Page 94 of Kiss of Ice

“Stop being such a fucking idiot!” His eyebrows shot up but she didn’t stop. “All those reasons for marriage meannothingif you’re dead. I won’t be the cause of it, Kam, I won’t. If you insist on this stupid charade I’ll run away again. And if you find me and drag me down the aisle I’ll scream blue murder every step of the way until your ears bleed and you want to throw me out of the palace yourself.”

“Are you finished?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said? My father wants to kill you!”

Kam looked at her furious face, his mind a whirl of emotion. Could he tell her the truth? That he had feelings for her? And what if he admitted his weakness and shestillrejected him?

“I need you to trust me,” he said at last. “Can you do that? You said we were becoming friends. Then as myfriend, will you please believe that I know what I’m doing?”

She glared at him in frustration. Why couldn’t he see the danger he was putting himself in? Why was he insisting on this?

“You can’t stop me withdrawing my consent.”

He cupped her face between his hands.

“Please, Ren,” he said huskily. “Please marry me.”

Gods.Her knees went weak as she met his eyes. Green fire flashed through them. And suddenly she couldn’t move, couldn’t think, as his mouth descended onto hers.

He kissed her with a languid intensity that sent tendrils of warmth spreading through her belly. The touch of his lips stole her breath and seared her soul.

She shivered as he explored her mouth, the sweet invasion of his tongue leaving her helpless until he’d had his fill. He turned his attention to her neck and kissed his way down to the pulse at the hollow of her throat.

“Be my bride, my Lady,” he murmured, as he nipped at her skin. “Be my Empress.”

“Are you trying…” she caught her breath as his mouth traversed her collarbone, “…are you trying to seduce me into marriage?”

“Is it working?”

His fingers traced the outline of a nipple beneath her dress. It hardened to a peak and he pinched it teasingly.

Seven hells.She leaned against him, mortified that he could so easily turn her into a quivering wreck, yet desperate for more.

She threaded her hands through his hair and pulled his mouth to hers once again, wanting to taste him, to inhale him. He ravished her with lips and tongue, her delicious softness making him rampantly hard. He slid his hands around her waist and crushed her to him.

White hot agony tore through her ribs. He felt her posture change, felt her jerk in his arms.

“Ren, what’s the matter?”

“Let go, Kam. Let go of me.”

Confused, he released her at once. She moved out of his embrace, jaw tight with the effort of disguising her pain.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Let him think that. It served no purpose to tell him her own father had hurt her. But exhaustion swept over her and she could no longer summon the will to fight him.

“You don’t need to waste any more energy, your Majesty. I’ll marry you.”

He didn’t know how to respond. Part of him was thankful, relieved that she’d changed her mind. The other part was furious with himself. She was upset. He shouldn’t have been so forceful.

Tell her how you feel.

He opened his mouth then shut it again. He couldn’t. He couldn’t take the risk.

“I’ll have Zelen bring the wedding plan to you so you can see what’s expected of you tomorrow.”Gods, you’re making it sound like a business event.He cleared his throat. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Can you have someone find Ruth for me? I haven’t seen her today.”

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