Page 37 of Prince She Shouldn't Crave
‘How did you get in here without me hearing you?’
The corner of his mouth kicked up. ‘This palace has many secrets, and I know them all. Ready?’
‘Of course. But where are we going? And how?’
‘To my room,’ he said with a sly grin. ‘Follow me.’
He walked through into her bedroom. She was happy she’d made her bed and that it wasn’t a mess, though she’d brought few belongings with her, as she hadn’t known how long she’d be staying given he’d initially placed her on probation. Now sheguessed she should get more of her possessions sent from home since she was staying…
As his PR and image consultant, of course.
Gabe walked up to the wall next to her bedside table, to a panel where there was a beautiful embossed rose detail she’d admired when she’d first moved in here. He pressed, and the panel swung inwards.
‘You’re kidding,’ she said.
Gabe winked, making her toes curl. ‘Secret passageways. My sisters and I used to play in them when we were children. We were terrors, visiting each other’s rooms when we should have been sleeping. In the end my parents had the doors in our rooms barricaded with large furniture to stop us exploring. But that didn’t stop me. Many places in this palace are interconnected. How did you think I was going to get to your room?’
‘I don’t know. I was imagining all kinds of things, like a disguise or you rappelling down the side of the palace to my window.’
He chuckled. ‘No theatrics or daring, I’m afraid.’
‘This seems pretty daring to me.’
‘Up for an adventure, then?’
She nodded.
‘After you.’
He motioned with his hand and she walked through into the dark, unlit space behind her walls. He followed as she waited just inside the passageway.
‘But first,’ he said, easing her up against the wall in the semi-darkness. The rough stone cool against her back. The only light coming from her room. Gabe cupped her cheek. ‘You look so beautiful. These past few days have beentorture, unable to touch you. Kiss you.’
He dropped his lips to hers. Hard. Unforgiving. Desperate. She matched him. Slipping her hands into his hair. Holdinghim close. Never wanting to let him go, although that was just for now, not for ever. The ache at that thought fled as they reacquainted themselves with each other’s bodies. Touching. Teasing. How long they stayed there, she couldn’t say. Time lost all meaning. All she knew was that when they pulled apart, she was overheated, and they were both panting.
‘We need to go or I’ll take you up against this wall.’
‘I don’t mind the sound of that.’
Gabe chuckled and the sound echoed in the cavernous space. ‘Noted, for another time.’
He bent down and picked up something off the floor. There was a muffled click, and a beam of light from a torch illuminated the space with a cool glow. Gabe walked to the open panel in her wall and closed it shut. Shut them in.
‘Where does this lead?’ she whispered.
Gabe reached out his hand, and she took it. Threading her fingers through his. He squeezed.
‘To many places, including my apartments. It was lucky that your room connected to mine.’
They began walking, their footsteps echoing around them.
‘How do you find your way?’ Her voice was a hiss in the darkness.
‘I learned exploring as a child. There are also plans. However I have a pretty good mental map of the place.’
‘Does anyone else use these?’ she asked as they walked through. The air was a little stuffy, warm.
‘Our personal staff, rarely. Kitchen staff, when we have large functions, because there’s a passage that leads into the ballroom, but most of the time they sit unused. I still walk through if I want a shortcut. I’ve made some marks should you want to come back to your room on your own. If you want to find mine.’ He shone the torch onto the walls and Lena saw arrows in chalk. Gabe squeezed her hand again. She squeezed back.
