Page 12 of Royal Rebel

“And you do?” she asks, curling up next to the fire, tucking her legs under her on the couch.

“I saw the way my mother looked at him when she was alive. I saw the way they laughed and talked together, the little things they did for each other. Love is alive and well, but it has to be nurtured, it has to grow.” A part of me feels stupid telling her these things, but if we’re to have a relationship of any kind, I can’t be scared to be honest.

“Then I look forward to finding out what love means with you, Tristan of Haldonia.”

I give her a smile as I go into the bathroom and take my turn.

“If we walk over that hill, there’s a place we can sit,” I tell her, my breath puffing out in white blasts of air.

It’s snowing today at the beach, angry waves are crashing into the shore and the wind is bitter as it whips around us, but neither one of us has complained about the fresh air.

“Okay.” She nods, grabbing hold of my hand tightly as we navigate the beach.

Once we get over the hill, there’s a small sheltered picnic area. Looking behind me, I see Parker following not far behind, and I know that no matter what, we’re safe.

“We should be able to sit here and talk for a little while without freezing to death.” I give her my hand to help her sit.

“What is it you want to talk about?” she asks, hooking her arm in mine, snuggling in close.

“Have you seen the pictures from yesterday?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I haven’t had a chance to look.”

I put my arm around her, situating my phone so we can both see. “Then let’s look together.

“We honestly look like a newly engaged couple, with stars in our eyes.” She reaches out to touch the picture.

“We do, but we don’t know the basics about one another,” I remind her.

“Like favorite color?” she supplies.

“Favorite foods,” I add.

“First kiss.” She raises her eyebrows at me.

“Favorite sexual position,” I tease as I lean in, capturing her lips with mine.

“That’s why we’re here.” She pushes her hair behind her ears. “To become comfortable with one another, to learn all the things about each other that we don’t already know.”

“Which is everything,” I remind her.

“No, that’s not exactly right. We know that we have chemistry, we know that we like to kiss, and we know that during the night, we’re drawn to one another.”

I clear my throat as I think about how good she’d felt pressed up against me, how responsive she had been to me. “That’s more than many people ever have, much less what I imagined we would have when I was told about you.”

“I’m looking forward to building it with you.” Amelia grasps the edges of my jacket, pulling me to her. Her lips press against mine in a kiss I’m unprepared for.

The same heat we felt this morning is there, and before it gets too far out of hand, I put a stop to it. “We always have to be aware there may be cameras watching,” I caution her. “And we should be getting out of here, the temperature seems to be falling.” I can see my breath, even in the shelter we’re in.

She shivers. “Then maybe we should go back to the house?”

“We’ll have some lunch and learn about those food preferences.” I pinch the inside of her thigh slightly, causing her to giggle.

“Are you ticklish there?”

I do it again and the throaty laugh washes all over my body. She tries to keep her response in check, but as I do it one more time, she laughs so hard she cries. Before she gets up, backing away from me.

“Stop!” She giggles. “You’re going to wish you had once I throw up on you from laughing too hard.”

---