Page 164 of The Throne Seeker

“Are you cold?” he asked, picking up the hint.

“A little,” Rose admitted.

“Well, we can’t have that.” He got to his feet, stretching his hand to her.

She took it, letting him lead her upstairs, back to the suite she had used to change. Once they entered, Moretti went over to the fireplace, his back facing her as he worked on lighting the fire.

With him distracted, she took her chance. She took out the small pouch of the lotus powder and emptied its contents into her mouth, tucking it into her cheek to delay its dissolving, then stuffed the small pouch back into her dress.

She gazed down at him and the embers he’d brought to life.

“Moretti?” she said above him in a smooth voice.

He stood to face her, unaware of the danger lurking past her lips.

Without warning, she slid her hands behind his neck, urging his lips down to meet hers.

And meet they did.

Within seconds, he brought her closer. To her pleasant surprise, he was an excellent kisser—better than Grant. His hand went up to her jaw, cupping it sweetly, lifting it to kiss her deeper.

Her tongue slid along his bottom lip, asking for entrance. His soft groan vibrated on her lips as he submissively granted it. Her tongue slid into his mouth as he opened up. They kissed for a long moment, Rose wanting to ensure he’d gotten enough of the powder’s effects.

She knew it was working as it began to make its way through her, overpowering her senses just as it had during the second challenge. She braced herself for it, letting it run its course instead of fighting the sensation.

He pulled away first, looking like he’d been swept away to heaven itself. His hot breath spread over her face.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized at once. “I just?—”

His lips silenced her apology, kissing her again, coaxing out her desire unconsciously. “I want to ravish you until you can’t stand properly,” Moretti murmured, unaware his sudden urge for honesty was the powder’s effects working. “But I don’t want you to think that’s all I want. As much as I want to keep kissing you—” his eyes flickered to her lips then back up into her eyes, “—to take advantage of you in every single way, I’m not going to. Because I want more from you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and let me assure you I’ve had my pick of the litter. Women from all over Cathan have come to see me, each of them willing to hand over their bodies and souls to me. I’ve never wanted anyone. None. Until the moment I saw you walking by today.” He put his forehead against hers. “After the race, after I saw you gallop across the water like it was nothing and the smile that grew on your lips when you did… Gods.” He swallowed hard. “It was at that moment I knew I was looking at an angel—and I just knew I had to have you.”

Her breaths grew uneven. She hadn’t expected him to be so genuine, but then again, she had just drugged him. “You saw that?” Of course, he had. The whole bloody arena had seen it.

“You think I’d send you into that race alone? I watched over you throughout the entire track. I had men posted at each point, thinking you’d need my help. But you didn’t.”

She hadn’t been expecting that either. She hadn’t been expecting any of it—well, perhaps the lusting part, but to care for her genuinely so quickly was astounding. She knew it to be true from the lotus.

Her heart cracked. She felt terrible for using him all of a sudden. She’d wanted him to be someone she disliked—someoneshe wouldn’t care about hurting. But now… now she could feel the powder make her face the truth.

“Say something,” he whispered, searching her eyes.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you.” She attempted to pull back but held firm.

“Hey,” Moretti whispered, still so close their noses were brushing. “You can’t kiss me like that and get shy now.”

She let a small smile escape her lips. “I like that about you—how you make conversation easy.”

He returned the smile. “Good. Because I want to know more about you.” He moved to sit on the large bed.

A knot formed in her chest. She didn’t want to answer questions about herself. She was supposed to be doing the questioning.

She sat down next to him anyway.

He wasn’t having that—he pulled her onto his lap as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. She leaned into him, smelling his expensive cologne as she did. “What if we take turns?” she suggested, thinking on her feet. “I ask something, then you.”

“Seems fair enough,” he said with a smile. “I’ll go first. Why’d you enter the race?”

“You were going to kill Onyx if I didn’t,” she stated, hiding the truth with another. “He and I… have a special connection.”