Besotted (The Fairest Maidens #3) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,41

we could be together. Surely I could. After all, I was the queen.

His hand against my back tensed and drew me closer. At the same time, his mouth moved more firmly against mine, testing and tasting and teasing my lips, until I could do nothing less than respond in kind. My hands still on his cheeks, I rose on my toes to meet him more thoroughly, pressing into him and expressing my utter fascination and adoration of him.

Tender and slow, the kiss lingered, until with each passing moment, I was conscious of a growing need for more. He must have felt the same, for his responses became deeper and more impassioned until, with a gasp, he broke away.

He didn’t release me entirely, and our labored breathing filled the space between us, making me wish to kiss him again and again and again, though we needed to stop now since we had no right to share these intimacies until we were wed.

“I love you.” He leaned his forehead against mine.

My heart thrummed a melody, one that brought with it a sweet joy I’d never before known.

“You don’t have to love me yet in return,” he whispered. “I know it’s soon. But—”

“I love you also.” My cheeks filled with more heat.

Tension eased from his hold. I rested my head against his chest, savoring the long, solid length of him, feeling safe and protected. And at home. For the first time in my life, I truly felt I was home.

At the loud clearing of a throat, I stepped away as Kresten released me. Jorg stood a few feet away, and he cocked his head toward the clearing up ahead. “Chester is returning from the kilns.”

I spun, but before I could dash away, Kresten caught me. “Wait.” He laced his fingers through mine. “Let’s tell him together—”

“No. He will not understand. None of them will understand.”

“I shall explain my intention to return for you.”

“Chester will be furious.” To say the least.

“He’s not your father and cannot dictate what we do.”

My father. He wouldn’t approve of what I was doing either. Even now, I could picture the disappointment in his eyes. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the image. I would figure something out. I had a month in which to do so.

“Please.” I squeezed his fingers. “Let me speak with Chester—and my aunts—in my own time and my own way.”

“Very well.” Even with his acquiescence, his eyes remained troubled.

I broke away and started back toward the cottage, touching my swollen lips and pressing a hand to my hot face. I needed to go back into the house and pretend nothing had changed—even though my whole world had just turned upside down.

Chapter

13

Kresten

I watched her go, tempted to chase after her, catch her hand, and approach Chester together. I wasn’t afraid of him, and I wouldn’t hide my feelings for Rory. He likely already knew them anyway.

At the same time, I wanted to respect her wishes to tell Chester about us when the moment was right. Perhaps she was worried he might try to harm me and wanted to spare me a fight. Perhaps waiting until I left was for the best.

I leaned heavily on the cane to take the pressure off my thigh. The pain had begun to dull but still burned nonetheless.

“Your father and the Lagting will never approve of a peasant woman becoming the next queen of Scania.” Jorg’s quiet statement jarred me back to the reality of my predicament.

“That’s assuming I shall become the next king.”

“You are the only choice the Lagting has now.”

I didn’t want the crown simply because my brothers weren’t eligible anymore. It was no honor to become king of Scania by default. And yet, how could I spurn my duty to my country?

“I love her, Jorg.”

“I know.” His shoulders slumped, as if he’d somehow failed me.

“This isn’t your fault. You warned me and did all you could to discourage the relationship.”

“That I did.”

I’d tried over the past two days to stay true to my resolve to sever the ties. I’d avoided her outside and turned my back on her whenever she came to check on me in my room. I’d hoped to anger her and make her dislike me enough that she would forget about me. I’d even tried to resist her when she followed us into the woods. I’d willed myself to keep walking.

But my love was too strong.

Was this what had happened with my brothers? Had they fallen in love and been willing to risk