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Perhaps it’s the tether, our yet-to-be-fulfilled bond, or me just being my usual sentimental, and often overly emotional self, but for some reason that simple gesture—the expression of his goodness, his generosity, his care for me – is enough to make tears spring to my eyes. I feel like a silly little fool as he pulls back to stare down into my face. Even with my gaze pointing downwards, I know that the fat tears swelling in my eyes are visible.

I may have lived my life as a royal, but the last time someone took care of me in such a waywas before my parents were killed. Gideon’s brows knit together with concern as he pulls me against him.

His voice gentles to a soothing tone. “Oh, baby girl… What’s the matter?”

I’m no match for his tenderness, his precious endearments, the way his hands come up to cradle my face, or his thumbs stroking my cheeks. It causes the first of my tears to spill and my bottom lip to tremble. If I try to speak, it’ll be thwarted by a sob.

Gideon seems to recognize this and doesn’t force me to provide any explanation. Instead, he scoops me up into his arms and sits on the floor of his closet with me in his lap. I bury my face in his neck as he soothes one hand over my hair and back while the other holds me tightly against him.

“I’m sorry, I know I’m being too much.”

Gideon scowls.“Too much? Too much of what? Appreciation? Gratitude? Sweetness? Fucking perfection?”

With a watery laugh, my gaze drops as I begin to swipe away my tears, but Gideon grabs my wrists and brings them to his chest.

“Look at me, angel.”

My eyes lift to his, and I swear the tether between us grows infinitely tighter. Gideon’s expression is stern. “From my experience, a lot of people in this world aren’t particularlyappreciative or gracious because they’re too caught up in their own insecurities, worries, and ego. It’s rare that an individual is so deeply and emotionally moved by the sight of another person’s goodness.

My lower lip trembles, as my tears continue to spill and Gideon cups my cheeks, swiping them away with his thumbs.

“You being moved to tears by me offering to take you shopping isn’ttoo much.It just tells me two things. One: You clearly haven’t been taken care of by a man before. And two: It’s a reflection of the goodness within yourself. That you don’t take other people for granted. Andthat’spriceless. So fuck yeah, I’m gonna take you shopping. If anyone deserves to be spoiled, it’s you, angel.”

Akash almighty, is this what it’s like to beseen?”

I’m rendered fucking speechless. My eyes dance between each one of his as if in disbelief, like surely a man this good can’t exist.

And experiencing all his goodness, his tenderness—I feel like it’s uncorked all the bottled up emotion of the last decade: the war, the trauma induced in that war camp, the responsibility of the duchy and rebuilding an entire province after years of war, all my shortcomings as Duchess Paramount, my exhaustion, and my loneliness.

You feel safe.

My tears spill, and Gideon merely responds by pulling me against his chest. My shoulders shake as I silently weep and sniffle; all the while, he presses kisses to my head and speaks in that calming tone of his. “Shhhh.I know you’ve been through a lot, but I’m right here, sweetheart.”

A strange energy builds inside me, and it takes me a moment to realize what it is.

I want to give this man parts of me I’ve never given or shown to anyone. I’ve never wanted to giveallof myself to someone.And even without oursoulboundconnection, I know he would still fill me with a burning desire to give this man my all.

Sacred fuck…Three days have passed and already this man has burrowed himself so deeply in my heart and my soul that I feel divinely inspired to suck his dick.

I give a little helpless laugh at the realization as excitement bubbles up inside of me.

Oh my dear, Mr. Gideon Kincaid…I am gonna suck your dick like it’s my sole source of sustenance.

Soon.Not now, obviously, while I look like a rabid mole rat.

“What’s so funny, angel?”

I sit back, heaving a sigh, laying my hands on his chest.

“You are just… something else.”

Gideon chuckles. “In a good way or a bad way?”

A grin overtakes my face as I lean in close to him. “In the best way.”

I punctuate my admission by pressing a kiss to his forehead. Gideon’s arms wrap around my waist, pulling me firmly against him. He cranes his head down to bury his face in my neck as his hands cradle my waist, gradually slidingup, up, upuntil his thumbs are grazing the undersides of my breasts. His words murmur warmth against my throat.

“Give it time. I’m sure you’ll be sick of me soon enough.”