HENRY

After waiting for ages for Abi to return to the table, I finally get up and go for a stroll across the lawn. I spot her assistant — Emily, I think — chatting with some other aides outside the dining tent, and pull her aside. She’s a bit flustered from having been unexpectedly hustled around the back corner of the tent by the Prince of Ostwyn, but I need to speak to her as far away from would-be eavesdroppers as possible.

“Where is Abigail?” I ask.

“I’m—I’m not sure.” Her eyes are wide with an unspoken apology. “She said she was going for a walk in the garden.”

“She’s still outside somewhere, then?”

She nods. “I believe so, Your Grace.”

“Which way did she go?”

She peeks out of the shadows to orient herself and points to my left, away from the tent and the East Lawn. “Um, that way, maybe?”

“You aren’t sure?”

Emily fidgets nervously. “I—I wasn’t really paying attention, sorry. The Duke of Fellsworth tripped and landed face-first in the grass just after Lady Strathmore left for her walk.”

I’m sure it was quite the scene, but all I care about is finding Abi. “She went into the High Gardens, then?”

“I think so, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.” I nod, dismissing her.

“I hope you find her.” She gives me a shy smile and slips back around the corner.

Within moments, I’ve made my way across the East Lawn and disappeared behind the tall hedgerow running along the perimeter of the formal gardens.

The glow from the palace and the thousands of little lights adorning the banquet tent peeks through the thick shrubbery occasionally, but it’s mostly dark. The moon is full, though, and my eyes adjust quickly to the dim lighting as I move deeper into the gardens, away from the noise and throngs of people partaking in after-dinner merriment as they await the beginning of the poker game.

I walk fast and cover the ground quickly, but there’s not a soul in sight. No one is at the fountain, the sculpture park, or any of the alcoves along the path that are adorned with benches.

Just when I’ve decided that Emily is wrong about Abi’s whereabouts, I hear a muffled thump and look to the right in time to see a flash of movement through the hazy glass of the small conservatory nestled into the far back edge of the gardens.

Of course. In years past, I would sometimes stumble upon a much younger version of Abi in there, examining hairy caterpillars or sketching a blooming flower during her visits to the palace.

Hurrying over, I open the door quickly and peek in. There she is, walking slowly through the humid space, her fingers outstretched, brushing against the plants on either side.

She startles as the door slaps shut behind me and whips around to face me. “Oh!”

Four long strides, and she’s within a few feet of me. “Hello, Abi.”

“Henry! What — what are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you.”

Distant strains of a jazz piece float through the air, and a peal of laughter carries from the East Lawn. The greenhouse is easily visible from any window along the rear of the palace during the day, but at night it’s very rare for anyone to venture out this far into the gardens, and without the garden flood lights turned on, it’s rather private.

“Why?” She asks, her hands at her chest, fingering her necklace nervously.

I step forward, drawing within inches of her. I can smell the floral and vanilla scents of her perfume mingling with the earthy aroma of the greenhouse. It’s a heady mixture.

“We have some unfinished business, wouldn’t you say?”

She blushes and looks down. I reach out a hand and lift her chin. I want to see those beautiful green eyes of hers. I want to see what she’s thinking.

“What brings you out to the gardens by yourself?”

“I was looking for a plant that use to grow in the gardens here. I thought perhaps there might still be some flowering plants in the conservatory.”

“Have you spotted it?”

She glances around and shakes her head. “No. I suppose it’s too late in the season.”

“What was it?”

“I can’t remember the name. Honey… something. I used to pick the blossoms. I’d sneak off with a pocket full of them and drink the nectar. I think it only bloomed in the summer though.”

“Ah. That must have been the Japanese honeysuckle growing along the arbor. The one lone wild plant in all of the formal gardens.”

“Yes, that’s it!” She smiles at me coyly. “Wow, I didn’t take you for a flower man, Prince Henry.”

“Ha! You’d be surprised at the subjects my mother insisted I learn during my tutoring. You’re right, it’s too late to find the blossoms this year. But I love their sweetness, too.”

“Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could buy a whole jar of that nectar, like a jar of honey?”

“I’ve been thinking of something else quite delicious, to be honest.” I give her a wink.

She swats at me. “Henry!” she admonishes. Then she bites her bottom lip and looks at me bashfully, those pretty green eyes flashing at me through her long lashes.

“What? I’m just being honest.”

She shakes her head with a soft laugh. “Don’t you have like a thousand guests waiting for you to dazzle them with your legendary poker skills?”

“They’ll have to wait just a bit longer. I’ve already spent all day doing my duties for the Crown.”

“Like what?”

“Things. Just boring, tiresome things. Like approving floral arrangements.” I slip my arms around her waist and pull her to me.

“That sounds… terribly dull,” she whispers, her eyes fixed on mine.

“It is.”

I slide my hands down her back, over the firm curve of her ass. I want to touch every inch of her. I wonder if she knows Japanese honeysuckle is an invasive species. Once it takes hold into the soil, it won’t let go. It sinks in its roots, sends out its sweet blossoms, and it’s there to stay. I’m addicted to her already — the way she smells, the warm, silken smoothness of her skin, the soft, womanly curves of her body, the sound of her voice.

