Unnatural - Alessandra Hazard Page 0,49

shoved them into his pockets. He smiled. “I’m glad I can still surprise you. I’d hate to be predictable.”

“Your brother would have never—”

“Here you are,” a familiar voice said from behind as Royce laid his hand on his arm.

All the tension bled out of him. Haydn turned his head and smiled, this time genuinely. Royce’s dark eyes locked with his, and warmth spread through Haydn’s body. God, he wanted to kiss him.

As if reading his thoughts, Royce leaned in and brushed their mouths together. A shiver of delight shot up Haydn’s spine. He barely stopped himself from deepening the kiss needily. They were in public. His father was just a few steps away from them. He might be angry with his father, but he didn’t want him to have a stroke.

And yet he couldn’t stop a disappointed noise when Royce pulled back a little.

Royce stared at him for a moment, his gaze fixed and intent, before finally looking at Stefan. “Your Majesty. You must be so glad to see your son.” His voice could have frozen water; it completely lacked the warmth it held just a moment ago.

A wave of embarrassment washed over him. Royce must have heard his father’s words.

“Indeed,” Stefan said flatly.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to talk to my husband,” Royce said, and without waiting for a response, pulled Haydn away.

“Your timing is impeccable,” Haydn said as soon as they were out of his father’s earshot.

“He was being a dick to you, but then again, he has been a dick all day, so I’m not surprised.” Royce grimaced.

“That bad?” Haydn said sympathetically, touching his wrist.

Royce chuckled without much mirth. “I had to mediate between your father and Taube all day, trying to keep the peace neither of them seems interested in keeping. I don’t get paid for this, fucking hell.”

Haydn frowned and pulled Royce into the alcove behind the big plant they were passing. “Hey,” he said, touching Royce’s clean-shaven cheek. “You tired? We can leave.”

Sighing, Royce buried his face against Haydn’s throat. “I am tired, but I can’t leave. I don’t trust Taube not to fuck everything up accidentally on purpose. I just…” He breathed in deeply. “Just need a moment to recharge, and then I’ll go back to mediating.”

The tight feeling in Haydn’s chest caused by his father’s words dissipated completely, warmth flooding his insides. He smiled, threading his fingers through the hair on Royce’s nape. “Are you saying my revolting alpha scent is actually comforting?” he said teasingly.

Royce snorted, nuzzling his scent gland. “It must have grown on me. Like a fungus.”

Haydn laughed. “You say the sweetest things.”

Royce’s hands slid down his back and pulled him flush against him. “Your scent is comforting,” he said quietly, his mouth nipping on his neck. “You are. I love being around you. You make me feel good. Lighter on the inside.” His lips moved up Haydn’s neck. “Like I can accomplish anything I want. You were all I thought about when I was stuck in the room with your father and Taube.”

Shivering, Haydn made a small noise as their mouths finally slotted together. He’d never felt like this: like crawling out of his skin and wanting to have Royce inside it. He sucked on Royce’s tongue, pulling him closer, needing him—

There was a camera flash, but he didn’t care. This was his husband, his, and Haydn had every right to kiss him and touch him and—

“Sweetheart, we need to stop while we still can,” Royce said hoarsely, breaking the kiss and pressing their foreheads together.

Haydn’s heart melted into a sappy puddle of goo. He kissed Royce again. Just a short one. Except the short kiss turned into a very long one, their mouths clinging to one another, refusing to part. He’d never known kissing could be so addictive. Could feel so good.

“I hate to interrupt, but Lord Ksar is looking for you, Royce.”

Groaning, Haydn broke the kiss and glared at his cousin.

Devlin was grinning, looking unfairly handsome and amused. Asshole.

Royce heaved a sigh, brushed his mouth against Haydn’s one more time and then strode away, muttering under his breath, “I’m not actually the prime minister, dammit.”

Devlin waggled his eyebrows. “Making out behind a plant? How old are you, fifteen?”

Tearing his eyes away from Royce’s retreating back, Haydn sighed. “Oh, shut it. I know I’m being ridiculous, but I just…” He shrugged helplessly. I just want him so much. So much.

Slinging an arm around Haydn’s shoulders, Devlin said, “Let’s get something to drink.”

As if summoned by his