Page 63 of How To Please A Princely Fae

That surprises me. “What?”

“Oh, absolutely. The minute those bastards showed up and demanded a bride from your coven. I was ready to do whatever it took to make sure that you wouldn’t run to one of them for the sake of your town. Selfish, like I said.” He huffs a laugh, the warm air sending lightning through my spine. “You weremine, and if I had half a chance to explain how I felt to you, to apologize for being a royal thorn in the ass?—”

I laugh at that, and he pulls away to smile at me.

“I looked for you that night. Then I woke up in your bed, with not a clue of anything but the knowledge that you were mine.”

“I never figured out how I cast that spell.” It comes out like a guilt-stained confession.

“Oh, I did. Today. When I went to the greenhouse for extra herbs.”

My jaw drops. “Well, aren’t you full of secrets.”

“I’m fairly certain that is the last of my secrets.”

“Tell me,” I prod, shaking him—or trying to, but he’s immovable and just laughs at my attempt.

“That flower, you know the one you were so worried about not blooming? It bloomed that night. It’s been open, until today. Today, it’s wilted and ready to be pruned.”

“The xëchno plant,” I say breathlessly. “Fascinating.”

“Dangerous, really.” He presses a kiss against my lips.

“The implications of a plant that casts spells without the will of a witch is… a terrifying prospect.”

“Oh, it had will attached to it.” He kisses the tip of my nose, each of my cheeks.

“What?”

“I wished for you. I wished you were mine.” He grins against my mouth. “It was my will that made it all happen. Green magic, yes, but not yours.”

My heart feels light enough to float away.

“I never stopped wishing for you either,” I tell him, and it’s my turn to kiss him.

His mouth slants over mine, his hand going to my hair. I want to touch him all at once. I want to run my hands across the delicious body I’ve been lusting over.

When we break apart, we’re both short of breath. Kieran’s eyes are dilated, and when I press my hips closer to him, we both moan at the sensation.

“I have no reason not to do exactly as I please with you now,” I murmur.

“I live to serve,” he says seriously, and then grins when I laugh.

“Take me to bed, my mate.”

It’s the first time I’ve called him that, and for a second, my heart refuses to beat, so nervous at what he’ll say to it.

I shouldn’t be.

He kisses me again, thoroughly, sweetly, like it means something. Like I mean something to him.

Because it does.

Because I am.

The kiss turns fierce, and needy. My teeth scrape against his lower lip, and Kieran lets out a growl.

Agrowl.

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