Page 68 of Royal Rising

I want to know if his kisses are soft and gentle, or if he’s demanding.

I think Kalle would be demanding.

I want to know how he tastes.

“Yeah?”

That’s all? That’s all he has to say?

But no— “Me too,” he admits. “Last night.”

I swallow, thrown by his honesty. I only managed a nod, but here he is with his truth-telling. “You wanted to kiss me last night?”

“Most nights,” he says with a rueful grin. “Pretty much since I’ve known you.”

I sit up because I can’t comprehend what he’s telling me while I’m lying down. “You can’t say that.”

He sits up as well, the blanket pooling around his hips and leaving his chest gloriously, beautifully bare. “It’s the truth.” His voice is gruff but his gaze, when I meet it, is soft.

How can women not melt under that gaze?

“It sounds like you’ve always wanted to kiss me.” My voice is shaky, unsteady but Kalle only shrugs. It might be the most infuriating thing I have ever seen, this morning or ever. “Why didn’t you, then?” I cry.

Ernie is off the bed like a shot and even Kalle seems surprised at the ferocity of my words.

“I’d mess it up,” he says.

“The kiss?”

“I don’t mess those up, sweetheart.”

The air around us heightens, stretches. The way Kalle looks at me is how I’ve always wanted him to look at me but I stilldon’t know.I don’t know what he wants, what he means, what he’s trying to say.

He’s saying that he’s always wanted to kiss me—but how is that possible when that’s allI’veever wanted?

And why didn’t he? That’s… that’s what I really don’t understand, because this is Kalle Erickson, Prince of Laandia, and he’s kisseda lotof girls. Women.

Women other than me.

“Have you ever wanted to try?” I’ve never heard Kalle’s voice like that—soft, shy. Hesitant. Kalle jumps in with both feet and figures things out when he lands.

I don’t understand why he’s never done that with me… if he wanted to. “Try…?” I think I know what he means, from the expression on his face, but I don’t know for sure.

I don’t know anything right now.

I know I’m not a fairytale princess. I’m just regular Edie England, daughter of the man who cuts the castle lawns.

The royal family is held in high esteem in Laandia; they are the monarchy that rules the country. King Magnus has held the throne for over thirty years and does a great job of it.

Someday Kalle will be king.

Whoever his wife is will be queen.

I’ve never once, in all our years of friendship, regardless of my mother’s irrational daydreams, considered myself to be in the running for that. To be queen of Laandia.

It’s laughable.

But yes, I’ll admit, I have thought about Kalle like that over the years; that our friendship is so important, but what if there were more between us? What would that be like?

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