Page 69 of The Rejected King
“Ourbook?” she questioned.
“Well, our book club’s book.”
She bit back a smile, trying to play it cool despite her racing heart. “I didn’t know we had a book club.”
Davin straightened. “Yes, it’s a very private club. It involves you...and well, me...and that’s it.”
“I see.” Emree nodded.
“Which brings me to the reason I came.” Davin reached behind him to his back pocket, pulling out a new book—not brand new—she could tell by the torn edges and faded paper that it had come from before Desolation. He held it up for Emree to see. “This is your next book club read.”
She dropped her chin, reading the title. “The Count of Monte Cristo?”
“Yes. It’s pretty long, so you might want to get started soon. I think you’ll love it, though.” He placed the book in Emree’s hands.
“This?”
“The book follows my pattern of disturbing and emotional reads.” Davin’s eyes spread wide, and he pointed to her store sign. “Maybe that’s what your shop stands for. Disturbing and Emotional Book Exchange.”
Emree looked down at the book then back up at him, ignoring his joke. “Thisis what you came for?”
Davin’s eyes glimmered. “Were you expecting more from my visit?”
“No.” She scratched her ear. “I’m not expecting anything. But I think you should know, I didn’t choose to leave.” She didn’t know how much Davin knew or how much she should say. She didn’t want to cause a problem between him and Queen Arillia, but she needed Davin to hear the truth. “I never would have left you.”
He stepped closer, grabbing her free hand. His touch was warm, sending sparks through her chest.
“I know and I am sorry that my mother did that to you. Rest assured, from here on out, she’s on your side.Ourside.”
Emree bit her lip, grateful he and his mother had worked things out. If Davin could get over it and forgive, then Emree could too.
“I would have come for you sooner, but it took some time to figure out where you were and then I couldn’t just up and leave right before the election.” He cupped her cheek. “But you were always on my mind.”
Emree melted into the warmth of his hand.
“I won the revote,” he said.
“I did hear that.”
“My approval rating is above fifty percent. Apparently, the working class liked my choice of queen.”
Her breath escaped her.His choice of queen.Emree couldn’t even wrap her mind around being the queen of Enderlin and everything that came with that. Right now, all she could focus on was the fact that Davin was in front of her.
His hand slid behind her back, pulling her to him. The books in her arm smashed between them, and her other hand went to his chest. His muscles rippled under her fingers, and his pounding heart thumped against her skin, connecting their energy into one.
Everything faded away around them as they stared at each other. There were probably a hundred things to say, a hundred things to clear up, but Emree was lost in Davin’s eyes and the love that shone through.
His head eased toward hers, and her breath stilled. Was he going to kiss her? The notion seemed crazy since twenty minutes ago, Emree had been alone in her book shop, pretending like she didn’t miss Davin every second of every day. She watched his every move, anticipating the moment when his lips would be on hers. His mouth moved closer, lightly brushing against hers. Electricity spilled between them with each soft skim and pull of their lips. His movements were slow, endearing, creating a massive swoop inside her stomach.
He pulled away, looking her in the eyes. “I love you,” he whispered between his heavy breaths. “I think I’ve loved you from the moment you curled up next to me in bed at the Morreck Inn. You were just a dream girl then, but now you’re what my dreams are made of.”
Emree smiled. If someone had told her a few months ago that real life and real love could be better than the fairy tales she had read her whole life, she wouldn’t have believed them. But Davin was better than anything written in a story, better than anything she could have dreamed up.
He reached into his front pocket. “So, I have this ring.” He held a gold diamond ring out in front of her—Emily Jakes’s ring.
Emree raised a brow. “Do you always carry pre-Desolation artifacts around with you?”
“Not always.” He smirked. “Only on special occasions.” He swallowed hard, twisting the ring around in his fingers. “I think I made it pretty clear in front of everyone at the Promenade ball that I wanted to marry you. I was all confident and determined that night.” He shifted his weight. “For some reason, standing in front of you now, I’m a nervous wreck.”
