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I shake my head, and he suddenly pulls me flush against him so I can feel the hardness of his entire body pressed against me.
And then comprehension finally dawns on me, and my eyes widen as I feel something poking into my stomach through out clothing.
My cheeks flush, but I can’t help feeling pleasure at the knowledge that it’s me who has him in this state.
"Jane..." he murmurs, his fingertips caressing my cheek. "You have no idea how much I want to be with you, but the consequences would be too great. There are forces at play here that neither of us can control."
I shake my head in confusion. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s like you’re always talking in riddles. It confuses me."
Henry hesitates, his eyes searching mine. Then he presses a tender kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering close, his warm breath on my skin before he melts into the darkness, leaving me shattered and alone amidst the roses.
The memory of Henry's touch lingers on my skin, a sweet ache that I can't shake. I go about my daily chores in the castle, scrubbing floors and dusting relics, but my mind is far away—lost in a whirlwind of secret kisses and stolen glances and wondering why he’s being so mysterious and aloof about everything.
Oh my god, what if he’s married? I shake my head. I can’t imagine it, but why else would he be so cryptic? He wants me, but he claims we can’t be together?
"Jane," comes a voice from behind me, startling me out of my thoughts. It's Edward Langley, his wavy hair falling across his striking green eyes as he flashes me a disarming smile. "I couldn't help but notice you seem a bit...distracted lately. And you never showed up for our date."
I can’t help feeling annoyed at the way Edward sounds a bit like a petulant child as he utters that last bit.
"Am I?" I reply, trying to keep my voice steady, my heart pounding in my chest. "I guess I've just had a lot on my mind, and I’m sorry about the other day. I just got caught up and forgot."
"Is it someone?" he asks, leaning in a little closer, his scent overwhelming me.
"Maybe," I admit, not wanting to give too much away but feeling like maybe being honest with him will deter him. I don’t want his attention in that way. "But it's complicated."
"Isn't love always?" Edward grins, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of my auburn hair behind my ear. His touch sends a jolt through me, and I step back from him.
"Edward," I whisper, taking a step back, feeling the heat of his gaze on me. "We can't..."
"Can't what?" he asks, his eyes darkening with a mix of curiosity and lust. "Talk? Be friends?"
"More than friends," I confess, feeling the weight of my secret bearing down on me. "There's someone else."
"Who?" he demands, jealousy flaring in his eyes. "Who has captured your heart, Jane?"
"Someone I can't have," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't make the wanting any less painful."
"Then let me help you forget," Edward murmurs, his fingers brushing against my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. "Even if it's just for a moment."
"Edward," I say firmly, stepping back once more. "I can't. It wouldn't be fair to him...or to you."
"Fine," he replies, the fire in his eyes extinguished by a sudden chill. "I won't push you, Jane. But just remember—if you ever change your mind, I'll be here."
He turns and walks away, leaving me to wrestle with my tangled web of emotions. My heart aches for Henry, the man I can never have, even as I feel the pull of Edward's charm tugging at me like an anchor.
The warmth of Henry's breath on the back of my neck sends shivers down my spine. It's a sensation I've come to crave, an insatiable hunger that gnaws at me when we're apart. His arms encircle my waist, pulling me closer against his toned body.
"Tell me what you want," he whispers into my ear, and I can feel the throb of his desire pressing against me.
"More. I want more." The words tumble from my lips, unbidden but truthful. I need him—every inch, every touch, every stolen moment. He says we can’t be together, but he keeps surprising me with these stolen moments. He randomly pulls me into the maid’s closet, into a hidden alcove, into empty rooms. All to steal forbidden kisses and touches, and part of me wants to just put an end to it all, but I can’t say no. This pull to him is too great.
But the weight of our secret threatens to crush us both.
"Patience, my sweet Jane," Henry murmurs, his voice full of longing and restraint. "We must be careful, lest the world discovers our love."
His fingers trace delicate patterns on my skin, igniting a fire that courses through my veins. How can I be patient when all I want is to lose myself in him, consequences be damned? And just what are these consequences he keeps speaking of?
"Every time we meet like this, it feels like walking on a tightrope," I think, trying to suppress the fear that bubbles beneath the surface. “And still you won’t tell me why…you’re not married, are you?” I finally voice my biggest fear.
