Page 71 of Crowned

I turn back to him, and suddenly, the space between us feels too small, the air too charged. His fingers brush over mine, slow and deliberate, and then he’s lifting my hand, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

I shiver.

“Cove—”

His free hand moves to my cheek, his touch featherlight, as if giving me the chance to pull away. I don’t.

His lips graze mine, a whisper of a kiss, testing, waiting. But I don’t want gentle, not tonight.

I fist my hand in his shirt and pull him in, andthenhe kisses me properly – deep and unhurried, like we have all the time in the world. Like he wants to memorise me.

His tongue sweeps against mine, coaxing, teasing, and I melt into him, my fingers sliding into his hair. He groans softly, tilting me back against the blanket, his body half over mine, his warmth seeping into me.

The stars burn above us, but right now, the only thing I can feel is him.

As Cove deepens the kiss, I feel something inside me loosen, unravel, like a knot I hadn’t realised was choking me. It’s not just the way he touches me – it’s the way heseesme, how he always seems to know what I need before I do. He always has.

I didn’t realise how much I’d been missing this. How much I’d been missinghim.

I remember the last time we made out on the beach beneath a meteor shower, the sky alive with falling stars. I can easily recall the way he traced the lines of my face with his fingertips, how he whispered that I was more breathtaking than the night sky. I’d felt untouchable then, wrapped in something rare and infinite.

But since then, so much has changed. Not Cove though, he’s always been my constant. My guiding light. My North Star.

I’ve been fighting, breaking, rebuilding, carrying the weight of everything on my shoulders. I’d convinced myself I had to bear it alone, but of course I don’t. They’ve more than proved they’re here to support me. But here, now, with Cove’s lips against mine, his body warm and solid above me, I realise how wrong I was.

I need this.

Not just the kiss, not just the heat between us, but him. His steadiness. His quiet understanding. The way he’s always there, even when I don’t ask him to be.

I break the kiss just enough to rest my forehead against his, my breath shaky. “I didn’t know how much I needed this.”

Cove cups my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin. His blue eyes search mine, soft and knowing. “I did.”

A lump rises in my throat. He’s always known. Always understood me in ways I struggle to understand myself.

I exhale a quiet laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. “You’re insufferable.”

His grin is quick and teasing. “And yet, you keep kissing me.”

I shake my head, but he swallows my retort with another kiss, this one slower, deeper, filled with everything I don’t have the words to say. And for tonight – for this moment under the stars – that’s enough.

Tonight the air is crisp, carrying the scent of the salty ocean. While last night was balmy, almost heady when Cove and I enjoyed our picnic, tonight is cooler. Vance walks beside me, his presence as steady and grounding as ever. The palace grounds stretch out around us, lanterns casting a warm golden glow, but it’s the darkness beyond that draws us in.

“Where are we going?” I ask, glancing at him.

His lips curve into a soft smirk. “Somewhere quiet.”

I arch a brow. “That’s not ominous at all.”

He chuckles, shaking his head as he leads me down a narrow garden path. The sound of the ocean grows louder, waves crashing against the cliffs below, and the cool breeze stirs my hair. “You’ll like it. Trust me.”

I do. Even after everything, Ido.

The path opens up to a secluded terrace carved into the cliffside. A single table is set for two beneath the stars, the flickering glow of a few enchanted lanterns casting golden light over plates of fresh fruit, honey-drizzled pastries, and a chilled bottle of juice. It’s simple, unpretentious – but unmistakablyhim.

Warmth spreads through my chest. “You planned this?”

Vance leans against the stone railing, watching me closely. “We never got to finish our last date.”

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