Lone Prince (Royally Unexpected #7) - Lilian Monroe Page 0,30
across her face, I’m pretty sure she’s part goddess.
“Wait until we really get going.” I grin. Her hand grips the edge of the sled, a smile tugging at her lips.
I shouldn’t be enjoying spending time with her. I should be keeping my distance. I shouldn’t be thinking about protecting her from the cold, or the storm, or hypothermia, or any other threats that might exist up here.
“Haw!” I call out, and the dogs turn left. We cross the snow-covered meadow as we make our way toward the visitor’s cottage, cold air whipping around us. The dogs run like a dream. Like they’ve missed this as much as I have. I lead them past the cottage and onto the trail that leads up to the nearest ridge. Rowan doesn’t protest. Her head spins around to take in the sights as she takes deep breaths of the clean, fresh air. There’s just something about cold, snowy air that tastes better.
When we pass through some snow-covered pine trees and travel up the wide trail, I slow the dogs down and sink the sled’s snow hook into the ground as an anchor. I hop off the sled, extending a hand to Rowan.
“Come on.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“If you want to redesign this palace, you need to understand how it sits on this land. You need to understand the arctic. The snow. Everything.”
Plus, I want to see her face when she has the world at her feet.
Rowan smiles, pulling herself up and taking my hand. Even with gloves on, it feels right to have her beside me.
No. Stop.
She’s nobody. I’m lonely. Abby’s memory still stings, and I’m just looking for comfort, that’s all. I have an addiction to saving damsels in distress. Rowan came into my life nearly dead, and it hit me right in my weakness, at a time where I was most vulnerable. It’s my dumb brain making connections that aren’t there.
Right?
Rowan takes a step onto the trail and promptly slips into a tree well—the softer snow at the base of a tree. She yelps and I lunge for her, catching her arm as she falls.
Rowan laughs, accepting my help to climb out from the soft snow. When she stands in front of me, I don’t let go. My hands find the bottom hem of her jacket, skating across the clothes she’s wearing underneath.
Clear, blue eyes stare up at me, her hands resting on my jacket. “Your Highness,” she says softly, and this time, it doesn’t sound like an insult. She blinks, her tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip.
I want to kiss her. Desperately. I want to taste those pink lips and feel the warmth of her core. I want to see how her body splits open when she comes, pleasure written all over her face.
It’s because I’m weak. Because no matter what, I can’t resist a woman who needs my help. Who doesn’t know how the world works up here, and who needs a protector. I pull away, jerking my chin past her shoulder. “This way.” I stalk ahead, ignoring the thumping of my heart and the heat that wraps around my spine.
Then…thunk.
Something hits me in the center of the back. I pause, frowning, and turn to see Rowan leaning over to ball up another handful of snow.
She giggles, winding back to throw a snowball at me. It flies wide to the right, missing my head. Rowan stands tall, staring me down. “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to defend yourself?”
“Rowan, are you challenging me to a snowball fight?” I don’t miss the sharp intake of breath when I say her name. If only she knew how good it tasted on my tongue and how badly I want to growl it softly in her ear.
Instead of answering, Rowan leans over and gathers up another handful of snow. I stand there, letting her throw it at me, arching an eyebrow. It hits my shoulder and explodes in a puff of white.
When I don’t move, Rowan’s shoulders drop. “You’re no fun.”
Before she can react, I grab a handful of snow and throw it at her, hitting her square in the neck. She squeals, brushing the snow off as it falls down the back of her jacket. I rush her, circling my arms around her waist and hauling her over my shoulder. Rowan giggles, thumping her gloved fists on my back. I laugh, almost surprised that the sound is coming from me.