Kaelen's pov
I stared at her. "You really think someone paid me to sleep with you?"
"Why not?" she shot back. "It's the perfect plan. Get me alone. Get me drunk. Take my—" She stopped, her face going even redder.
"Take your virginity?" I finished softly.
She flinched.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Look. I'm going to tell you this once, and you can believe it or not. I don't really care either way."
She waited, her body tense.
"I didn't know who you were," I said clearly. "I was at that club because I'd just gotten into the city and wanted a drink. You walked in looking lost and scared and so damn beautiful I couldn't look away. So I talked to you. Made you laugh. And yeah, I wanted you. But I didn't know you were the princess. I didn't know you were about to become queen. You were just a girl in a blue dress who needed to smile."
Her eyes were shining now. With tears? Anger? I couldn't tell.
"Then why are you here?" she whispered. "Why did you come to try out for my guard?"
"Because I needed work," I said simply. "Guard positions pay well. I'm good with a sword. It's not complicated."
"So you being here is just... coincidence?"
"Apparently the universe has a sick sense of humor," I said. "But yeah. Coincidence."
She studied my face for a long moment. Looking for lies. "And if I believe you... what then?"
"Then we figure out how to make this work," I said. "You chose me, remember? In front of everyone. You made me your personal guard. So unless you want to explain to your advisors why you're suddenly changing your mind, I'm here to stay."
"I chose you because I wanted to get you under control" she admitted quietly. "Keep you close. Make sure you never speak about that night."
"I know," I said. "Like I said. Smart."
"You're not angry?"
"Why would I be angry?" I took another step closer. Close enough now that I could smell her perfume. Same scent from that night. Roses and something sweeter. "You want to keep me close? I'm not complaining. The view is excellent."
Her breath hitched. "You can't... we can't..."
"Can't what?" I asked, my voice dropping lower. "Can't talk about how good it was? Can't remember the way your body felt against mine? Can't think about how perfectly you fit in my arms?"
"Kaelen," she breathed, and hearing my name on her lips again did things to me.
"You know what I think?" I said softly, leaning in just a fraction. Not touching her. Not yet. Just close enough that she had to tilt her head back to look at me. "I think you're not scared that I'll talk about that night. I think you're scared because you can't stop thinking about it."
"That's not—"
"I think you remember every second," I continued, my eyes dropping to her lips. "I think you remember how I touched you. How I kissed you. How I made you fall apart."
"Stop," she whispered, but she didn't move away.
"I think you chose me because some part of you wanted this," I said. "Wanted me close. Wanted to see if that night was real or just the wine."
"You're wrong," she said, but her voice was shaky.
"Am I?" I reached up slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. My fingers brushed a loose strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Your pulse is racing, Your Majesty. I can see it. Right here." I let my fingers trail down to that spot on her neck where her heartbeat fluttered like a trapped bird.
She gasped, her hand coming up to grab my wrist. But she didn't push me away. Just held me there, her eyes wide.
"This can't happen," she whispered.
"What can't happen?" I asked innocently.
"This. Us. Whatever you think this is."
"I don't think anything," I said. "I'm just your guard. Here to protect you. Keep you safe." I leaned in closer, my lips almost brushing her ear. "Even if the most dangerous thing in this room is the memory of what we did three nights ago."
She shuddered. Actually shuddered. And I felt like I'd won something.
Then she pushed me away. Hard. I let her, stepping back with my hands up.
"We have an understanding," she said, her voice stronger now. Back to being the queen. "That night never happened. We're strangers who just met today. You're my guard. Nothing more."
"If you say so, Your Majesty," I said easily.
"I do say so." She walked to the door, her hand on the handle. "Your quarters are in the east wing. Someone will show you. You start at dawn tomorrow. You'll stand outside my door, you'll walk behind me, and you will not speak unless spoken to. Understood?"
"Perfectly."
She opened the door, then paused. Looked back at me. "And Kaelen?"
"Yes?"
"If you ever touch me like that again without permission," she said quietly, "I'll have your hand cut off."
I grinned. "Noted. Though for the record, you didn't exactly stop me."
Her face flushed again. She opened her mouth to say something, probably something cutting and royal, but then just shook her head and walked out.
The door closed behind her with a sharp click.
I stood there alone in her sitting room and laughed quietly.
This job was going to be interesting.
A different servant showed me to my quarters. A small room in the east wing. Bed, chair, table, window. Simple. I didn't need much.
I sat on the bed and thought about what just happened.
The girl from the club was the queen. The queen I now had to guard. The queen who was terrified I'd ruin her reputation but couldn't quite hide the fact that she was still attracted to me.
This was messy. Complicated. Dangerous.
I should probably leave. Walk away before this got worse.
But I wasn't going to. I had other reasons for being here.
Tomorrow, I'd stand outside her door at dawn. I'd be the perfect guard. Professional. Distant. Exactly what she wanted.
But when we were alone?
I'd remind her that I wasn't just some guard.
I was the man who knew what she sounded like when she let go of control. The man who'd made her forget about duty and crowns and rules for one perfect night.
And no matter how much she wanted to pretend that night never happened, I could see the truth in her eyes.
She remembered.
And she wanted more.
She just wouldn't admit it yet.
But she would.
I'd make sure of it.
I laid back on the bed, my hands behind my head, smiling at the ceiling.
Yeah. This was going to be very interesting.