Shame. Though nothing had been revealed, so to speak, he liked her body and liked seeing it. He’d really liked seeing the full view of her in her nightgown this morning, though he had a feeling she wouldn’t be happy knowing it. For him, though, that moment had changed his life forever.
He’d fallen in love with Genevieve in that moment, though she’d never believe him, at least not now.
“W-What are you”—a sneeze—“doing here?” she asked and sneezed twice more.
She groaned and reached for the medicine on her bedside table, but he quickly got up and helped.
He’d never taken cold medicine like this before, so he handed her the bottle. As a prince, he was always just given things to take or hooked up to an IV in the rare case he was ill.
In a ballroom, dressed in elegant finery and surrounded by lavish decorations and rich food, it was easy to pretend they were similar but, here in her simple and overly pink bedroom—did she really like pink this much?—watching her swig some medicine, it was harder to pretend.
He took a seat on the bed facing her. “Is that how you usually drink medicine?”
Her voice was congested and deeper than even this morning. “It is when there’s no spoon. Diana must’ve forgotten to leave it when she dropped by.” Her eyes widened. “Diana. My mother. Do they know?—”
He held up a hand and shook his head. “I waited until everyone left the house before sneaking in. The security here really is lacking, you know.”
“Said the man who lives in a palace. This is how normal people live, Your Highness.”
“Didn’t we drop the formality last night? Surely we can be on a first-name basis. I am in your bedroom, after all.”
She tugged the covers up more, though it was more difficult now that he was sitting on top of them. “You’re not here by my invitation. How long were you creepily watching me?”
“Creepy is it?” Hmmm. Possibly. It was definitely inappropriate in any case, and he knew it. “I hadn’t intended on it. I simply wanted to check on you, but you looked so peaceful and beautiful that I couldn’t resist staying.” He leaned in just a little bit closer. “Besides, I think a part of you liked that I was watching over you.”
She bristled on the bed, futilely tugging the covers again instead of answering.
He looked around the room to hide his smile, then wondered why he had so much fun teasing her. This wasn’t how he usually seduced women.
She tugged at a loose thread in the covers. “Did you…did you do anything else besides watch me?”
His smile dropped in an instant as fury took over and he stood up, the bed creaking at the loss of his weight. “Of course not! How could you accuse me of that?”
Her eyes flashed with anger right back and, fuck, if his cock didn’t like that. “I don’t know you,Your Highness,” she said, spitting out his formal address. “I don’t know what you’ll do to an unconscious woman after you break into her house and bedroom.”
He took a deep breath before answering. “Let me make it clear, dear Genevieve.”
Her eyes widened at the endearment, but the anger didn’t leave her.
“I did not now, nor have I ever taken advantage of a woman in that way.”
“Not ‘in that way’ then, but in some way?”
He leaned down and placed his hands against her headboard, boxing her in but not touching her. He kept his voice low andeven and hoped his sincerity was coming across. “In no way. Stop twisting my words. I’m not innocent, Genevieve. I’ve been with women before, but they were all consensual encounters. If some women wanted more, they knew better than to ask for it, or ask for it more than once. None of them were going to be my princess.”
She pursed her lips. “Am I another one, then? Another to fuck and flee from?”
He shifted one of his hands to cup her face, and brushed a thumb across her lips, watching as they reddened with his touch. “Is it wrong to love when filthy words come from those lips?” he murmured, almost to himself.
He met her eyes again. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met, dear Genevieve. That’s a good thing, by the way. I like it.” He leaned forward some more. “I like you.”
Her breath caught. “What do you expect me to say to that?”
He sighed, then let go of her and sat back down on the bed near her hips. “I hoped you would say you liked me too.” He shook his head. “God, that sounds so…childish, doesn’t it? We’re adults, for fuck’s sake.”
She stifled a laugh.
“What?”