“Are these important matters?” she asks.

“Aren’t they always?” I curl my fingers against the tight fabric hugging her ass and begin pulling it up.

“I better not distract you, then.”

“No, that would be terrible.” The hem of her dress slides up past the bottom of her panties, and my hands move down, slipping under the lacy fabric of her waistband, rubbing the soft warmth of her ass cheeks.

“Yes, it would be incredibly impolite of me.”

“Very much.” I reach further, curving my hand under her ass, my fingers desperate to feel the heat of her pussy.

“Unless…” she trails off.

“Unless what?”

“We use this time wisely some other way.”

“Oh? What would you do instead of wandering around by yourself, lost in your thoughts?” Using one hand, I grab her ass and lift her a few inches, supporting her carefully as she balances on her tiptoes.

“Learn things.”

“What sort of things?” I push the fingers of my other hand between her thighs and curl them upward. My middle finger grazes against her wetness.

“The kind of things you could teach me.”

“Like what?” I whisper. She’s so wet, it’s driving me crazy.

“Pleasurable things.”

I nuzzle my mouth to her ear. “Like how my hard cock feels inside your hot pussy?” I’m ready to unzip my pants and bend her over, sink my cock into right here between the ferns and the geraniums.

I can feel her heart pounding, and her breath catches in her chest at my words, but she shakes her head. “I can’t… I mean, I want to… but we can’t do that.”

“Oh?” At first, I think she’s teasing me, but there’s something about the tone of her voice, a tinge of fear underlying her breathy desire. I pull my head back and look into her eyes, still gripping her tightly against my chest. “Tell me something.”

“Yes?”

“Are you a virgin?”

She swallows hard, and her cheeks suck in for a moment. If it weren’t for the dim light, I know I’d see color seeping across them. She finally nods. “Yes.”

Goddamn if my heart doesn’t pick up its pace. “I see.”

“Is that okay?” she asks in a small voice.

I laugh softly. I let go of her luscious ass and kiss her gently on the forehead. “It’s very okay. Surprising, but okay.”

“I’m just not… ready, yet,” she says, looking very conflicted.

She’s so sweet, it’s like she’s made from spun sugar. That innocence, that look in her eyes… she has no idea how much it kills me. I’d never take that sweetness away from her.

“Abi,” I say, stroking her hair gently, “I can wait until you’re ready.”

“But… all those women you’ve been with. I bet you didn’t wait for them.”

I shake my head with a smile. “No, there was no waiting.”

She lowers her eyes, and a little sigh of defeat blows against my shoulder. She’s hiding her face from me, but I want her to hear me, to see the genuineness in my expression. I lift her chin.

“But they weren’t you. And I’m not that guy anymore. You’re worth waiting for, understand?” I take a deep breath, knowing I have to say it. “Even if it’s not me. You’re worth it. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Okay?”

She looks up at me timidly, searching my face. Finally, she licks her lips and nods. “Okay.”

“That’s settled, then,” I say, straightening up, trying not to feel like a big brother and a lover all at once. “Right?”

“Yes.” She flashes me a smile.

I spank her on the ass playfully, and she jumps with a giggle. “Good, now back to the topic. What do you have in mind?”

“Um…” She blushes and gives me a shy smile. “Everything else.”

I pretend to think it over. “I think I can handle that,” I tease with a wink.

Her smile widens. “Glad to hear it.”

“But there’s something I need to do first.”

“What?”

“Kiss you.”

“Oh…” Her eyes widen, and she inhales sharply.

I run my hand across her cheek and stroke my fingers through her hair, tickling the back of her ear. She tilts her chin up, and I lower my head, tenderly touching my lips to hers.

Her mouth is soft and warm, and as soon as our lips make contact, there’s a tingle across my skin. I kiss her slowly at first, savoring every touch of my lips to hers, teasing her leisurely, sensual kisses at the corners of her mouth, then a flick of my tongue against her lips.

She shudders against me and parts her mouth. Our kiss deepens, and I’m filled with longing to be inside her, anyway I can. I push my tongue against hers, exploring her mouth.

There’s a sharp ache in my chest and my pulse is racing, my heart doing somersaults every time she lets out a little breathy sigh of pleasure. I wrap my arms around her tighter, but it’s still not enough.

Abi lifts a leg against me and wraps her foot around my calf. I slide a hand around her hip and lift her thigh higher, grinding myself against her, never breaking contact with her luscious lips. Balancing on one foot, she leans her weight against me, knowing I will hold her. My cock swells, and I’ve never felt more like a man than with Abi entrusting her body to my embrace.

“Teach me,” she murmurs as I kiss her.

“Teach you what?” I whisper back.

She pulls away and looks up at me, her eyes dancing. Her hands slide between us, down my chest, down to my pants. She hooks a finger in my belt. “Teach me how to please you.”

I must be dreaming. This woman, oh my God. A few days ago, I just wanted a meaningless fling with an irresistible woman, something to entertain me, just a little taste of something nice to tide me over… and now… her roots are taking hold me, like the wild, sweet honeysuckle in the garden. They’re sinking in deep, and I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to remove them.