Page 32 of Tempted By the Princess

She kissed me then, her mouth hard and rough, her tongue sweeping against mine, hot and possessive. I wrapped my arms around her waist and returned the kiss with everything I had, and when we finally pulled back, we were both gasping for breath.

“I’ll be back,” she said softly. “Wait and see.”

And then she was gone.

I stared into space for a long time, replaying everything that had happened this morning. I knew our little bubble would burst eventually, but even though I’d expected it, I wasn’t prepared for how much it would hurt.

With a sigh I headed into the bedroom to change into my painting clothes, determined to work out my emotions on the canvas. But as I stared at the painting that I’d started the day of her hike, I couldn’t do anything but sink down to the floor and let myself cry.

Genevieve

If I had to put on a dress and attend one more party I swear I was going to scream. I’d been back in Saint Marenne for three weeks now and there’d been some damned event every day. I’d never been the most social person to start with, but now I was in full introvert burnout.

“Why so glum, chum?”

I smiled as my sister stuck her head in the library and greeted me with one of the little rhymes we used to tease each other with when we were kids.

“I’m partied out.”

Evangeline walked in and plopped down on the couch across from me with a deep sigh. “You and me both, kid.”

My sister was only three years older than me, but after less than two weeks as the official queen she seemed much older.

“How are you doing, really Angie?”

My sister got up, closed the door, then plopped back down on the couch, slouching down and setting her feet on the coffee table in a position that was definitely un-queenly.

“I knew it was coming, me being queen. But I thought I had longer to prepare. Dad’s retirement took me by surprise. It’s a lot, running an entire country.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Leave.”

My head whipped up to stare at my sister. “What?”

“You’re miserable here Genny. Anyone with eyes can see that.”

“There’s only one other person who’s called me that,” I said sadly.

“Tell me about her,” Angie said. “That’s an order from your queen.”

My sister had broached the topic of Carrie a few times before. She’d pieced together enough from what she’d heard about my parents’ visit to understand that Carrie was important to me.

“I love her,” I said softly. “But I don’t think she feels the same.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Start at the beginning then.” She walked to the corner of the room and poured us each a drink from the bar. “Don’t leave anything out.”

I spent the next hour telling my sister every detail from my time with Carrie from watching Ride or Die to hiking to working catering jobs.

“I just can’t picture you serving cocktail wienies,” my sister laughed.

“Hey, I did pretty well after I got the hang of it.”

“And how was the sex?” my sister asked, noticing that I’d left out any mention of our sexual escapades. “With that much heat between you, please tell me you explored the physical side of your relationship.”