I woke to warmth.
Not just a blanket, but a deep, solid heat wrapped entirely around me. For a long, drowsy moment, I sank into it, my cheek pressed against something firm that rose and fell in a slow, hypnotic rhythm.
The soft scent of cedarwood and rain filled my lungs.
Then my brain cleared.
I cracked one eye open.
Black hair, messy against the white pillow.
A dark T-shirt.
A very familiar prince.
"Oh."
Sometime in the night, the space between us had vanished. Kael was holding me—one heavy, warm arm wrapped tight around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. My own hand was resting flat over his heart, feeling its steady, heavy beat beneath my palm.
His chin was resting near the top of my head, his breath warm against my hair.
My face burned instantly, but before I could panic, Kael's arm tightened around me, drawing me a fraction closer.
"I can hear your heart racing," a low, gravelly voice murmured into the crown of my head.
I froze. "You're awake?"
"I have been for a while."
I tilted my head back to look at him. His golden eyes were hazy with sleep, but completely clear in their focus on me.
He didn't move his arm. He didn't pull away.
"You could've moved," I whispered, my voice sounding far too quiet in the dim room.
"I didn't want to."
The bluntness of it caught in my throat. "You didn't?"
"No." Kael shifted, his hand moving from my waist up to the small of my back, smoothing over the fabric of my shirt. "I found myself entirely unmotivated to fix our positioning."
A soft laugh escaped me, warming the air between us. "So... we're spooning."
Kael's mouth twitched. "Is that what this is called?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I quite like it. I approve." He reached up, his long fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
His thumb lingered, brushing softly along my cheekbone. The touch was so slow, so deliberate, that my breath hitched in my chest.
"You're soft," he murmured, almost to himself.
"Kael..."
"And you're warm." His hand moved to my jaw, tilting my face up just a fraction more. His gaze dropped down to my mouth, his golden eyes darkening.
The playful banter vanished instantly. The air in the room grew thick, heavy, and electric.
Kael leaned down, slowly bridging the space between us.
I couldn't move; I didn't want to. I closed my eyes as his forehead rested against mine, his breath mingling with mine. I could feel the exact moment his lips hovered a bare millimeter from mine—
*BZZZZT.*
A sharp, violent buzz echoed through the nightstand as my phone alarm shattered the silence.
We both jolted. Kael blinked, pulling back just an inch, his eyes wide and slightly dark before he let out a low, frustrated breath.
He reached over, grabbed the phone, and killed the alarm with unnecessary force.
I buried my face in his chest to hide my blazing face, letting out a muffled groan.
Kael's chest rumbled with a quiet laugh as his arm wrapped back around me, holding me tight against him for one last, greedy second before we had to face the day.
"A tragic interruption," he murmured into my hair.
"Don't remind me," I mumbled into his shirt.
Getting dressed and packing happened in a quiet, charged daze. Every time our shoulders brushed while packing the overnight bag, a static spark seemed to jump between us.
When we stepped outside into the crisp morning air, Kael didn't walk ahead. He stepped up right beside me, his fingers casually weaving through mine as we walked toward the car. I looked down at our joined hands, then up at him, my heart doing a foolish flip.
He didn't say anything, just squeezed my hand gently as he opened the driver door for me.
******
The diner down the road was quiet, smelling of fresh coffee and melted butter. The hostess from the night before spotted us immediately and led us to a cozy corner booth.
"Morning, boys!" she chirped, sliding two menus onto the table. "Back already?"
"We needed fuel for the road," I said, sliding into the vinyl seat.
Instead of sitting across from me as he usually did, Kael slid into the booth right beside me. His leg pressed against mine, solid and warm, and he reached out under the table, finding my hand and holding it in his lap.
The waitress's eyes darted down to our shoulders pressed together, a warm, knowing grin spreading across her face.
"Well, you two certainly look awful happy this morning."
My cheeks flared instantly, and I reached for the menu with my free hand. Kael, calm as ever, didn't flinch.
"We are," Kael replied directly, looking up at her with a calm, unbothered smile. "Very happy."
I nearly choked on air. I looked at him, wide-eyed, but Kael just squeezed my hand tighter under the table.
"I can tell," the waitress chuckled warmly, patting the table. "I'll give you two a minute."
As soon as she walked away, I leaned into Kael's side, whispering fiercely, "You can't just say things like that!"
"Why not?" Kael asked innocently, turning to look at me. "It is the truth."
"Because... ..its embarrassing!"
"What is there to be embarrassed about," Kael said softly. He picked up a fork, expertly cut a piece from the fresh fruit cup the waitress had set down earlier, and held it out to me. "Eat."
I stared at the fork, then at him. "Are you feeding me?"
"I'm glad you noticed."
"Kael—"
"Take it, or I shall be forced to use royal authority."
I laughed, shaking my head, but leaned in and took the bite from his fork. Kael watched me with a soft, satisfied smile that sent a wave of heat straight to my chest.
*****
When breakfast ended and we walked back out to the car, the cool morning air didn't cut through the warmth settling in my chest.
Kael opened the passenger's side door, but before getting in, he looked across the roof of the car at me. The sunlight caught the amber flecks in his golden eyes, making them shine.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah," I smiled, leaning against the car door. "I'm ready."
It was a long road ahead, but it didn't matter.
Because we were going, together.