Page 27 of The Prince from a Cruel Summer
His bright smile muddles my brain. “Still not a no.” His lips brush mine, and my throat bobs.
Our breaths grow even shallower as we remain locked in place for an absurdly long minute, studying each other, him waiting for an unequivocalyesto kiss me, and me unable to buy my freedom with a lie.
“This is madness. I’m engaged to Zeke and you’re… You should go.”
The name makes Aidan cringe, and he draws back an inch. “Do you love him? I have to know,” he rasps. “If that’s why you’re holding back, Ineedto know.”
“Are you always this brazen? Or is it just because you know I’m doomed the second you tell someone about what we did? Is this how the oh-so-great Crown Prince of the Summerlands gets girls into his bed—through blackmail?”
“What— Blackmail?” he scoffs, his jaw slightly opened in outrage. “I could get any girl I want without blackmail. And I would never tellanyoneabout tonight.”
“Then tell me. Why are you here with me and not frolicking with… bosomed twins like your friend?”
“You answer my question, and I’ll answer yours.”
I tip my chin up. “You go first.”
“Alright,” he concedes.
The invigorating spark of victory is short-lived as Aidan braces both forearms against the wall on either side of my face and slides one knee between mine, no longer playing chicken. The feel of his strong thigh pinning me in place is absolutely scandalous, and my lids flutter.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. One look at you, and I was fucking hard for you. When you sang, I wanted to tear my heart out and lay it down at your feet. One kiss, and I knew you had to be mine.” He presses his lips to my ear. “I want you, and since I’m theoh-so-greatCrown Prince, as you say, I’m used to getting what I want.”
My will falters, along with any last shred of common sense. I press my hand to his chest to hold him off, not quite able to push hard enough to mean it. A whimper of indecision bubbles from my lungs as I scrape my nails along his pecs. “You’re spoiled and unreasonable.”
Don’t you dare give in, moth.
He’s fucking perfect.
He’s going to burn you.
Let him. It’s only one night. No one has to know.
“A deal is a deal. You owe me an answer,” Aidan purrs.
“No, I don’t love him,” I finally growl. “I don’t even like him.”
His chest heaves in relief as he kisses my temple. “Now, was that so hard?” He cups the side of my face and angles my gaze to his. “It’s been a long night for you, so I’ll let you mull this over, but you’ll be mine, Songbird. Of that, I’m absolutely sure.”
Beautiful, sexy bastard.
He jumps over the bed, and a vine creeps to open the window, clearing his path.
Aidan Summers saunters out of my room through the window with a mischievous, “Nighty night,” and my entire body shudders in response, as if his voice is now the rope and pulley to some deep well of lust inside me.
I wrap my arms around my body, suddenly so cold my teeth chatter, and hurry to the window.
Aidan lands with villainous grace three stories below and throws me a wink over his shoulder. A part of me cries out in regret to see him leave, and my hands shake as I secure the window hook into place.
By Thanatos.I sink to the floor and hug my knees, biting my bottom lip so hard I draw blood. The steely taste of it barely dulls the warmth in my belly.
That boy is either the only exception to the Fae can’t lie rule, or barking mad. Me, the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen? It’s ludicrous.
But a dumb, infuriating grin breaks through my shock and awe as I muffle a nervous giggle with the heel of my hand. He might only be into me because he can’t have me, but I can’t pretend he’s not the sexiest man alive. His confident yet boyish attitude mollified my resistance, and I force myself to look away from the bed to avoid picturing what could have happened if I had dared to indulge the spark of madness he’s ignited in me instead of snuffing it out.
My cheeks burn as I flee to the common room to pour myself a glass of water from the pitcher in the pantry. I lean against the counter, willing my heartbeat to slow down.
A loud knock at the door of the apartment whips it back into a frenzy as water spills everywhere on the front of my flannel shirt. I curse under my breath and grab a towel to pat myself dry, absentmindedly heading for the door.
