Chapter 19 — Miles

There are a million and one things going on in my head.

I said it. I finally told her how I feel.

How dare Father make her cry.

She’s more than good enough for me.

God, I love the way she runs her fingers through my hair.

I push everything away, force the thoughts into the back of my mind to deal with later. Right now, I have more important matters to attend to.

I take her to bed, hooking my hands around her thighs and lifting her with ease. I tease her lips apart with the tip of my tongue, exploring the inside of her mouth the second she lets me in. A low, heavy moan escapes from her throat, passes straight through me to pool in the front of my pants. There’s nothing quite like the sound of Lisabet’s voice when she’s lost all control, consumed by a ravenous hunger that only I have the privilege of getting to see.

I carefully slip her out of her clothes, kissing and caressing every inch of bare skin that I can get my hands on. She’s delightfully warm, patches of her chest and neck flushed with arousal.

No matter what I do, I can’t seem to get enough. The smell of her hair, the soft touch of her curves, the sound of her voice, the way the simple act of looking into her eyes has adrenaline pumping through my veins. Everything about Lisabet is addictive.

And I’m an addict.

And I don’t plan on coming down from my high any time soon.

I squeeze her supple breasts, gently pinching her hard nipples between my fingers as I work my way down, settling between her pretty legs. I dive in, drawing tight circles against her with the tip of my tongue. I savor her taste, relish the way her body jolts with pleasure beneath me. I grab at her hips as she grabs at my hair, her nails scraping gently against my scalp in a way that sends chills down my spine.

Her back arches as I press a finger into her, curling at the knuckle to sweep over her sweet spot again and again. Nothing delights me more than seeing Lisabet grip at the sheets as her toes curl. My name is a symphony of moans from her lips, angelic and sweet and thin with control that’s on the verge of breaking.

I want her to let go.

I want all of her.

Lisabet’s breathing becomes shallow and quick, her slick heat squeezing around my fingers as she draws closer and closer to the edge.

“Miles, I’m close. I’m going to—”

She doesn’t manage to finish her sentence. She chokes on a long, impassioned groan as her entire body shudders, unable to hold back any longer. I memorize her taste as I get up onto my knees, pulling my shirt off and discarding it to the floor. Lisabet sits up, running her hands down my chest and over my abs as she peppers kisses against my stomach. I pull her up for a kiss on the mouth, combing my fingers through her hair as dark as the night sky.

I’ll never tire of discovering new things about Lisabet. I adore the singular, tiny beauty mark she has on her right temple, hidden behind her bangs. I love how her dark black eyes have a hint of brown under just the right lighting, reminding me very much of dark chocolate. I like the way her fingers feel, solid and sure as they trace my shoulders and curl up at the nape of my neck.

After retrieving a condom from the nightstand and shoving off my pants in an unceremonious manner, I return to her, settling between the lovely softness of her thighs. I press into her slowly, wrapping my arms around her and holding her as tightly as I dare.

I know she isn’t fragile. She’s anything but. Lisabet’s determined and hardworking and resilient. Nevertheless, I’ll only treat her like the most precious thing in the world.

I pick a slow pace, take my time unraveling her. The sound of Lisabet panting, moaning, whining in my ear is more exhilarating than anything I’ve ever experienced. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and refuses to let go, moving with me in perfect harmony.

“God,” she whimpers. “You make me feel so good. I want—”

“What do you want, baby? Tell me. I’ll give you everything.”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I just want you.”

“You have me, Lisabet. You have me completely.”

She hooks her legs over my hips and locks her ankles together, giving me even more access. The heat gathering deep within my core grows that much more intense, burning hotter and brighter than I’ve ever experienced before. I’m a sucker for the feel of her lips, the way my hands tingle as they slide down the arch of her back.

We come undone together, our heavy, hot breaths mingling into one impossibly hot inferno.

Lisabet curls up against me, tucking herself into the crook of my shoulder as she presses her forehead to my chest, occasionally gracing my skin with butterfly kisses and sheepish smiles.

Never in my life did I ever think I could be this content. Growing up and finding ‘the one’ seemed like the stuff of fairy tales. My mother and father weren’t exactly the best example of a happily ever after, which certainly didn’t help. But when I’m with Lisabet, I can suddenly understand every sappy love song ever written and every cheesy romance movie known to man. When I look at her, it’s through a rose-colored filter.

She makes everything more beautiful simply by being.

“What are we going to do now?” she whispers.

“About my father?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

She shakes her head, brows knitting together with concern. “I seriously doubt that’ll help.”

“I’ll think of something, Lisabet. Don’t you worry.”

“He said I wasn’t good enough.”

“My father is a fool if he believes that. He’s old and out of touch with the world.”

“He started talking about marriage and heirs and it was a lot.”

I stroke her cheek, brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I don’t want you to think about any of it. All that matters is that I want to be with you. Don’t you want to be with me?”

She nods. “I…I do.”

“Then that’s that. Screw what my father thinks. You make me unbelievably happy, Lisabet.”

“You make me happy, too.”

“Then we take things slow. One day at a time. Nothing else matters.”

Lisabet breaks out into a sweet smile. “I like the sound of that.”

“I think we should leave,” I tell her. “Go on another trip. I don’t think keeping you in the palace is a good idea. Especially not now.”

“Another trip?” she echoes. “Are you sure?”

“Why not?”

“Why do I feel like we’re running away?”

I chuckle. “We’re not running away. We’re…We’re making some distance. It’ll give my father time to calm down, and it’ll keep you far from his negativity. We could go back to New York, if you want. I don’t own very much property, but I do have a penthouse suite in Manhattan that’s totally out of the King’s reach. It’s located a block or two from the Carleton, I think. We could go there. You could write your music. What do you say?”

Lisabet kisses me tenderly. “Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. But only if you’re sure.”

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my entire life.”

Lisabet snuggles in close, falling asleep within a matter of minutes.

I remain awake a while longer, determined to come up with a plan to get us out of here and out from beneath Father’s radar. It isn’t going to be easy, but Lisabet’s happiness is worth the stress.

My mind is once again a chorus of never-ending thoughts.

I’ll have David book us on the first flight out.

We’ll have to pack in a hurry.

I’ll have to leave Jingles here. I’m sure David can ship him over once we’re settled.

Mother’s going to be upset, but I’m sure she’ll forgive me sooner than Father.

Lisabet didn’t say ‘I love you’ back.

I stare at the ceiling, mildly troubled. I know I shouldn’t expect to hear her say it back. That wouldn’t be fair. A person should never say that they love someone with the expectation that it’s reciprocated. Lisabet doesn’t owe me that. My feelings for her aren’t conditional. I just have to be patient with her. We all arrive to the same conclusion at different speeds, and love is no exception.

Besides, loving me is no easy task. If I were some random, regular person, sure. Maybe Lisabet would have said I love you without a second thought. But I’m not a random, regular person. I’m a prince. A future king. There’s a degree of commitment that comes with making things official and public.

The second I announce to the world that we’re together, there’s no doubt in my mind that everyone and their mother is going to pry into Lisabet’s private life and history. Everything she does and says will be under a microscope. Who she was and who she could become will always be at the forefront.

Being with me is a big ask.

Those three simple words that I’m dying to hear aren’t that simple, after all.