Page 41 of Royally Drawn (Resplendent Royals #3)
A Million I-Love-Yous
INGRID
K eir and I swayed to the music in the lowlights of Cici’s reception. The old people retreated, and the day was done. Cici and Isak were happily wed, having already run off together for the evening. They snuck out without so much as a word. I didn’t blame them. They’d been so in love all day. I cried during the wedding. I was a sap in the end.
“It was cheeky of them to leave,” I said. “But ingenious.”
“The prince got the girl. The kingdom got its happy ending,” Keir said. “And they departed into a happily-ever-after.”
I smiled. “It was sweet. It was a fairytale, wasn’t it?”
“I dunno. It’s funny to watch. Strange that any of us are mature enough to commit to such a massive thing in front of all those people, but I am happy for them.”
“They are so happy. They work well together.”
“They do,” Keir agreed. “I never thought she’d ever fall for Edina’s little brother. Nor did I think he’d ever manage to keep Cici’s attention. Love finds a way or some such.”
“I could say the same about Astrid and Parker, but now… you couldn’t picture them with anyone else. Or Al exandra and Rick.”
“Funny how that happens.”
It was. And it was funny to think he loved me—and that he’d repeated it this afternoon after we arrived back at the palace. He didn’t care that I hadn’t said it back—per him—but I wanted to say more. I just wasn’t sure I could yet. How did this man love me?
I gazed at him, happy and content. “I want to tell you what you want to hear.”
“I want you to say it because you love me, not because you feel I want to hear it.”
“I know. And I hope I will say a million I-love-yous someday, Keir. I just cannot say it yet .”
He kissed me, and the world stopped. He made my knees weak and my heart race. I wanted to stop time for an eternity. I knew it might be ages until I saw him again once we returned to our respective places. My schedule would pick up. There was no telling how we’d make it work. I wished this fantasy we lived in was never-ending.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” He asked.
I nodded. “I want you. Who knows what happens in a couple of days? I want you to do everything to me.”
“Well, obviously, I will,” Keir chuckled. “But I also just want to wake up next to you. I want to soak up the morning sun with you.”
I smiled.
“It sounds stupid. I know I sound mad,” Keir groaned.
“You don’t, baby. I live for the morning light, and I want that, too.”
I kissed him as the song ended. A booming Swedish pop song began, but we stood still, unable to tear ourselves away. I didn’t care who saw us. I didn’t care if Alex got cross with me over my ill-advised PDA. I wanted people to talk. I wanted them to know I was his and he was mine. It was incredible, but he was mine .
“Let’s go to bed,” I said.
“Sure,” Keir agreed.
We ignored all the reasons and fled to my guest room. I was grateful I had taken my tiara from earlier so as to not slow us down. Keir kissed me for a long while as I threw his tie aside and unbuttoned his shirt. I longed for him to be with me in bed—naked, warm, and making every bit of me tingle. He pulled back, taking me in. Somehow, everything changed for us.
I turned. “You’re going to have to get me out of this dress.”
He kissed the nape of my neck tenderly, then unzipped it. I melted at his touch. It was unexpectedly tender.
My dress dropped to the floor. I stepped out of it. By now, he was undressing neatly.
I giggled. “I’m a chaos goblin, and you’re Mr Perfect.”
“Force of habit,” Keir said. “Inspections. Everything must be perfectly pressed and stored with care.”
“Bra on or off?” I asked, hand on my hip.
“Normally, I’d say leave it on because it’s sexy as hell,” Keir said. “But, tonight, I just want you. Just as you are.”
He was neatly folding his trousers as I undid the strapless bra holding me together, tossed it to the side and kicked off my knickers. When Keir turned back, I stood there, completely naked. His face showed just how much he appreciated the gesture.
“You are so beautiful. I do not deserve you,” Keir said.
