Page 101 of The Unlikely Heir
I surge up to kiss him again.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Callum
I wake up slowly the next morning, becoming aware of my reality in pieces. The shaft of sunlight across the pillow, strong arms around me, a warm chest pressed up against my back, Oliver’s even breath fluttering the hairs on my neck.
I try to pull away gently without waking him, but he stirs as I leave his embrace, and when I roll over to face him, his eyes snap open.
His strong eyebrows draw together for a moment.
Uncertainty lingers on his face. The same question burning inside me is in Oliver’s expression.
What happens now?
Oliver reaches out to touch my face, his fingers stroking my cheekbone. I close my eyes, letting myself enjoy the sensation of Oliver touching me. His fingertips gently move down until they reach my lips and linger there. A soft touch.
When I open my eyes, Oliver’s dark eyes watch me cautiously.
“So, this is new,” I say feebly.
Oliver withdraws his fingers from my lips. “Yes.”
“I’m guessing you’ve never woken up with a member of the royal family in your bed.”
He clears his throat. “No, I definitely have not.”
“You can tick off a new item on your lifetime achievement list,” I say.
Oliver attempts a smile, but it fades quickly.
I need to touch him back. I reach a tentative hand out, drawing light circles on his chest, his skin warm under my palm.
“So, what are we going to do going forward?” Oliver asks in a low voice.
I bite my lip. I don’t have any answers to that.
“We do seem to have a few factors stacked against us,” I admit.
“Like British constitutional law,” Oliver says ruefully.
“Well, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing in the Magna Carta or the Bill of Rights that expressly forbids this scenario,” I say.
He arches an eyebrow. “So we use that loophole if we’re ever caught?”
“Maybe.”
Oliver’s forehead creases. “I don’t think I should approach my old constitutional law professor and ask his opinion on whether the prime minister and future king could be in a relationship.”
“You could say you’re asking for a friend,” I reply.
Oliver smiles, but it has a short lifespan. “I don’t think the legality actually matters. It’s the court of public opinion that is most important for us both,” he says quietly.
Panic rises inside me. Oliver is right. His job and my family’s role in this country depend on the public’s goodwill. The public will definitely have legitimate concerns about conflict of interest and the blurring of lines in the separation of powers given the roles we hold.
But last night was the best night of my life. Getting to kiss Oliver, getting to touch him…felt so right.
I can’t go back from this. I just can’t.
