Page 35 of Downfall of a Princess

“Oh. Yeah, I have some.” I touched the side of my nose.

“They’re tiny. And only on your nose and here.” He tapped the top of my cheek with the tip of his finger. “Hard to see, especially from a distance, but very pretty.”

And now, I was blushing like a schoolgirl. What was it about this man that kicked me off-kilter so easily? I constantly had to remind myself of reality to keep my mind from floating off in a bubble filled with nothing but thoughts and sensations of him.

I dropped my gaze, and it landed on his bare chest. Once again, it amazed me just how smooth it was. His skin almost looked shiny, but the ruddy undertone was now gone.

“You’re not naturally this hairless, are you?” I asked.

“Oh, this?” He chuckled, running a hand over his chest. “That would be the one thing I could’ve done without yesterday—them ripping out all the hair on my chest.” He winced.

“Why would they do that?”

He rolled his head on the pillow. “They must’ve been under the impression you prefer bare-chested men.”

“I really don’t care either way.” I hadn’t interacted with men enough to form any preferences of that sort.

I placed a hand on his chest in the opening of his robe. His smooth skin felt warm and soft after the oils they had rubbed into it yesterday. He didn’t seem to mind my hand, letting it rest on his chest comfortably.

“Did you have a lot of chest hair before?” I asked.

He jerked up an eyebrow, humor shining brightly in his eyes. “Like a bear hide.”

I snorted a laugh. “It’s a shame I never got to see it. Did it hurt to remove it?

“Like a son of a mutt.”

I gasped. I never heard a man in Rorrim swear before. The fine gentlemen of the palace wouldn’t utter such vulgar words probably even in their thoughts.

“Where are your manners, Mister Salas?” I teased, leaning closer. The movement made my hand slide under his robe.

“If you wanted fine manners, my princess,” he matched my tone, “you shouldn’t have picked your date from slaves’ barracks.”

His face was turned up to me as I leaned over him. My thigh pressed to his side. My hand remained on his body under his robe. Surprisingly, I wished to stay right where I was, close to him like that.

“I think I found exactly what I needed,” I replied softly.

His expression turned serious, any hint of a smile was instantly gone. He rose on his elbow toward me but stopped before his lips had a chance to touch mine.

“Give me a sign, Princess,” he exhaled, the sweet scent of lilies from my teeth cleaning powder still fresh on his breath. “If you’re ready, give me a sign.”

“A sign?”

“A look, a touch, a gesture. Anything. I need to know. I’d love to kiss you right now, but I don’t want to frighten you.”

If he just went ahead and kissed me, I didn’t think I’d stop him. But I couldn’t bring myself to take that first step, and he wouldn’t do it for me, letting me move at my own pace.

I removed my hand from his chest and sat back quietly.

“Sorry. I... I can’t.” I looked at him in desperation, feeling deflated. “Something must be wrong with me.”

He sat up next to me.

“There is not a single fucking thing wrong with you, Princess,” he said with firm conviction. “Don’t ever think that. Besides, kisses aren’t necessary for either pleasure or procreation. Trust me, you can very well manage without them.”

“Really?” I tilted my head, pondering it for a moment. “Interesting. So, you don’t like kissing?”

“It depends.”

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