Just wait for him in quarters they said.

It’ll be romantic they said.

He’ll be happy to see you they said.

Except I’d been waiting, naked, for Lucas to return to his quarters for nearly an hour and a half. This was probably a bad idea. What if he had someone with him? What if he’d already moved on? What if he thought this was stupid?

What if he doesn’t want me anymore?

Okay, so none of those were really bad, except the last one. Still, I hoped maybe the other ones weren’t valid. Jinx had helped me fashion this plan, and I was starting to think that Jinx was totally team Lucas. She’d gotten Ariel and Penny in on it too. And they’d come up with this plan. Me, in Lucas’s room, in his bed, naked. I just prayed to God he came home alone.

Is that really a worry?

No, not really a worry, but I felt very vulnerable. I wondered why in the world Jinx thought I had to be naked?

The door handle turned slowly, and I held my breath. There were all sorts of ways that the plan could go wrong. Lucas, like that time in Italy, might actually be packing heat. I loved how I was now in the know of all the terminologies and slang. Also, Lucas might actually have someone with him, and even if it wasn’t a girl, it might be someone important, and they were about to see me naked. Or if my hesitation had scared him off or he’d decided I wasn’t worth it, I was sitting in his bed, naked and vulnerable.

Jinx’s portion of the plan was the nudity in his bed. It had been the queen herself who’d come up with the other part of the plan, which, I had to say, royally itched. But oh no, I was going through with it, because once you’re tattooed, there’s no going back. You have to follow through.

With the bedroom door barely ajar, I heard a knock on the main door. Lucas’s footfall was fast. It sounded like he was jogging to open it. When he did, I could hear everything happening out there.

“Oh, what are you doing here?”

The voice on the other side of the door was feminine. “Oh, Prince Lucas, I wanted to, um, bring you a file of your options for your personal secretary.”

Lucas’s voice was low. “Oh, thank you. I guess I didn’t really think about this.”

The girl spoke again. “Yes, it’s very important. This will need to be a person you trust, like your right hand. She’ll get you everything you need, make all the right scheduling and appointments, coordinate between you, the king, and the queen, and anyone else on staff you might need to liaise with. It’s a very important appointment.”

I heard him make a noncommittal noise like ‘mm-hmm.’ “Uh, can we possibly speed this up? Can I just pick one? Or maybe you just tell me which one is really great?”

“Oh, right. Sure. Well, I suppose this is the time to point out that my folder and resume is on the top. As you see, I work weekends, and I’m more than eager for the job.”

I couldn’t see her, but I pictured her batting her eyelashes up at my man. She was lucky I was naked on the bed, or I would have been going out there to tear her eyes out. It wasn’t rational, but at that point, I couldn’t actually help myself. I could just walk out naked again. I’d done it before.

I was contemplating doing just that when Lucas said, “Oh, well in that case, I think you’ve already shown evidence of being really good at your job. Let me take another look at these, and I’ll get back to you.”

The girl cleared her throat. And then there was a click-clack on the wood floor, as if she’d taken her shoes off or walked toward him. I couldn’t decipher the sound. “Your Highness, there are other ways I can audition for the role.”

There was a bit of silence. And then Lucas said, “Oh, no. Uh, Rose, was it?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Rose.”

“Right. Rose. Sorry, but it’s not going to happen. First, I don’t shit where I eat. It’s sets a bad precedent. Second, I’m completely in love with someone else, and I’m not really looking for a substitute.”

“Your Highness, I didn’t know. I apologize. But then again, this doesn’t exactly have to be about love.”

Oh, I was going to kill her. I shifted my legs to swing them down and jump off the bed, just when Lucas said, “Oh, so this isn’t really about me, anyway. You can go now Rose, and rest assured, you won’t be the one getting this job.” I heard the shuffle of feet, the opening of the door, and then lighter footsteps receding down the hallway.

Oh, he turned her down. Well then.

I heard the rustle of papers, and then Lucas’s footsteps came closer to the bedroom until finally, he paused in front of the door and pushed it open.

He stopped short when he saw me there. “Bryna? What the fuck?”

I winced. “I’m sorry. This suddenly seems like a terrible idea.”

He crossed his arms and lifted a brow. “What the fuck is going on? Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

A deep flush crawled up my face. “No, not if you don’t count my embarrassment. I didn’t mean to overhear that conversation, I swear. It’s just that Jinx said I needed to go big to show you that I fucked up and I actually wanted to be with you. But then that girl was throwing herself at you, and now I don’t know what to do.”

“How did you get in here?”

“Ariel let me in and—”

Lucas put up a hand. “Say no more. That explains it. But why are you naked, Bryna?” His gaze raked over me, and I could feel every trace as if he lingered with his hands.

“I came for you. I was so stupid in the garden. I just panicked. I didn’t know what to say or what to do. I couldn’t tell you that I can’t sleep from thinking about you. And all I want to do is have you hold me. It’s not even about needing an orgasm from you so bad. But my body itches. I just want to hold your hand, feel you wrapped around me. And I want to hold you back. And I want to ask you all these questions about who you were as a kid, and picture young Lucas, causing havoc. I want to know every part of you. I know I was stupid because I was scared. I couldn’t seem to get past what happened in New York. And I’m not going to lie and promise that I won’t ever revert to that version of me, but it’s so much more about who we are or could be and—"

He interrupted me with another hand up. “You still haven’t explained why you’re naked.”

