Page 59 of Scarred Crown

“I like that,” I say with a partial smile.

“You should. You’re the one who told me it. Don’t you remember? When we were kids—you said you hated how boys always got so offended by a no and so grabby about a yes. Made me so angry at the time to think of someone treating you poorly.” He stares into his drawer. “How could I ever do the same to anyone, least of all you?”

Before I can say anything in response, not that I could with my heart detonating in my chest, he slips into the bathroom.

To distract myself from the ache in my chest, I get ready for bed and consider all the contradictions of Prince Nicholas of Bellerive. One minute he shows me his gooey center, and the next minute he’s granite, impenetrable.

When he comes out of the bathroom, I go in, and we pass each other in silence. We make eye contact, and it’s not awkward like I might expect. It’s as if we’ve both let down our guards a little and neither of us is keen to put them back up. My Nick is still in there, and every glimpse I catch of him makes me long for more.

We might be able to get us back.

We might not be completely lost to each other.

The realization is both terrifying and euphoric.

Nicholas

My alarm goes off, and I press the snooze button on the nightstand, trying not to disturb Jules who decided to cuddle with me in the middle of the night. She’s pressed against my back, an arm thrown over my middle, and her hand dangles dangerously close to a morning surprise.

“Jules?” I murmur over my shoulder. “We’ve got to get up, or we’ll be late to meet Kafil.”

“Hmm.” Her lips are pressed against my neck.

The contented noise causes my morning surprise to strain against my sleep pants. I want to roll over, pin her down, and kiss her awake. Bury my face in the crook of her neck, the dip between her breasts, the deliciousness between her thighs. Might be a few things I’d bury between her legs.

Last night when I kissed her, I made a leap, and I wasn’t sure if I’d land on the other side or in the middle of a crater. Not sure I quite cleared the fall, but I’m not in the pit of despair either.

“I don’t want to get up yet,” Jules says against my back, and her cheek presses into my shoulder blade.

Instead of scooting away from me, which I feared when my alarm went off, she’s only snuggled in more. I’m afraid speaking might give away how turned on I am by her proximity. A familiar story from every other morning I’ve woken up to the scent of her coating everything, but this time she might discover what I’ve been pretending doesn’t exist—at least until last night. She definitely felt my existence last night.

“Prince Nicholas?” Kafil calls from the doorway.

Ah, right. Breakfast.

There’s no way I can move right now. “Just give us a minute,” I answer.

Julia moans and rolls away from me. “I really don’t want to leave this bed this morning.”

“There’s a phone call in the communications tent for Julia,” Kafil responds, still behind the tent flap.

When I rotate around, Julia is frowning.

“Boyfriend?” I ask. I’ve steered away from anything personal, and the Jules I once knew would never cheat on purpose. She turned me down last night, and while the rejection felt like a compliment, I should probably check she wasn’t weighing her options. Her line—that being with me meant something to her—was a balm to my soul last night. Best to make sure it’s not poisoned.

“A boyfriend? Hardly.” She scoffs and gives me the side-eye. “I don’t appreciate the implication I’m a cheater either. I didn’t sleep with you, but I definitely wanted to.”

“You did kiss me back,” I remind her. My insides burst to life at her bold admission. Not only does she believe being with me will mean something, but she wants to be with me. It’s like Christmas in this bed right now. What else can I get her to admit to?

“You kissed me first.”

“Zero regrets on that.” I tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Unlike last time?” She searches my face.

I suck in a sharp breath. Before I can formulate an answer, Kafil clears his throat outside the tent.

“I have your breakfast,” he calls in an overly loud voice.