Only Friends? #MFRWhooks

Her breath caught in her throat as she turned around to answer. Like the first time she had seen him, he gave the impression of being too big for the available space, his magnificent body more attractive than ever with the long black strands dripping tiny streaks of water on a bare chest that displayed an impressive set of muscles before narrowing to the waist, wrapped by the blanket. She also could not help feeling his heat, but even if temptation to touch him seemed irresistible, she knew better. “Much.” Then she turned to face the fire, so she would not have to look at him. “This whole situation is funny. Here I am with a person I thought I’d never see again for the rest of my life, forced to spend another night together.” The hint of a smile curved her lips. “I guess, when you’re back in a girl’s life, you make sure she notices it…even if she’d rather have nothing to do with you.” She made it sound like an afterthought, though her stomach crunched painfully at the obvious lie.

He regarded her coolly, then called her bluff. “My dear, you’re not a prisoner, you know. You’re free to leave whenever you want.”

“Right!” She quipped hotly. “As if I’d ride out in the middle of a storm.”

He chuckled. “I meant when the weather calms down, but I’d be surprised if you did. It must’ve taken a lot of guts—”

“I’d call it stupidity.”

“I’m sorry.” Raising his head, he looked at her apologetically. “I don’t know you or what your life has been like. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, forgive me. I shouldn’t have answered like that. I’m glad for the opportunity to do something with my life, really. I’d have wandered aimlessly in search of…” She shrugged as her voice trailed off. “Something, and it’s not as bad as it seems. We’ve been friends before, so I don’t see why we can’t be again.” She turned to him, but her confidence vanished upon realizing how much she wanted to touch him. Yeah, sure as if I could ever be friends with someone who turns my stomach upside down simply by looking at him! Her heart was racing, her thighs tingled and a strange throb between her legs did not make things any easier.

“I’m not sure I can think of you as a friend,” was his cold reply.

Of course not. What a stupid fool to think even—

“Damn!” Grabbing her shoulders, he cursed again. “I might regret this for the rest of my life, but the gods know I want more, much more.”

Closing his mouth on hers, Prince Caldwell took their conversation to a completely different level, drawing her closer while his tongue carefully explored the warm opening, making her head spin and her body heat out of control.

Excerpt

Chapter Six

Princess...

Prince Charles’s throaty whisper boomed in her head as he caught sight of her poised on the windowsill of his room. I’m so glad you came to see me.

Sure he was. Since he had fallen ill, Sophia Caldwell had locked him in his bedroom and kept everyone out. Not little Ylianor, though. She climbed through the window every day to visit him, sitting by his bed and holding his hand tightly. Most of the times, she did not even dare breathe, lest she disturbed him, for she could tell how weak he really was. That funny way his lights had of shutting down was something she had only seen in an old horse. And then the horse had died, so she presumed Prince Charles would, too. But she refused to think it would happen any time soon.

So am I, Father. Jumping down, she neared his bed.

He winced. You know I’m not your father. Yes, she knew the term disturbed him. John is your father.

I know, but... Ill at ease, she shifted her feet, staring at them as though they were the most fascinating things in the world. It just seems so right...

Truth was—her nine-year-old self lacked the proper word to express how deeply she felt about him.

His eyes flashed in disagreement, but he did not repeat what he had told her a thousand times already—about how wrong it was for her to think of him as her father.

And you know I’m right. She stomped her feet to prove her point. If he’s really my father, why can’t I talk to him like I can to you? Without opening my mouth, I mean.

Ah, Princess, it doesn’t work like that. He chuckled softly.

Then tell me how it works, Father. But this she had not shared seeing how exhausted he was, more than any of the previous times before.

Suddenly, a noise at the door had her scurrying away, after placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

Gotta run now. Whatever happened, she dreaded Sophia catching her inside the room. It would mean the end of her stolen times with Prince Charles, and she did not have the heart to stand it. Someone’s coming, so I’ll see you tomorrow—

No, wait. Already balanced on the windowsill, one leg dangled outside, while the other was still inside, gaze locking on his burning eyes. Don’t ever forget that I love you, sweet princess.

No, Father, please don’t go! She rushed back, cold fear gripping her stomach as all his lights went off all together, all at once.

Just promise. After this final painful breath, his eyes closed, and the room went completely dark.

I promise, Father. Holding on bravely, she tried to stifle the pain threatening to swallow her whole. But how could she now that her world had gone eerily silent and empty?

Upon riding away from the village, it seemed hardly a coincidence that she relived Prince Charles’s dying moment. Then again, she did not believe in coincidences for everything always happened for a purpose. And having just burned her father’s body in the town’s square seemed enough of a purpose.

She knew she had looked distant and cold through it all. Deeply lost in herself was how she had felt, unable to handle the many, too many, lights flashing around her. As if the giant blaze had not been enough! But shutting off everyone’s lights sparking brighter than the dancing flames was an impossible task. So she had withdrawn further into herself, the place she knew best, and stared at the void that had seemed her future.

Then David and Starlet had changed everything. Up until their arrival, hard reasoning had almost convinced her to leave the village, if not the district all together. Yet here she was, returning home, rushing through the front gate and curving around the hills to reach the top. So what had changed?

And no, she did not want to think of the unexpected kiss that had spun her senses to a place they had no business going.

3 thoughts on “Only Friends? #MFRWhooks”

Janet July 17, 2019 at 12:29 pm

Poignant scene and her reliving it adds to the grief
Ed Hoornaert July 17, 2019 at 9:58 pm

Well, I have no idea what the two sections have to do with each other, but that’s because I’m seeing such a narrow window of the story. The first section, in particular, was moving.
Holly Bargo July 18, 2019 at 2:04 pm

Interesting how the relationship gets started when she’s just a little girl.