Page 10 of Desperately Yours

Never once had a kiss felt like sparks flying through my chest. I needed to slow down, but our relationship felt rushed. A lifetimeof not giving into these feelings paired with a future that didn’t have much hope. I pulled away, breathless, but content to watch her for a moment in the fire’s glow.

“You are so beautiful, Michaela. I’m… that is… I’m completely gone over you.” When our lips met again, her whimper sent my heart soaring, overcome by the way she unwound me. She left me absolutely desperate for her. Willing to give up anything to keep her as mine.

“Fitz,” she spoke my name against my lips, but I barely paused until she pulled away far enough to say what she needed. “How would we make this work?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I assured her. “We’ll figure it out.” With a tug, I brought her closer. I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I made you a lady, didn’t I?” I kissed her cheek again, closer to her ear. “I’ll make you Nolcovian next. I am the prince after all. Or have you forgotten again?” I found her lips again and got lost for a moment. “Whatever it takes. We’ll make it work.”

Tingles ran up my spine as her lips pulled on mine. Those promises I’d made, every moment with her in my arms, I felt her begging me to keep them. Not to let this fade away, but if only she understood how I felt when I thought I lost her. It had to be said. I had to explain what had changed.

Taking her arms, I broke our kiss, but stayed close, foreheads still pressed together as we struggled to catch our breath. “Michaela, there’s something I have to say.”

Her head lifted away from mine to stare into my eyes. “What’s going on, Fitz?”

I’d earned that flicker of distrust in her eyes. This competition was a rollercoaster, and I put more loops in than I wanted to admit. “I need you to know that I won’t make the same mistake again.”

She leaned back, pushing more space between us. “You won’t send me home at all? Is the competition over?”

I wanted to say yes, but it wouldn’t be that simple. It had to play out, and I needed the time to find a viable path. Hopefully one where my father either changed the law or I found a way to make her a citizen overnight. Which meant I needed her to agree to be a citizen, not to mention rule as a queen.

“Forget the competition for a minute.” I brushed my thumb over her cheek. “This is bigger than that.” Her lips called to me, but I forced myself to focus. “I won’t do it again, I swear.”

“Do what?”

“I won’t choose my country over love, ever again.”

“Fitz, are you saying—”

I couldn’t wait for the rest of the question. Let her feel it in my kiss. My hand dove back into her hair as I crashed against her. She met me full force, just as lost in the emotion as I was. I kissed her cheek, her jaw, beneath her ear, anything to feel her respond to my touch. Anything to know once and for all that she was mine. Every moment with her left me starving for another. I found her lips once more, like returning home after a long holiday. She gripped me with strength I didn’t expect and doubted I’d ever earned. Nothing mattered outside these walls, nothing could touch what we had built together.

My chamber doors slammed open. I pulled away from Michaela, startled by the intrusion. Bishop rushed inside, waving us apart.

“She’s coming.” He ignored me completely and immediately gripped Michaela’s arm. “You must get out of here. Queen Mariah is on the warpath and heads will roll, my dear.”

I gripped Michaela’s other arm and kept her near me. “Let her come. I’m not afraid, Cousin.”

“You should be.” He groaned. “I understand the power of a good snog, and trust me, I tried to stall as much as I could, but short of tripping her Royal Majesty in the hallway—”

“It’s fine,” Michaela interrupted him. “I’ll go.”

“Bleeding fabulous. The bird has a brain.” He tugged her arm again. “Let’s crack on then. Time is of the…” Bishop’s voice trailed off as my mother filled my open chamber doorway. “Blimey. Onto plan B, then?”

“And what’s plan B?” Michaela whispered, looking like she wanted to disappear into the couch cushions.

“I thought that one was on you.” Bishop pulled her from the couch and smiled at Mother. “Right then, I’ve found her. No worries. Right as rain.”

Mother ignored them both and kept her focus on me. She closed the door behind them as they exited. I awaited the pending storm, fearing this one might destroy us all.

“What were you thinking?”

Without much direction, I wasn’t sure which folly she was referring to.

I rose to my feet, not liking the height disparity when I kneeled on the floor. “Well, the crowd insisted I go on camera. I feel like I did the best I could, all things considered.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She breezed closer to me like a phantom on the moor. “Why did you bring her back here? And so obviously?”

“She was dizzy from the onslaught of questioning.” I left out a few reasons, but it felt good enough to me. “She needed a break.”

“But to your chambers, Leonidas? What were you thinking? Word has already spread through the palace. They’re all saying you’ve made your choice, and it’s her.”

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