Page 70 of Elf Prince

And as that seemed as good an invitation to kiss her again as any, he closed the distance and did just that. He buried his fingers in her hair, silken and slightly curling in a way elven hair did not.

Kissing her the second time was even better than the first. If practice made kissing better, then he was more than happy to practice kissing as much as Essie wanted.

He drew back enough to murmur, “I think I am in love with you.”

She grinned right back at him, her cheeks pink and her eyes bright. “I should hope so. I know I’m in love with you.”

They had come a long way from their arranged marriage, where all he had dared hope was that their marriage would not be miserable.

He had not known how to hope forthis.Loving and being loved in return.

He was not yet sure how to dream for a future after so long of expecting none. He did not know how to trulyliveafter simply existing day after day.

But with Essie, he might have a hope of figuring it out.