Page 27 of Court of Secrets and Flames

“Look.” He traps my chin between his fingers. “You can pretend you’re fine all you want, but you’ve been through a lot lately. More than a lot. It’s okay to not be okay.”

A bolt of anger thunders through me. “Oh, so now you care?” Laughter erupts from my throat, hollow and bitter. “Forgive me for not being able to keep up with you. One minute, you’re turning me over to an enemy kingdom. The next, you’re telling me what we’ve shared is real. And then you act like you don’t give two flying fucks about me. Honestly, I just can’t with you.”

The concern on his face morphs into something dangerous as he stalks toward me. Something predatory. “What filthy language coming from such a pretty mouth.” He closes the distance between us. “It gives me all sorts of filthy ideas.”

My skin flushes hot, and this time, it’s not from anger.

I swallow hard and step back. “That’s not a good idea…for a lot of reasons.”

“Believe me, Duchess. I know.” He crowds me until my back hits the wall and his breath tickles my ear. “But that just makes me want to touch you more.”

My body melts at his wicked confession. “I?—”

He drags the rough pad of his thumb over my lower lip, then kisses the corner of my mouth. Then the other. Every protest, every rational thought, flees.

Except one. “Are you betrothed?”

He rears back. “What? No. Why are you asking me that?”

His surprise seems too real to be fake. “No reason.”

“If you say so.” Knox cups my cheeks and trails kisses over the hollow of my throat. Under the sensitive spot below my ear. Along my jaw. When he reaches my lips, I’m on fire.

Then he covers my mouth with his, and my lips part for him. Welcoming him. Inviting him. Beckoning him. He accepts the invitation greedily, exploring my mouth like he’s getting reacquainted after a long absence instead of less than two days.

When we’re both panting, he draws back an inch. An arrogant expression I remember from Flighthaven arches his brow. “You were saying?”

I shake my head to convey that I don’t know. Because I can’t remember. Right now, I only have room for him. He’s done nothing more than kiss me, yet I’m already powerless to resist.

He kisses me again, slower. It’s thorough and sweet and every bit as all-consuming as before. I nip at his lower lip, and a guttural noise escapes his throat.

“If you don’t want this, tell me to stop…right now.” He pants the words. “Because things are about to get a lot more real.”

Again, I shake my head.

He wraps my braid around his hand and tugs. “Say it.”

“No. I don’t want to stop.”

Giving me one more quick kiss, he steps back and leans down. With one arm around my waist and the other below my rear, he scoops me up like I weigh nothing. But instead of carrying me to my bed, he stops in front of the window.

He draws the curtains and makes quick work of undoing the buttons on my pants.

“What are you?—”

“Sit.” My pants and undergarment hit the floor as he gestures to the windowsill.

A little hesitant, I do as he commanded. “But how?—”

“No more questions. We don’t have much time.”

“O-okay.”

As I try to wrap my mind around what’s about to happen, the prince of Tirene kneels before me.

He nudges my thighs apart. “Are you wet for me?”

I gasp when the cool air hits my center. “That was a…question.”

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