Page 17 of Learning to Rule

Elodie throws the ball of snow she’s made up into the air and then catches it. She goes to throw it again, but this time, she sends it straight for me, and it disintegrates in the middle of my chest. Elodie laughs and bends down to retrieve more snow. I do the same, gathering a large ball. We both throw them at the same time. Hers lands on my shoulder while mine lands on her back when she turns away at the last second. We carry on in this way for a few more minutes, balls of snow flying around everywhere and smashing into trees or us. Both of us are laughing out loud. Smiles adorning our faces as we chase around after each other.

I’ve never felt so free and happy.

I can forget for a few minutes that I’m the prince of this country. Instead, I’m just a man who’s desperately in love with the woman I’m chasing.

Elodie manages to throw another snowball that hits me in the face. I stagger back, and she gasps. A mischievous thought crosses my mind, and I fall to the ground not moving.

“Dalton!”

Elodie skids to my side in the snow. I don’t move at first, then suddenly, I grab her and roll her over on the frozen ground. We tumble for a little while, soaking our clothes in the snow. The laughter continues as Elodie berates me for making her worry.

Eventually we stop, and I lie on my back in the snow next to Elodie.

“Let’s make snow angels.” I move my arms out to my side.

“What?” Elodie asks confused.

“Snow angels? You’ve never made them?” I can’t believe she doesn’t know what they are.

“I live in Florida. We don’t exactly get much snow there.” Elodie raises an eyebrow at me.

“Sand angels, have you ever made one of them?” I’m not entirely sure if they are a thing, but I suspect they could be. It’s the same sort of process. Arms out and wave them. It’ll produce a similar result in snow or sand.

“Oh my God, yes, I know what you mean.” Elodie puts her hands out at her sides and waves them. We both make our angels then stand up to look at them. Elodie pulls her phone out of her pocket again and takes a quick picture of them. “They look fantastic.”

I pull Elodie to me and press a kiss to her cold lips. “I think we better get back inside. I don’t want you getting too cold. I know you’re used to temperatures a lot hotter than this.”

“I like the sound of that. I want the whole picture postcard for the next few hours: hot chocolate, blankets, and a roaring fire. Plus, a naked prince making love to me.”

I grab Elodie by the hand, my cock stirring excitedly in my pants.

“Hurry up. No time to waste.”

Nine

Elodie

The warm fire crackles next to me, it’s dancing flames drawing me into the comforting heat and taking away the chill of the snowball fight. When I glance out of the window, the snow is falling heavily again. I’m lying naked on numerous woolen blankets on the floor. One is wrapped around me. Dalton lies next to me, covered in his own blanket and with a cup of hot chocolate in his hand. It’s full of marshmallows and whipped cream.

I flick my tongue out and swipe a taste of the cream.

“Delectable.” I lick around my lips to make sure I’ve got all of the deliciousness.

“You missed a bit.” Dalton dips his finger into the cream and dabs it onto the end of my nose. I squeal with delight and then swipe it off with my finger before popping it in my mouth.

“Hot chocolate with cream definitely tastes better on a cold winter’s afternoon by a warm fire in Janastria, than it does in an air-conditioned room after a humid day on the beach in Florida.”

“I suspect it does.” Dalton laughs. It’s deep and sends a thrill of lust through my body. “I’ve thought of an even better way of enjoying it.”

I watch as he places the hot chocolate safely out of the way on a table and then starts to unwrap the blanket I’m covered in, leaving me naked before him. My nipples pebble at the hit of cold, but then desire and the warmth of the room take over. Dalton reaches for the hot chocolate, and scooping out some of the cream with his finger, he then trails it around my nipples before leaning over me and sucking it off.

I lie back, moaning at the sensation of his dexterous tongue circling my breast. My breath quickens, and I grip tightly to the blankets beneath me.

“Can we stay here forever?” I purr.

“We’ll stay here for as long as I can manage.” Dalton takes more cream and traces a path from my breasts down to the cleft between my thighs. He follows it with his tongue. My legs part, allowing him better access to where I’m desperate for him to turn his attention.

I writhe in bliss as Dalton explores my body. After the last few days of stress, I’m finally glad to be enjoying myself. This part of Junastria is more beautiful than the location of the royal palace. It’s also more relaxing. Dalton and I can be ourselves here.

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