Page 71 of Royal Rising

I can’t forget that. But somehow, it’s not the most important thing right now. “Maybe?”

Oh, that smile. Sly, flirtatious, cocky… My stomach does a 180 flip. “You don’t sound too sure.”

I laugh nervously, because yes, I’m nervous. I’ve had sixteen years of wondering about it, but when the moment is finally here, I have no idea if reality is going to measure up. “Kalle, you can’t expect… Where is this all coming from?”

There’s a moment as Kalle is staring at me and I think… wow. Maybe. Maybe this can happen, and I lean in just a bit.

“I’m not kissing you now.” And Kalle sits up, stands up, moving away from me. Across the bed away from me.

“Ah… You’re not?”

“No. Not now, with morning breath and you looking like you’re ready to fall over with shock. No, I’m going to take you out and kiss you when the moment is right.”

And then he smirks and walks out of my bedroom.

“The moment was right, Kalle,” I call after him.

22

Kalle

So I did that.

I don’t know what’s worse: I’m freaking out because I finally said something to Edie, but at the same time I’m kicking myself that I didn’t kiss her.

I should have kissed her.

She was right—it was the perfect time, only we were already in her bed and if I kissed her, we might have stayed there a lot longer

We probably would have. Definitely.

I would have wanted to, and that would have rushed it.

Edie shouldn’t be rushed. I’ve waited sixteen years for this and it needs to be perfect.

If this is what she wants.

What if she doesn’t?

I’m not going there.

When I escape to the washroom, I find my pants are still damp but I pull them on anyway. I don’t bother with the shirt because it’s no problem running across the alley bare-chested.

Edie catches me when I’m at the door, holding the sweatshirt I left in the washroom. “You can’t leave.”

“Sweetheart, I don’t think it’s a good idea if I stay.”

I see the moment Edie realizes what I mean. “Oh. Ah. I just meant you can’t leave like that.” She reaches out like she wants to touch my chest, just like the Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter moment in the Captain America movie.

Maybe it’s childish, but I can’t help puffing a little with pride. “What’s wrong with this?”

Edie rolls her eyes. “If you walk out of here without a shirt,someonewill see and take a picture and I don’t especially think it’sthe right momentto deal with that, do you?”

I laugh, and she goes ahead and rests her hand against my chest before pushing the sweatshirt back at me. “There’s nothing wrong about this, by the way,” she says with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Good to know.” I pause with my hand on the door handle, and look down on her. So sweet and sleep-rumpled, brown eyes shining and those full lips—

I need to leave. But still, I hesitate. “Will this be okay?”

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