He kissed me, walking me back until he pushed me on the bed. I tried to settle nicely on the pillows, but he pulled me towards him by my thighs. I watched him kiss from my lips to my thighs as if fully engrossed in my body and its every curve. Then he came back up, his cock pressed against my entrance. Our eyes locked. We just stared at one another for a moment, happy in the still, quiet moment. Then, he kissed me and thrust inside.
I moaned into his mouth, feeling pleasure and release. He continued to thrust slowly, grinding against me once he was deep inside me. Over and over, he tickled the sweetest spots within me. I grabbed his ass, pushing him impossibly deep.
“You like that?” Keir asked.
I nodded. “It feels so good. So fucking good.”
He kissed my neck, accelerating. I relished how he made my whole body feel warm and how sensitive I became in these moments. It wasn’t magic, but it felt otherworldly. I wondered if it always felt like this for everyone or if we were just good like this. I hoped it was the latter.
He brought me closer and closer, pumping harder and harder, always watching my face to see my reaction. I wanted to give over to him—to this—in a way I hadn’t before. He had all of my body many times now but never my whole self . Hearts were fragile things, and I knew he could still break mine. But, like he said, we put up walls.
Close to cumming, I didn’t hold back. My standard stream of dirty words failed me.
“I… I love you,” I gasped before cumming so hard I thought I might shatter. I lay there. He slowed down and shook his head as I caught my breath.
He kissed me and said, “You’re going to have to say that again when I’m not inside you for me to believe it.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Later. Promise. But I meant it.”
“I want to hear it repeatedly—a million times if you’d like,” Keir said.
Despite our current situation where he was balls-deep within me, it was the sweetest thing anyone could have said. I felt everything, fighting tears. I didn’t know what came over me. On an emotional rollercoaster, I’d never pictured myself loved like this. I’d hoped to be in love—wanted it—but never saw this coming. Keir gave me his whole heart.
“Are you okay?” Keir asked.
“I’m fine. Don’t stop. I just… I’ve overcome. I…”
I didn’t have words in English. I didn’t have words in any language.
He stopped, rolling to the side and pulling me into his arms.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t… I didn’t want to ruin it,” I said in frantic French, now full-on crying.
“Don’t apologise,” Keir said. “You can tell me if you’re not or if I hurt you or?—”
“No, I just never thought anyone could love me like this—truly love me,” I sobbed. “And give me everything so fast it would make my head spin. I… I want this—more of it. I didn’t even know what to do. It’s stupid.”
“It’s not. It’s honestly good. I wasn’t being smart.”
“What?”
“No condom,” he laughed. “Which I’m sorry. I should have cleared. I was too caught up and?— ”
“I’ve got an IUD. It’s okay,” I said. “But we probably should be smarter.”
“Next time,” Keir said.
He kissed the top of my head and held me close. I felt the blub-blub of his heart.”
“I’m sorry. Sometimes I feel like how my life began was a sign,” I said. “Like… I always needed assurances that I was loved. Like you said with the twins asking about their birth story… I’ve done that too. Because it’s all I have of my mother. You gave me everything somehow… I could see it, and... fuck. I’m a mess.”
Keir gently pulled my chin up so my eyes met his gaze. “Don’t apologise. I am sorry if that was… hard.”
“No. It just makes me love you more. Knowing that you understand somehow. No one does but you, mon cher .”
“It’s all way too fast. I shouldn’t have?—”
“It’s too fast,” I agreed. “But … It feels right, somehow. I’m not ready to race down the aisle with you. That could take years, I think. You have things to do—as do I. But this? I could do this every day. I’d be lucky to have you forever.”
He let out a long sigh. “You know I cannot?—”
“I know. So, let’s not think about it right now. You have me here and now. Let’s love one another and be happy. Let’s allow ourselves to be happy despite all the doubt.”
I kissed him slowly, feeling his five-o-clock shadow bristling against my palm as I touched his face. I wanted to bask in this. Whatever it was, it was powerful. And as deliciously deviant as we often were, there was something so sweet and genuine between us. He was dutiful.