sorry!” she said, trying to untangle her legs from his. “I’m not usually this clumsy.”
His chest vibrated beneath her palms and she paused her frantic movements to give him a confused look. He let out a low chuckle. At her open-mouthed stare, he laughed harder. His eyes crinkled in amusement and he threw his head back to let out a deep belly laugh. She sat up straighter, no longer concerned about her position on top of him, and blatantly stared.
She thought he was handsome before, but it was nothing compared to how he looked when he was happy. Her own smile widened and finally bloomed into a giggle to join his laughter. She was not sure how long they laughed together, but when the amusement tapered off she became aware of his hands on her hips. She told herself it was not completely wonderful.
She gave him a polite smile and stood, careful not to brush against him any more than she had to. Her hips felt colder without the heat of his hands. She ignored it. After standing and adjusting her clothes, she asked the prince if he needed help standing. He shook his head and climbed to his feet smoothly.
She had to be professional. She could not let her feelings compromise her job. She continued to tell herself that as the prince followed her back to the gazebo.
…
Nothing in the world felt as good as having her in his arms. The sunlight caught the reds and browns in her dark hair, giving her a halo as she leaned over him. Her weight settled across his hips and he wanted to groan at how right it felt. Her soft hands were on his chest, long fingers splayed across the expensive fabric of his suit.
After a moment, she raised her head to look at him. He took in her shocked face and messy hair and wanted to kiss her so bad it was almost painful.
“I’m so sorry! I’m not usually this clumsy.”
The more she moved the more amusing the situation became. He had finally gotten her into his arms and it was an accident. Laughter bubbled up from his chest at the ridiculousness of it all. She moved her hands across his chest and looked up at him with a perplexed expression. He laughed harder.
When she began to laugh with him, it was single most perfect moment in his life. Her eyes sparkled when she was happy, the grey lightening to a bright silver. All too soon, she stopped. Emotions crossed her face too quick to process, and then she was climbing off him. He did not realize his hands were on her hips until she moved away.
He watched her retreat behind a wall of propriety. It seemed he had all of her for a moment. The moment did not last nearly long enough. He sighed to himself and stood. She started walking toward the gazebo without looking at him, again.
The human leader smiled when they returned to the table. Abigail nodded to his questioning, telling the man she had showed him the gardens. The president turned his gaze to him.
“Did you enjoy your tour?”
To an outside observer, he had no doubt the question sounded polite. He was the only one who could see the calculating gleam in the other man’s eyes.
“Yes.” He hoped the human would leave him alone. He did not.
“What did you think?”
Edric retook his chair across from Abigail and turned his head to pin the president with a dark look. The man had no idea who he was toying with. Yes, he had agreed to trade technology in return for time to court Abigail, but that did not mean the man could make a nuisance of himself. The president clearly did not see it that way. Edric scowled.
“Beautiful,” he answered.
He watched the man’s gaze slide to Abigail. “I’m glad you think so.”
Before the man could say anything else, the kitchen staff served lunch. He was familiar with every dish, as part of the agreement was exposing Abigail to Ghadrikan culture. Konani agreed it was best to start with the cuisine. He watched Abigail’s face carefully, as she sampled a forkful of essuru, a large flightless bird.
She chewed slowly and licked her lips after she
His chest vibrated beneath her palms and she paused her frantic movements to give him a confused look. He let out a low chuckle. At her open-mouthed stare, he laughed harder. His eyes crinkled in amusement and he threw his head back to let out a deep belly laugh. She sat up straighter, no longer concerned about her position on top of him, and blatantly stared.
She thought he was handsome before, but it was nothing compared to how he looked when he was happy. Her own smile widened and finally bloomed into a giggle to join his laughter. She was not sure how long they laughed together, but when the amusement tapered off she became aware of his hands on her hips. She told herself it was not completely wonderful.
She gave him a polite smile and stood, careful not to brush against him any more than she had to. Her hips felt colder without the heat of his hands. She ignored it. After standing and adjusting her clothes, she asked the prince if he needed help standing. He shook his head and climbed to his feet smoothly.
She had to be professional. She could not let her feelings compromise her job. She continued to tell herself that as the prince followed her back to the gazebo.
…
Nothing in the world felt as good as having her in his arms. The sunlight caught the reds and browns in her dark hair, giving her a halo as she leaned over him. Her weight settled across his hips and he wanted to groan at how right it felt. Her soft hands were on his chest, long fingers splayed across the expensive fabric of his suit.
After a moment, she raised her head to look at him. He took in her shocked face and messy hair and wanted to kiss her so bad it was almost painful.
“I’m so sorry! I’m not usually this clumsy.”
The more she moved the more amusing the situation became. He had finally gotten her into his arms and it was an accident. Laughter bubbled up from his chest at the ridiculousness of it all. She moved her hands across his chest and looked up at him with a perplexed expression. He laughed harder.
When she began to laugh with him, it was single most perfect moment in his life. Her eyes sparkled when she was happy, the grey lightening to a bright silver. All too soon, she stopped. Emotions crossed her face too quick to process, and then she was climbing off him. He did not realize his hands were on her hips until she moved away.
He watched her retreat behind a wall of propriety. It seemed he had all of her for a moment. The moment did not last nearly long enough. He sighed to himself and stood. She started walking toward the gazebo without looking at him, again.
The human leader smiled when they returned to the table. Abigail nodded to his questioning, telling the man she had showed him the gardens. The president turned his gaze to him.
“Did you enjoy your tour?”
To an outside observer, he had no doubt the question sounded polite. He was the only one who could see the calculating gleam in the other man’s eyes.
“Yes.” He hoped the human would leave him alone. He did not.
“What did you think?”
Edric retook his chair across from Abigail and turned his head to pin the president with a dark look. The man had no idea who he was toying with. Yes, he had agreed to trade technology in return for time to court Abigail, but that did not mean the man could make a nuisance of himself. The president clearly did not see it that way. Edric scowled.
“Beautiful,” he answered.
He watched the man’s gaze slide to Abigail. “I’m glad you think so.”
Before the man could say anything else, the kitchen staff served lunch. He was familiar with every dish, as part of the agreement was exposing Abigail to Ghadrikan culture. Konani agreed it was best to start with the cuisine. He watched Abigail’s face carefully, as she sampled a forkful of essuru, a large flightless bird.
She chewed slowly and licked her lips after she
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