He sighed and leaned back. “You can make afine point now.” He looked at the gilt tool in her hand. “You’revery hard to please. Do you know you have never used an endearmentwhen you talk to me? It’s always just Russal.” He took her hand andflattened it on his knee. “Not that I mind the sound of it on yourlips. Do you love me, Kambry dear?”
Had she never said “my love” or “darling” tohim? She swallowed. Did that mean she didn’t love him? Maybe shewasn’t comfortable with endearments. Or she had little practicewith them. She rolled the sharpener between her fingers and slid itinto a pocket.
“Kambry?”
His voice had taken on a fearful quality, andshe faced him, her heart thudding at the thought that he believedshe might not love him. “Of course, I do.” She did. “I’m not ingood practice loving someone.”
He seemed appeased by her words and nodded.“I know what I want for my prize.”
“What?” she said, her exhilaration tighteningher throat. She feared he hadn’t heard her at all when he didn’tspeak right away.
“You will call me loveykins.”
Kambry blinked. What did he just say?“Huh?”
He closed her mouth with a finger at herchin. “Loveykins. I want you to call me loveykins. That’s what Iwon when I beat you closing the entrances.”
“I can’t say that. It’s too silly.”
“It’s what I’ve won.” He leaned toward heruntil barely a breath could pass between their lips. “Say it, mylove.”
The tingling in her hands flowed up her armsand filled her chest. Her stomach fluttered. “Loveykins.”
“Say ‘Kiss me, loveykins.’”
She laughed. “I will not.”
His hand cupped the back of her head.“Please, my love.”
The laughter in his eyes clouded up, and shewas certain the cloudiness was passion. Was that what she wasfeeling? “Kiss me, loveykins,” she whispered.
“I will.” His hand pressed her forward, andhe kissed her, an arm pulling her around and into his lap.
Kambry shifted, getting comfortable, andrunning her hands up his chest. She could feel his heartthundering, and her own raced to catch up. So much filled hersenses. His hand cupped her hip, and her dress made hushing soundsas she pressed herself to his velvet doublet.
She lay on her back, her legs across hisslanted lap, Russal leaning over her, thoroughly intent on kissingher breathless. The cold stone floor wasn’t comfortable, buteverything else about the situation was, and she ignored the chillat her back.
Russal drew back, his chest rising andfalling with deep breaths. Kambry rose with him, keeping their lipstogether. He cupped her face and drew away. With each breath hetook, he looked about the room. “Not here, my love. Not here.” Hepulled her up and arranged her on his lap.
She tried to kiss him again, but he dippedhis chin away.
“You tempt me, but this is not the place forwhere this is going.” He deliberately straightened her bodice andtugged her skirt down about her legs. “That was much more than Iwas hoping for. You’d better save that endearment for occasionswhen we’re alone.”
“We’re alone right now, loveykins.” Shegiggled and dug her hands under his doublet.
“Kambry.” He laughed and pulled her handsout. “Anyone could enter the map room and find us.”
“How often do people need a map?”
He wet his lips. “Well, I don’t know. But Iimagine Burty needs one now and then.”
“I think he would quietly leave.” And wecould close the hidden door.
“After we had thoroughly embarrassed him. Idon’t think you have any idea what was about to happen, myqueen.”
She had been running her finger along hisjawline and stopped, imagining what was likely to happen had theycontinued. Burty would not have been the only one embarrassed. “Iconcede your point.” The tingling faded a bit, and she imagined itwould take little to raise herself back to a mindless pursuit ofpleasure. She crab walked off his lap and stood, her hands brushingat her skirts. A flush warmed her face, and she turned her back onRussal. Was that love or lust? She couldn’t stop pressing her skirtsmooth as she walked around the pillar, placing it betweenthem.
“Kambry, don’t run away.” He stood. “I didn’tmean to make you think your behavior inappropriate. We are married.You are my queen, I your king. Nothing would have happened that waswrong. But I would like you to be comfortable and where you canfeel secure and be able to...” His words trailed off. “There arethings....”
She turned to face him, pinching her lipsbetween her teeth on one side.
He tugged at his doublet. “At least, we’veclosed the passages. It may be too late to set up a guard to catchthem exiting.” His gaze locked on her.
She raised her hand as if to stave off himaccusing her. Did he think she had been distracting him, givingFelip time to escape? “Russal, if we hurry.”
“No. It’s too late. They’ll know we wereclosing off entries. The queen’s ring may not work for whoever hasit, but it will reveal the use of magic and probably the purpose.They’re out by now.”
Kambry rested fingertips on the wall andpulled at the magic. Were they out of the servants’ passages shehad found Felip and the other figure in? “They’re gone,” she saidand slumped. “I’m sorry.” At least, she didn’t have to worry aboutthe two meeting.
He was beside her and wrapping his armsaround her. “I wouldn’t feel too bad. You love me and that istremendously pleasing.” His hands ran down her back.
Was that love? Maybe it was lust. The tingleof desire galloped inside her. She trembled, and he held hertighter.
“Come back to our chambers, Kambry.” Hetrailed his lips along her neck, continuing until his mouth lay onher check. One small shift would bring their lips together.
“I need to talk to Sybil,” she said. Had itonly been since yesterday that they had met? She needed to know whothis woman was that was going to betray her. She needed time tofigure out if she believed Felip was protecting her, and she neededdistance from Russal. Loving him and feeling passion for him hadconsiderable merit and motivation. But she didn’t want to give upindependent action and choice. One more kiss
