Chapter 117

She’d slept in. The sunlight filtering through the curtains was much brighter than it would’ve been if she’d awoken in time for the morning meal. But the feel of Reeve’s strong arm around her was enough to make Kit want to roll over, bury her head in his chest and let sleep find her again. If only her mother wouldn’t come calling for her sooner or later.

The queen had allowed her to announce Reeve’s Rooming the night before. While Cassius, Jate, and a few of the others had seemed genuinely happy for their friend, she’d seen a lot more jealous faces than she’d noticed at her first Rooming. Of course, she likely hadn’t been paying quite the same amount of attention when she’d let the Representatives know she’d selected Cassius because her mind had been on other things—Blankka’s betrayal and the revelation of her new Representative from Eastbury. Perhaps they’d been equally jealous then.

Or perhaps it was the fact that there were now only five Rooms available, and most of them had already resigned themselves to the fact that Eli would earn one of them—despite their differences the day before, which she could only assume had also made its rounds through the rumor mills. She knew Eli wouldn’t have mentioned it to anyone, and the only Representative she’d spoken to about it was Cassius, who despite his propensity for storytelling could be trusted, she was certain. Nevertheless, these things always seemed to spread like fire through a forest, and she’d seen plenty of questioning stares pointed in Eli’s direction the night before.

She hadn’t spoken to him and had done her best not to look him in the eye. Since he’d sat with his back to her, that had made it easier than it would’ve been if he’d been facing her or directly in front of her. He didn’t wince at all when she announced Reeve; she hadn’t been paying attention, but Isla let her know. Part of her was thankful for it, though she wasn’t sure if she should chalk it up to indifference, acceptance, or defeat.

“Are you awake?” Reeve’s soft kisses peppered the back of her neck and her ear.

She let out a soft sigh and scooted back into him even more. The feel of his bare legs against the back of her thighs had her recalling the sensation of his skin on hers the night before, and she pondered whether or not they had time for another round. She couldn’t recall her schedule off of the top of her head, other than the play and dinner later that evening. Did she have anywhere else she needed to be?

“The rain has stopped,” he said, a little louder now that he was sure she was awake. “Perhaps it will dry out now. Not that I think you should spend any time outside, not until you’re feeling completely better.”

Kit hadn’t sneezed too many times since she’d taken a second dose of Armant’s medication, but Reeve was right. She needed to stay inside where it was dry. Getting caught in another unexpected downpour wasn’t the way to ensure she was feeling well enough to attend the play. She needed to announce the Representatives she’d cut that night. Of course, being ill would be a reason to duck out on Pierce again, but she had spoken to him briefly the night before and had decided he deserved an opportunity to prove himself. Even if every bit of information he’d given her about Eli’s family home was incorrect, he’d risked a lot probing for information for her. The least she could do was hold true on her promise.

Presently, the only man she was interested in was the one whose arms were around her. Reeve had such a gentle nature about him, despite all that he had been through. The night before, she’d spent a great deal of time kissing every bit of his substantive scars. He’d seemed hesitant to have her lips there at first, but by the time she’d wrapped her lips around his chest, she’d felt bonded to him in a way she hadn’t before, and he’d seemed even more attached to her.

Kit rolled over and rested her hand on his chest, her eyes still blurry from sleep. His were wide open, and she imagined he’d been watching her sleep again, as he usually did whenever they shared a bed together. “Aren’t you tired?”

“No. I could watch you all night.” She raised her head, her eyes wide open now, and stared at him for a moment. “Did that sound... perverse?”

She giggled. “No. A little frightening, maybe,” she teased, stroking his chest with her palm.

He chuckled and leaned in to kiss her. His hot breath rushed her lips before their soft touch awakened every inch of her body, and she began to meld into him once more, her hands stroking up and down his pectorals, moving around his waist to come to rest on his backside. He moaned and pressed his tongue further into her mouth, leaving Kit gasping for air.

A knock on the door didn’t register until she also heard Avinia’s agitated voice. “Princess Katrinetta? Your mother is requesting your presence in her throne room!”