Page 27

TWENTY-SEVEN

T he observation struck something deep in Charov’s chest. He had never considered that. Alyx was respected throughout Nova Aurora, yet the stories of his exploits with his mate were legendary.

“Maybe...” Bess continued, shifting closer, “your father wasn’t serious because of his duty, but because that was who he was.” Her eyes locked with his. “Is there room for you to be your own kind of king?”

The question hung between them as vast as the starry sky above. His bear rumbled thoughtfully.

He stared into Bess’s eyes, her words striking a chord deep within him. His own kind of king. The concept settled into his mind with surprising comfort, like a key sliding into its perfect lock.

“You know something?” He brushed her hair from her face, his fingertips lingering against her skin. “For someone who’s only been on Nova Aurora for a short time, you understand more than most who’ve lived here their entire lives.”

His bear surged forward, recognizing the wisdom in her words. King Alyx wasn’t trapped by his crown—he had made the position work for him, not the other way around.

“My father ruled the way he needed to. But I’m not him.” The realization allowed him to shed a burden he’d carried his entire life. “I never will be.”

Bess’s eyes reflected the twin moons, her curves silhouetted against the starlit sky. “Would he want you to be?”

“No,” Charov said with sudden certainty. “He wanted me to rule, but he never asked me to become someone else to do it.”

He leaned back against the cushions, pulling Bess against his chest. The warmth of her body against his sent his bear into a contented rumble.

“Thank you,” he murmured into her hair, inhaling her floral-citrus scent. “For tonight. For the escape. For...” He gestured broadly at the sky and water. “For reminding me who I am.”

“And who’s that?” She twisted to look up at him, her expression playful yet earnest.

“Charov Mavac.” He grinned, feeling freer than he had in weeks. “Bear shifter. Adventure seeker. King who doesn’t have to sacrifice one to be the other.”

The gentle lapping of waves against the hull created a rhythm that seemed to sync with his heartbeat. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

“So, what does King Charov do now?” Bess asked, her body melting against his.

“Right now?” He traced the curve of her hip. “He stops thinking about being king altogether.”

His mouth found hers, claiming her lips with the pure, primal need that had been building for the past two weeks. His bear roared with pleasure as she responded, her fingers threading through his hair. The sweet taste of her flooded his senses.

He deepened the kiss, one hand cupping the back of her head while the other pressed firmly against her lower back. He was done holding back his desires and done pretending that this wasn’t exactly where he wanted to be…alone with her.

“I’ve wanted to do this properly since that night in my room,” he murmured against her lips, nipping gently. “Without grief clouding everything.”

Bess smiled against his mouth. “Is this properly ?”

“Not even close.” He rolled them so she was beneath him, the cushions conforming to their bodies as the boat rocked gently. “But it’s a start.”

Her laughter was cut short as he captured her mouth again, hungry and demanding. The bear in him wanted to claim and mark her, to make absolutely certain that everyone would know she was his. But the man in him wanted to savor this perfect moment beneath Nova Aurora’s stars.