“When you said you’ve never wanted my hands near you.” His voice had lowered.
“It doesn’t matter what I want.” She ducked her face away from his touch, even as her attention shifted up his leg to the hard strength of his thigh.
Under her gaze, his legs moved, inching inward. Not quite trapping her but setting her thoughts racing over what she’d do if he did.
“My guards overheard me asking to kiss you.” Energy hummed in the air between them.
Her face heated and she snatched up the bag of cashews, pouring some into her palm. “Good for them.”
“You told me later your answer was no.” It wasn’t phrased as a question, but they both knew he was asking her to admit the lie. To turn this confrontation into a stolen moment; to mend the past week with taste and touch. But a kiss would never just be a kiss with Kris. Frankie had always sensed that. Once their mouths met, they’d have no hope of parting until their bodies had blended and brought bliss itself to its knees.
“My answer isn’t yes.” She raised her palm to her mouth, cramming it full.
He rested his hands on his thighs, seeming to wait until he had her attention before slowly sliding his palms up and down the length of his quads. How . . . how did he do that? Turn a simple movement into a sex act? It was everything she could do to keep chewing she watched.
“I don’t know the difference,” he admitted.
“For the purposes of this exercise, there’s no difference. There’s nothing left between us. You can’t be friends with someone like me. You can’t be . . .” More than friends. “I work for you. I’m not high born or even adequately born—and you’re literally going to be king.”
He raised a shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Not yeah,” she said, resisting the urge to cuff him around the head. “Yes. You are.”
“Yes, I am,” he said dutifully, coming infuriatingly close to smiling.
“For the love of God.” She sat back, pressing her fingers to her temple. “This is why I didn’t tell you I was here. I knew you’d do this. I knew you wouldn’t get it. But I get it. I live in the servants’ quarters—you own the palace. I work for the crown—you’ll wear the crown. We’re incompatibility’s greatest achievement.”
He looked unfazed. “All I’m hearing is antiquated classism.”
Frankie grasped either side of her head. “I can’t do this now. I can’t think clearly enough to argue.”
“Then don’t.” Kris leaned back, withdrawing his legs, his body. “We both need to sleep.”
Groaning, she nodded.
“A full night. Deep and proper,” he said, and paused before he said, “Camping.”
She snapped her attention to him.
“Tomorrow night.” Kris rose to his feet, dropping the paper bag on the table and brushing his hands together. “You finish those.”
“Camping?” She stood and swiftly put distance between them. “That’s hardly at the top of your priority list.”
“I don’t have a priority list. Philip does. You sleep well outdoors. You’ve told me. Fresh air and silence.” He raised a shoulder. “It’s what I’m going to do. You don’t have to come.”
She took in a slow, steadying breath. “Will you go beyond the palace grounds?”
“I said camping, didn’t I?”
As his bodyguard, she’d have to go. And the glimmer in his eyes knew it.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” she muttered, pushing herself in the direction of the freestanding closet beside the bed.
“I can walk myself. It’ll be a twenty-minute round trip for you.”
“Gosh, Your Highness, how thoughtful of you to consider that after you turned up at my door uninvited in the middle of the night,” she said, and gave the closet two quick jabs to get the right-hand door to unstick. “And don’t insult me by suggesting that I take a nap instead of do my job.”
He raised a hand, palm up.
“While I’m at it, don’t ever treat Hanna like that again.” Her burgundy jeans were on top of her clothes pile. She tugged them free, shoving the closet door shut before everything else could fall out.
“I won’t.” His gaze was on her legs. Probably wondering whether she was about to change in front of him. “I shouldn’t have made her do that. I was angry.”
“Is anger an excuse?”
“No,” he said. “I’ll apologize.”
“With beer?” She snorted, holding her jeans up by the waist. “Here’s the part where you turn your back