Oh, right. I was supposed to stand, drop the sheet, and turn around so he’d see the tattoo. But that all suddenly seemed ridiculous. “Um, I had this all planned, but now it just seems stupid.”

“Why does it seem stupid?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re going to laugh.”

“There’s a naked girl in my bed. I’m not going to laugh. Explain, please.”

Oh man! Come on, do or die time. Don’t lose out. Okay, I wasn’t losing out. I could do this. If he didn’t want me, that was fine. There were plenty of men who would. Except, none of them is Lucas.

Yeah, but I wasn’t going to think about that. I shifted my feet again, tugged the sheet away, and planted my feet in the plush rug under the bed. Then I stood, stalking toward him. “I’m here because I want you Lucas, however I can have you. I want to know everything about you. I want to have a life with you. I want to laugh when you laugh, cry when you cry. I want everything with you. I’m sorry I was so scared. If you still want me, I’m yours.”

I turned, standing in the light so he could see what I’d done. God, I freaking hoped this wasn’t stupid.

There, it was out, and all I could do was hold my breath. And sure enough, there was a crack of laughter. “Oh my god, woman, are you serious? I have always wondered where that gardenia ended up.”

I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Somewhere the sun doesn’t shine.”

Lucas wrapped his arms around me even as he chuckled. “Is it okay that I was totally jealous of a flower?”

I nodded slowly as I turned back around in his arms. “It’s a little weird, but I’m going to let you go with it.”

“Good, I plan to spend a lot of time worshiping that flower.”

She blinked up at me, her lips forming a small O.

I carried on without waiting for her to respond. “And I know I haven’t been easy to deal with. But this time, I’m not going to blow my shot. I hope you knew what you were doing coming here, because I’m keeping you in bed for a long while.”

Bryna brought her hand up to cradle my cheek in her palm. “I know what I want. I knew when I walked out naked during your date back in New York. I’m not going anywhere.” She leaned forward and kissed me.

Heat flared in my gut the moment her velvet lips pressed to mine. I needed her, needed this contact. Taking over the kiss, I angled her head so I could slide my tongue in deeper, tasting her more fully. She made a happy purring sound, and my blood hummed. My cock pressed against my zipper, and my jeans felt too tight. All I wanted to do was bury myself inside her, pulling orgasms from her like they were my lifeblood.

She whimpered. “Please touch me. Remind me this is real.”

I flashed her a grin even as I backed her up to the bed. “I am touching you.” I ran a finger down her jaw. I could almost feel the erratic stutter of her heart beating in her chest.

“You know what I mean, Lucas. If you don't—"

I chuckled and laid her back on the bed. “If I don’t what, sweetheart?” I slid into the bed beside her, pulling the sheets around us. I kissed her along her jaw line then nuzzled her neck. “You finally came around. I’m not rushing this.”

Her body arched into mine. “I need you.”

I groaned when she licked the sensitive spot beneath my ear. “I need you too. But my needs can wait. Yours, however, I plan to address. You’re mine now. I like to take care of what’s mine.” I slid my hands under her T-shirt, skimming my fingertips over the smooth skin of her belly.

I nuzzled her breasts and kissed my way down her body, only pausing to dip a tongue into the hollow of her belly button.

“Lucas?”

“Hmmm?” The scent of her drove me mad, and my hands trembled as they parted her thighs.

“I—Oh God,” she breathed.

I placed a kiss on her inner thigh, then blew gently on her clit. Her hips rocked up as she fisted the sheets. Slowly, I flattened my tongue to trace over her clit, and her hips bucked under me. I gripped her tighter as I sucked on the tiny button. Her hands fisted in my hair, tugging me close, and I could feel the quivering in her legs. Tearing my mouth off her, I growled low. She tasted fucking incredible. My tongue explored every inch of her hidden folds, eventually dipping into her center, lapping at her. She tasted like honeyed heaven.

“Oh, my God, Lucas.”

I repeated the motion then slid a finger deep inside her. Slowly, I withdrew my finger, and she moaned low, holding me tight.

Her legs quivered again, and her whole body tensed. Harsh, ragged breaths tore from her throat as I slipped another finger inside her. I continued the slide of my fingers as I slid my body up over hers.

My own body trembling, I kissed her long and deep, mimicking the movements of my fingers with my tongue, exploring her soft, warm mouth. Bryna’s head snapped back, and her legs locked around me.

My mouth absorbed her gasp as my thumb circled over her clit. With my fingers sliding and retreating, my thumb weaving a delicate pattern on her tiny button, and my tongue exploring her mouth, she came apart, liquid heat pouring over my fingers.

Her body went limp, and I pressed a kiss to her temple. Knowing she probably tasted herself on my lips sent another spike of need through me. But instead of sliding my dick deep inside her, I turned her over, then kissed the tattoo. She was insane, and she was perfect. I pressed a second gentle kiss to the tattoo. I was dead serious. I planned to worship her ass. But first I wanted to hold her. I held her tight to me and whispered, “I love you.”

My voice sounded thick to my ears. And my body screamed for release. But I tucked her against my side, settling her in for sleep. I wasn't letting go. Ever.