Loving a Prince Charming - By Danielle Monsch Page 0,30

She reached out a hand to find something to throw but the noise kept sounding, and it finally clicked in her addled mind. Rosamund. Audience. They were not alone.

Kira pulled away, but Seth’s hand in her hair would not let her go far, just enough that she could look down into his clear blue eyes and to know, yes, he was awake. He was awake and alive and the curse no longer had a hold over them. “Hello, Sleeping Beauty.”

He smiled, the most beautiful sight in the world. “Hope I didn’t worry you.”

She ran a finger down his nose and over his lips, his chin, the firm line of his jaw. “Nah, I’m used to getting you out of scrapes. That’s what we do.”

“Always.”

Always. And the word broke the magic that held them together, because it was a lie, the second one Seth had ever told her. They didn’t have always.

They were out of time.

Seth sensed her mood, or maybe he somehow read her thoughts in that way he had. Either way, his hands dropped from her body and she rose, turning to Seth’s fiancée.

Turning to Rosamund, and letting go, finally letting go of the impossible dream.

Giving a small bow, she finally addressed the waiting princess. “Hello, Princess Rosamund. I’m Kira. I’m a friend of your…betrothed.”

Chapter Thirteen

It was only when he tasted blood that Seth unclenched his teeth and quit abusing the inside of his cheek.

Kira gave him a disapproving look, her almost-perfect mouth scrunched up. Desire, swift as a summer storm, swept through him, and in his mind he walked to her, flipped her around so she was leaning over the table so that perfect backside was at the perfect height to rub against. He was hard and she would be wet, and they wouldn’t need any preliminaries, not this time. This time, no matter how quick he was, she would be quicker, the sensations as she came around him driving him out of his mind and the catalyst for his own orgasm.

Kira’s mouth lost the tightness and parted, her chest rising and falling as she damn near panted, and he took the first step toward her—

“Seth, have you heard a word I said?”

His father’s voice sliced through his fantasy, and his teeth bit into his cheek again before remembering the previous abuse. “I heard you.”

It had been two days since Kira had woken him from his slumber, and they were preparing to sign the final marriage contract. It surprised Seth this wasn’t done before—his understanding his whole life was that the marriage was a done deal, all contracts signed. It made even less sense now that his father never broke their engagement and accepted another offer; there wasn’t even a contract to break and no repercussions. Marriage understandings were very different from the actual contracts. Understandings were broken with enough regularity that his father wouldn’t have suffered any ill effects.

But his father and Matthias had never hinted in that direction, just ordered all documents to be prepared with all haste. The wedding preparations were underway, and the wedding would take place in three days’ time. The kingdom, finally free from the pall under which the curse had placed it, was in full celebration mode.

He took in Kira again, who was very diligent in not looking at him. Her red hair was braided. It lay over her shoulder, the trail it set leading to the curve of her breast. Even under the loose clothing, Seth could easily make out the soft lines and lovely slope of her breasts.

She had been avoiding him. When cornered, she gave a sad smile and told him this was his chance to get to know Rosamund before the marriage, then fled before he could offer any protest.

Magic forgive him, but he didn’t want to spend time with Rosamund. She was sweet and kind and he knew she would always be a dear and beloved friend. But she wasn’t Kira. She didn’t fire his blood or make him hard with a look. She didn’t excite or challenge him. She wasn’t the woman he loved, and he wanted to spend every moment he was still free with Kira, gorge himself on her until honor demanded he give her up.

Except he couldn’t. He couldn’t give up Kira.

The documents were near completion, the advisors for both kingdoms going over them one final time. Twenty-five years in the making and the desire of two powerful monarchies, this marriage would mean nothing but good things for both kingdoms.

But it would