Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
However, they’d barely finished eating and bathing when a carriage and fifty guards sent by the governor of Bluebell had arrived at the front door of the inn. King Hubert had issued a royal edict that Prince Everand and his companion were to leave that night for Frostbourne with at least fifty guards on horseback.
They’d traveled through the night, getting little sleep in the bouncing carriage.
Of course, upon arriving at the palace, endless meetings had taken place with ministers of war, trade, and other departments wanting to know every shred of information they could about King Victor and Wulia.
At the end of the meetings, Everand was escorted off to a private dinner with his parents, leaving Hugo alone in his room. While Hugo had missed the prince, he was grateful that he was not dragged off to the dinner as well, too tired to even think about pasting a smile on his face and making pleasant chitchat with the king and queen. Amidst all the meetings and chaos, the one thing he had done was send a quick letter to his family informing them he was safe and well. With any luck, he would be returning home to them tomorrow.
That night he’d enjoyed a quiet meal alone in his room and a long, hot bath. He’d fallen into bed, expecting to fall asleep instantly. But he was awake now and missing Everand.
Would it be wrong of him to knock on Everand’s door? They’d placed Hugo in the room right next to Everand’s yet again. No one would notice if he sneaked out for a visit.
No, he couldn’t. Everand had to be just as tired, if not more so. He was probably unconscious already, happy to be in his own bed.
He’d shoved the thought from his mind when there came a soft tapping on his door.
Hugo instantly threw off his covers and snatched up the robe neatly folded on the back of a nearby chair. He finished tying the sash and ripped open the door to find Everand standing on the other side, looking anxious and unsure. Hugo’s heart flipped. It was a struggle not to reach out and pull Everand into him.
“Did I wake you?”
Hugo shook his head. “No.”
“I was thinking…”
To hell with restraint.
Hugo’s hand shot out and grabbed Everand’s arm. He pulled the prince inside his room and slammed the door shut behind him. As he turned his head toward Everand, soft, smiling lips found his in an urgent kiss that lit Hugo up. Days apart. Hours apart. Minutes, even. It was all too long. Their bodies came together, and they stumbled until Everand was pushed against the wall. Hard muscles, soft kisses, eager hands grasping and caressing. Hugo tumbled into this needy love, never wanting to be parted from him.
“Sorry. You were thinking?” Hugo said between kisses.
Everand huffed a laugh. “My brain may never work again.”
“How about we pick up where we left off at the ball?” Hugo suggested.
“Yes! That’s what I was thinking.”
Hugo pulled his mouth from Everand’s and licked his way along the prince’s throat. A shiver passed through Everand’s frame, and his fingers dug into Hugo’s hips. “I believe you had a request.” Hugo exhaled, sending his hot breath across damp skin. Goose bumps followed.
“Yes,” Everand hissed. “Fuck me. I want you to fuck me.”
Heat and hunger raged through Hugo in a flash. He jerked away enough to grab Everand, spin him around, and press his chest to the wall. Hugo snatched up his hands and lifted them above his head, pinning the prince in place.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” As he spoke, Hugo’s lips brushed the shell of Everand’s ear. He rolled his hips, pushing his hardened cock into his firm ass. “Do you want me inside you?”
“Yes.” Everand’s voice wobbled and shattered under the weight of so much need. He thrust his ass back, seeking more contact with Hugo. “So much.”
Hugo understood that basic desperation. To be taken and filled. To have the freedom to hand himself over and trust that person to take care of him. Hugo’s general preference was to bottom, but he’d topped more than once at the request of his partners. He could imagine that such an opportunity wasn’t available to Everand. As the crown prince of Branem, his every action was scrutinized and became fodder for gossip. Not to mention being the prince came with certain expectations. Everyone would expect him to be dominant, to never cede control to anyone under any circumstances.
Why wouldn’t Everand want to hand Hugo control after having the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders all day?
Hugo wanted this as badly as Everand. He craved it like air. To be the one person the prince trusted with his precious body. To give him a type of soul-deep pleasure he’d found with no one else.