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Chapter 12
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I couldn’t just go to sleep, not when I knew he was upset. But I didn’t want to disobey the queen outright, either. So, I stood at my door, debating what to do for far too long before finally opening it only to find him sitting right outside the door, a glass of brandy in one hand and the bottle in the other. Still dressed in his dinner attire, hearing the door open, he looked up at me like I was out of place, not him.
“You are still up?” he questioned, looking up at me.
“Yeah, what are you doing?”
He glanced around at where he was sitting and then back at me, a sheepish grin on his face. “Drinking outside your door?”
“I see that, but why?”
“I thought you would be sleeping, and I did not wish to disturb you. You’ve had a long day.”
“Gale...” I didn’t know what to say. All I knew was seeing him like this made my heart ache and leap and do all sorts of things a heart shouldn’t be doing. I knelt beside him. “Would you like to come in since I am not sleeping?”
“Yes, I would. However, I do not think I am good company right now,” he muttered, lifting the glass to his lips.
“You on your worst day is still better than no you at all. And believe me, I would know,” I said, gently offering him my hand.
He looked at it then turned to me before the corner of his lips turned up, and he took my hand, rising from the ground, following me back inside. When the door closed, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, holding on to me tightly.
“Why am I always showing you the weaker sides of myself?” he whispered. “Ask everyone here. This time last year, I was the cool prince, the fun prince, the troublemaker.”
I chuckled, leaning back into him. “I think you still might be a troublemaker.”
“Maybe, but it’s different now. Before, people would just wave me off, and so I just went on my way. I was strong. I did not care what others thought or what they said.”
“Not caring about how you affect others is not strength—”
“Hmm.” He groaned, shaking me slightly, the liquid still in his glass nearly spilling out. “Do not offer wisdom right now, Odette. I want to complain. Support me in my pity party.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it; he was cute. “Fine. What do you want me to do? Stomp my feet?”
“No.” His arms dropped, and when they did, I could finally turn to him. His eyes looked all over my face before stopping at my lips. “Kiss me.”
I hesitated for only a second before reaching up, taking his face into my hands, and kissing him. The next thing I heard was the sound of glass shattering as it hit the floor, and his arms wrapped around me, his hand grabbing hold of me and lifting me.
“Gale...”
“Keep kissing,” he demanded, walking us over to the bed.
I did what he asked, this time feeling his tongue run over my bottom lip until I opened for him. His hands undid the robe I wore and let it fall before he reached under my top, cupping my breast through my nightgown. Shivers ran through me.
