thumb stroking my cheekbone and then—
Nothing.
He pulls back.
I nearly gasp, wanting to grab him, pull him closer, press my lips to his. And I’m about to do just that when I suddenly remember a time when our roles were reversed. When I was the one teasing him with touches.
Now I understand exactly how affected Kai was by the lack of my touch during our game of archery and distraction. The feel of something and then nothing is a cruel thing to bestow upon someone, and he’s left me burning because of it.
His other hand has found its way around my waist under his large jacket, and the heat of his palm through my corset is a brand. He tilts his head, studying me with a small smile.
He knows exactly what he’s doing.
And yet, he’s taking me in as though he doesn’t want to rush this moment. His thumb has found my bottom lip where it’s now trailing lazily, igniting a fire inside of me.
“You promised that I could touch you when I was sober.”
My breath hitches and the corner of his lips twitch in response. I was not expecting him to say that. I was not even expecting him to remember my hasty promise from the last ball.
He ducks his head, his mouth suddenly a breath away from mine once more. “But I’m never sober around you, Pae. Never not drunk on every detail that is you.”
I’m speechless. Utterly speechless that this boy could feel so much.
Feel so much for me.
“If I kiss you—really kiss you, like how I’ve wanted to, how I’ve waited to—should I expect a dagger at my throat?” His voice is rough, his gaze greedy.
And then I reach up slowly and flick the tip of his nose.
This time, I do take a moment to memorize the smile he gives me.
“I guess you’ll have to kiss me to find out.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
Kai
She flicked my nose. I never knew a heart could feel so much, could be so affected by the flick of a finger.
“I guess you’ll have to kiss me to find out.”
Oh, and I plan on doing just that.
I’ve barely been able to hold myself back from wanting to hold her.
She’s so beautiful I can hardly believe it, hardly breathe. Her soul is stunning. Her very being is bright and bold and so unbelievably better than I am. She is a good beyond my grasp, one that I am not worthy of glimpsing let alone grabbing hold of.
And yet, here she is despite that. Choosing me.
It’s a privilege to look into those eyes, to drown in the essence that is her.
Because everything about her is too right and everything about me is too wrong. But I’m selfish. I take what I want, and what I want might just want me for once.
My jacket is still slung over her shoulders, and the rain is rolling down her face, her hair, clinging to her long lashes and dripping makeup. Beads of water join the light freckles dusting her nose, all twenty-eight of them. The steady stream of rain is slapping the cobblestone at our feet, soaking us to the bone.
“I’ll take my chances,” I murmur as my fingers catch her chin, tilting her face up towards mine. Her mouth is pulled into a soft smile that only draws my lips closer to hers.
She doesn’t pull away.
Perhaps the beast can earn the beauty after all.
Her eyes flutter shut against the rain still relentlessly falling on us, and I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more beautiful moment. “My pretty Pae, what have you done to me?” I murmur, my nose brushing hers.
Is this what it feels like to truly feel?
Closer.
The sparks between us are almost tangible, snaking their way up my body and shocking me.
Closer.
Our lips brush.
“Your Highness.”
I halt.
Then I sigh against her lips, making her shudder.
I pull back, barely, just enough to look between her eyes and the mouth I had every intention of lazily exploring.
I don’t even acknowledge the Imperial that dared to distract me from her. My eyes are pinned on Paedyn, my voice deceptively calm as I say, “I hope whatever you have to say is worth losing your tongue over for interrupting us.”
The see the Imperial shift on his feet out of the corner of my eye, equally uncomfortable and concerned. “Sir, um, you are, uh—”
Paedyn looks like she wants to stab him, and I’m considering letting her do just that. Still not deeming him worthy enough to look at, I speak towards Pae as I say to the Imperial, “Spit it out before I make you. Or before I let the lady do the honors.”
Her lips twitch and the action has me losing control, has me pulling her face towards mine, completely ignoring the gawking guard.
“It’s the king,” the Imperial blurts, no doubt knowing he won’t be able to get my attention again once my mouth has met hers. “It’s urgent.”
It was not, in fact, urgent.
And I am, in fact, seriously contemplating carving out that Imperial’s tongue because of it.
Even though I know he’s not to blame, I need to take my anger out on someone, and that can’t exactly be my father.
“I don’t need you to babysit me,” I sigh, not bothering to conceal my annoyance.
“Then stop acting like a child and maybe I’ll stop treating you like one.” Father’s gaze is piercing, pinning me to the spot. Memories of when I was a boy come flooding back, memories of those stern eyes watching as I endured test after test. Watching as he forced me to torture someone for the first time, forced me to fight him.
A cold laugh climbs up my throat only to be lost in the sound of music and chatter filling the ballroom. “This is bullshit.”
“No, it’s necessary.” His voice rises, causing guests to quickly turn in the other direction, avoiding the temperamental king. “What’s bullshit is that my people just watched their prince, their future Enforcer, race off the dance floor after a Slummer.” He spits the word like the taste of it disgusts him.
“How quickly you have forgotten that Slummers are also your people, Father. My people,” I fire back, fists clenched at my sides, so I don’t do something I’ll regret.
But I certainly don’t regret running after her.
He faces me fully, his chest rising and falling with anger, promising punishment. If I were about five years younger and five inches shorter, this look might have frightened me. But not anymore.