Page 76 of Prince Material
A deep breath, a flash of panic in his eyes, and then, “Yes.”
I kissed him softly on his lips. “Thank you.”
“I love you,” he said quietly, like he was still getting used to the words. “I really do.”
“Good.” I grinned, pulling him closer. “Because I flew across an ocean to hear you say that in person, and it would’ve been really awkward if you’d changed your mind.”
That startled a laugh out of him. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You love it.”
“God help me, I do.” His fingers played with the hair at the nape of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “But what about your family? Weren’t they upset you left so soon after arriving?”
I shrugged. “My dad was a little perturbed.” I was quite proud of learning that new word. “But my mom understood and my brother helped me book the ticket.”
“She did?”
I brushed another wayward curl from his forehead, unable to stop touching him now that I could. “They can’t wait to meet you, by the way. My mom’s already planning a welcome meal for you so you can try some classic Dutch food, and my dad wants totalk water management with you. Though he might be disappointed you’re not into football. Erm, soccer.”
“That’s…” He swallowed visibly. “Terrifying.”
“They’ll love you.” I pulled him closer, breathing in his familiar scent. “How could they not?”
He buried his face in my neck, his arms tightening around me. “I missed you so much,” he whispered. “Is that crazy? It’s only been a few days.”
“If it’s crazy, then I’m crazy too.” I pressed a kiss to his temple. “I couldn’t focus on anything at home. Kept thinking about you, wondering what you were doing, if you were okay after everything with your uncle…”
“I’m better now.” He lifted his head to meet my eyes. “Much better.”
The way he looked at me, like I was something precious and wonderful, made my heart skip. I kissed him then, unable to help myself. He melted into it, and for several long moments, the world narrowed to this, to us: the warmth of his lips, the way his hands slid into my hair, the soft sound he made when I pulled him closer.
But then my exhaustion hit, and I yawned in the middle of the kiss, making Orson giggle.
“Sorry,” I mumbled against his lips. “Long day.”
“When did you last sleep properly?” His hands moved to frame my face, thumbs brushing my cheekbones. Those engineer’s eyes were analyzing me now, probably calculating my exact level of exhaustion based on some complex formula.
“Uh…” I tried to remember. “I got a nap on the plane?”
He shook his head, fond exasperation written across his features. “Come on.” He tugged me toward his bed. “You need rest.”
“But I just got here,” I protested, even as another yawn escaped. “I want to spend time with you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He pushed me gently onto the bed, then bent to untie my shoes. “And you’ll be much better company after some sleep.”
I watched him, my heart so full, it felt like it might burst. This careful attention to detail, this way he had of taking care of me without making a big deal of it—it was so perfectly, uniquely Orson.
“Will you stay?” I caught his hand as he straightened up. “Lie here with me for a while?”
His expression softened. “Of course.”
We arranged ourselves on his narrow bed, me on my back with Orson curled against my side, his head on my chest. One of his hands played absently with the buttons on my shirt while I ran my fingers through his wild curls.
“This is nice,” I murmured, already feeling sleep tugging at me. “Missed this.”
I felt rather than saw his smile. “Me too.”
“Love you,” I managed through another yawn. “So much.”
