Page 85 of A Royal Promise
“You never have to because I pinky promise to tell you every day for the rest of our lives.” Bri carefully leaned forward, wrapped her pinky finger around his, and sealed the promise with a kiss.
She sat back on her bench, basking in the sunlight and the beauty around them, and reminiscing about how thankful she was for a marriage pact sealed with a pinky promise long ago that had led them to this very moment.
Keep reading for a bonus epilogue!
Bonus Epilogue
Drew
Seven Months Later
The spring air carried a refreshing breeze as Drew walked beside Bri on a dirt path.
He rubbed her hand in a circular motion with his thumb. It still made him smile that he was free to shower her with affection after years of suppressing his feelings whenever he was around her. Now that he was her husband, Drew would never tire of showing his breathtakingly beautiful wife how much he loved her.
“I can’t believe you waited so long to use your coupon for a moonlight hike planned by yours truly,” she said, swinging their arms with their hands joined together.
Drew smirked. “I planned it this way.”
“You planned to waitten monthsto use the coupon?” She wore a dazed look of bewilderment he had to focus to see in the glow of the moonlight. “It’s practically your birthday again. Why’d you wait so long?”
He gently pulled her to a stop and wrapped his arms around her waist. Leaning down, Drew pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss—a promise of what the rest of the night would hold. “Because now that you’remy wife,we can try out the one-bed trope you rave about. Only, we’ll be testing it out with one tent. Let’s just call it an extension of our honeymoon.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Bri flushed under his gaze. “Itisa chilly night. I guess that means I’ll need my husband to keep me warm.”
Even though they’d already been married for about four months, Drew’s heart still pounded in his chest every time Bri called himhusband.
“We can just skip the hike and go to the tent part,” he said with a shrug, a playful smile on his lips.
She shook her head. “You know I’m not the biggest planner, and I took the time to organize this whole date for you. I’m not wasting it.” Bri wrapped her fingers through his again and pulled him forward onto the dirt path. “Come on. It’s a clear night, so we should be able to see everything when we get to our destination.”
“Anything for you, Bri Bear.” He pulled her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her palm.
The farther they walked from Glencrest Palace, the harder it became to see in front of them without any illumination from the palace’s lights.
“Hold on a second.” Bri stopped Drew with a hand to his chest before moving behind him and pulling at the zippers of the backpack she’d packed but he’d insisted on carrying. A minute later, he heard her zipping it shut, and she returned with a headlamp on and a matching one in her hands for him to wear.
“You thought of everything.” He accepted the light, pulling it on so it rested on his forehead.
“Anything for you, Drew Boo,” she quipped back as they continued walking.
He laughed. “Now that’s a new one.”
“Anything’s better than Andy, though, right?”
Drew nodded emphatically. “Yes, but I truly don’t care what you call me as long as you still call me yours.”
“That might be the mushiest thing you’ve ever said to me.” She squeezed his fingers.
“Trust me, I’ve thought way more sappy things in my head over the years.”
“When do I get to hear them?”
He nudged her shoulder with his. “Now that we’re married and you’re stuck with me forever, you get to be the lucky recipient of all my lovey-dovey words for the rest of our lives.”
“I suppose that’ll have to be enough,” she teased.
They walked the rest of the way to their destination in comfortable silence. Drew’s mouth fell open when he saw the camp Bri had arranged for the palace staff to set up for them.
