Page 126 of Wicked Prince of Frost

Joon dismisses Mingi and Iseul as soon as we reenter the Western Court, leaving me to escort him to his room. If I am too weary to speak more than a few words at a time, then it is a miracle Joon can hold himself upright at all.

I wait for him to enter, watching to make sure he can make it the rest of the way on his own. “Get some rest.”

He catches my wrist before I can leave. “Will you stay for a while?”

I’m not confident I’ll be able to get back up once I am off my feet, and I need to wash up before I no longer have enough energy. When I asked the same of him, he stayed with me without hesitation.

“Let me wash up first.” I turn toward the door.

“Use mine,” he counters with a yawn. “I want you close.”

“All right.” I sigh. It makes more sense than going to my own apartments for the same purpose.

Joon refuses to budge until I disappear into the bathingroom. I emerge a short time later, wearing one of his silk robes that puddles around my feet, to find him collapsed on the bed, still fully dressed.

I trudge over and tug on his arm in a pathetic attempt to get him up. “You should change.”

“I will. I need to gather my strength first.” Joon sighs and rolls onto his side, pulling me with him.

His arms encircle me, holding me against him. I don’t even bother fighting it. I’m too tired, and his firm body, the lines and dips of his muscles that even now tell of his strength pressed against me, feel too good to pull away.

“I am sorry, Violet,” he says into my hair. “If I am honest, I did not expect you to come.”

“I almost didn’t,” I admit.

He stiffens briefly, then asks, “What changed your mind?”

“I…”I didn’t want to leave you.The words are there on the tip of my tongue, but they stick.

But you will,an inner voice whispers.

One way or another, I will have to leave him.

“Everything,” I say eventually.

As if sensing all my unspoken words, he holds me tighter. “All that matters is that you were there.” Joon ducks his head and kisses me. “I swear I will never lie to you again. There are no secrets I have that I will not share with you.”

Blinking, I take in the man holding me and the unfamiliar room. Slowly, everything comes back to me. I don’t remember falling asleep. I hadn’t meant to.

Sun streams through the window. We slept through the evening and all through the night. Though at some point, hemust have gotten up to wash and change. The scent of soap lingers on his skin, and his chest is bare.

A groan rumbles from Joon’s chest. “Where are you going?” he mumbles, not bothering to open his eyes. “Sleep more, it’s still early.”

“You need to siphon.”

Joon hums in agreement. Rather than sitting up, he drags me on top of him, smiling sleepily. His fingers tangle in my hair as he pulls my mouth down to his. The kiss is slow and sweet.

His other hand roams over me with a touch that is pure comfort. His tongue traces my bottom lip, coaxing me to open for him. The press of his fingers quickly turns needy, skimming over my breasts and over my ass.

It’s enough to send liquid heat racing through me to gather at my core. And when his hands grip my thighs, I let him part my legs around him, not caring how the robe falls open to expose me. My desire heightens when I feel his length straining under me.

Still, he doesn’t siphon.

“Joon,” I say against his mouth.

His response is to hold down my lower back as he rolls his hips, grinding his cock against me as he slips a hand under the robe to grip my ass.

I shift in a half-hearted effort to gain space so he might focus on what I’m saying. His hold on me tightens as he kisses and nips down my neck. Any resistance fades away.