Page 140 of Tall, Royal and Grumpy

“Kai,” I squealed through a ticklish bout of giggles. “Wait.” His teeth grazed my skin. “Kai!”

“I should bite you for making me worry,” he growled.

Clapping my palm against his forehead, I tried to push his face back, but I just about got him to look at me through his wolfish stare. “You will get us both killed by Rose if she has to cover up another bite mark on my neck, Mr Perfect Prince.”

As soon as the nickname left my lips, I regretted saying it, recalling the way she had spat it at him like it was an insult. The last thing I wanted was to use the same name and remind him of all his bad memories of Meg. It made me feel guilty that I might have been all this time without knowing.

Kai kissed my chin after my smile slipped away. “Say it again. I like it when you call me that.” But the conflicted feeling wouldn’t let me. “Say it for me. Please, Babble.”

I wet my lips. “Mr Perfect Prince…”

His dimple settled in his right cheek, but he arched a brow. “Just Mr Perfect Prince?”

I squished his cheeks in my palms. “My Mr Perfect Prince.” I turned his face to press a quick succession of pecks to his stubbled cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He settled a chaste kiss to my lips.

“We should get up.”

“No.”

“We have to.” I tried the impossible task of rolling out from under him. Basically, all I did was turn my head. And gasp when I saw the red numbers on the digital clock sitting on the bedside cabinet. “It’s nearly ten-forty?”

“Hmm. So, there’s no need to get up yet. We’ve already missed breakfast.”

“But—” I stuttered as panic knocked like a ping-pong ball between my ribs.

Technically, I knew my relationship with my brother wasn’t what it was, but that didn’t mean I could automatically assume Kareem would be fine with me staying in bed with Kai so late on the day of the final ball. My first instinct was still to worry about his reaction.

Kai pressed a heavy kiss to my cheek. “It’s okay, Esmeralda,” he said softly. “When I first awoke at eight, I left the kitchen, my parents, and your brother a message to let them know we wouldn’t be down for breakfast. So, he already knows. He said to let you sleep for as long as possible.”

Just over a week ago I would never have believed Kareem could or would say such a thing, but it was slightly easier to imagine now. Still surreal, but just about plausible. But more importantly…

“Kareem gave you his personal number?”

“Hmm. A few days ago. So, you’re not going anywhere. You’re staying with me until Rose comes to help you get ready for the ball.”

His adorable, clingy demand made it impossible not to smile. “Your instructions are not clear, Mr Perfect Prince,” I teased. “Do you mean I have to stay away from you until the ball?”

“Try. If you can get out from under me.”

I didn’t try. Stay away from him? No. I had no will, no desire, no anything to. But it hit me harder than it had done at any point in these past two weeks that I didn’t entirely have a choice in that.

“I don’t want to leave tomorrow,” I whispered sombrely.

There was a desperate intensity to Kai’s expression. “Then stay.”

If only it was that easy.

I was Jahandar’s Crown Princess. I had a job and a duty, and for the first time, I didn’t want to fulfil my role as repentance to Kareem and my parents. I wanted to support Kareem in government, to stand for my state and for our people. Without any fear or guilt or self-pity and hatred.

I wanted to make myself proud for once.

“I can’t.”

“I know…”

Kai had a job and a duty he couldn’t abandon either. And I had no doubt he felt the same way I did.

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