Samir chuckled. “You’re impossible. That’s not how things are done in our society.”
“I don’t care.”
Laughing, Samir rolled his eyes. “I’m well aware of that. I’m sure Queen Kadira has never been dismissed from the room until she met you.”
He was so beautiful when he laughed.
“Is that a no?” Warrehn said, wanting to kiss him again.
Samir’s laugh turned into a gentle smile. “It should have been, but you must have rubbed off on me, you impossible man.”
Warrehn hugged him tightly, burying his face in Samir’s neck. He breathed deeply, trying to get a grip on his emotions. It almost felt like he was too happy, that this was too good to be true. Good things didn’t happen, not to him. There was an irrational fear that this would be taken away from him, too.
“You make me feel too much,” he said into Samir’s neck. “It scares the shit out of me.” Because he didn’t know what he would have done if Samir said he wouldn’t marry him, if Samir wasn’t his to love, if Samir’s bondmate had still been alive. He wanted to think he was a better man than his father, but… The truth was, he didn’t know. What Emyr had done to Dalatteya and her husband was sickening, but Warrehn wasn’t sure he would be any better if he had to watch Samir with another man. And it scared him. Maybe Dalatteya had been right, after all. Maybe the men of his family really were too toxic and obsessive.
He felt Samir’s fingers in his hair, stroking it gently. “Look at me, War.”
He lifted his head.
Samir’s eyes were so very gentle as he took Warrehn’s hand and entwined their fingers. “No one will take me away. I’m yours. I’ll never leave you—I don’t want to ever leave you.” He smiled, squeezing Warrehn’s fingers. “We’ve already established I’m the clingy one in this relationship.”
It would have been embarrassing to be so transparent, but there was no judgment in Samir’s gaze: only understanding and love.
Warrehn leaned forward and kissed him hard, pouring his emotions into it. I want you, I need you, I love you.
When they finally broke the kiss, they just gazed at each other for a moment before Samir grinned. “Let’s go shock Ayda, shall we? She’s going to yell at us.”
“You mean, at you,” Warrehn said, chuckling. “I’m the king. She can’t yell at me.”
Samir laughed. “Wanna bet?”
Warrehn snorted and said nothing, content to listen and watch his lovely face as Samir speculated about Ayda’s reaction.
Warrehn knew it wouldn’t be so easy. When the news about Dalatteya hit the press, they were going to be under a lot of scrutiny, Samir more than him. The last thing they needed was to invite more of it if they married soon. His PR team would no doubt have a lot to say on the subject. While normally Warrehn wouldn’t give a fuck about people’s opinions, he didn’t want Samir to be ostracized for the things his mother had done, so he was prepared to listen to Ayda’s advice on this. If she told him to wait with the marriage, he would wait. He would do far more than that to protect what was his.
“You’re quiet,” Samir said, looking back at him. “What are you thinking about?”
“You,” Warrehn said honestly.
Samir’s answering smile was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “Who are you and what happened to my moody, grumpy Warrehn?”
Warrehn thought back to the bitter, miserable man who had arrived at the palace all those months ago. He felt like a different man altogether.
“You happened,” he said simply, pulling him close. Fuck, he couldn’t hold him close enough.
Samir beamed at him. “I knew you were a closeted sap,” he said, and kissed him.
Warrehn was smiling as he kissed back.
Maybe good things did happen to him.
Very good things.
Epilogue
One year later
The planet had four moons.
Sinking onto the couch on the patio, Dalatteya looked at the night sky. The view was quite beautiful, she had to admit. She’d had misgivings about settling on a planet that was part of the Union, even if it was a Fringe planet, but Emyr hadn’t budged: he was too much of a creature of comfort to take residence on a pre-TNIT planet without any links to civilization. Dalatteya hadn’t exactly been eager to give up access to GlobalNet, either, so she hadn’t fought him hard on this, no matter her unease.
But it had been a year, and no one had found them yet. Perhaps Emyr was right and the planet was remote enough for its people not to care about some Calluvian outlaws. Either way, she had learned to appreciate this planet.
The sound of footsteps made her tense up before she recognized them and relaxed.
He settled on the couch next to her and slung his arm around her shoulders, nuzzling the side of her face. “Stargazing?” he murmured.