He makes a face. “I don’t like pulp.”
“Fine. Bananas?”
“I hate the texture.”
“Is there any fruit youdolike?” I huff, shaking my head at him. “You are the pickiest prince I know.”
“I am one of the two princes you know, and trust me, Kitt is not much better than I am.”
I give him a pointed look. “I’m still waiting to hear a fruit you don’t find repulsive.”
He’s quiet for a moment, pondering his answer while his thumb runs idly over my own. “Strawberries.”
I blink at him. “I love strawberries.”
A slow smile tips up his lips. “And I find them not repulsive.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
“Go.”
The word tumbles from my mouth, and I take advantage of his surprise. Determination drives me as I fight to pin his thumb down, moving my hand and arm in the process. I nearly fall on top of him to finally get my thumb to land on his, though I’ve broken the rules to do it.
And then I’m suddenly being tugged fully against his body.
He yanks on my arm, pulling me close enough to count the dark lashes surrounding his eyes. “You cheated, Gray.”
“I did what I had to do to win, Azer.”
“Hmm,” he hums, and I feel it vibrate through his chest. “I suppose it’s my fault for forgetting what a vicious, little thing you are.”
“Well, I—”
The words die in my throat when he uncurls his hand from mine and trails his fingers down my arm. I suppress a shiver at his sudden touch, but the smile that lifts his lips tells me it didn’t go unnoticed.
“I take it back,” he says softly. “This game isn’t boring in the least bit when I play it with you.” His gaze has dropped to the fingers gliding over my arm, and I still under his gentle touch.
I’m not sure how long we stay like that, listening to the wind rustling the leaves above us as we study one another. And it’s only when his fingers trail up my neck to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear that I finally come to my senses.
“I should go.”
The unsure words hang between us, barely more than a whisper that the wind nearly steals away.
“That doesn’t sound like what you want to do at all,” he murmurs.
I refuse to even puzzle out what it is that Iwantto do, so I say instead, “One of these days, I’m going to beat you fairly in a thumb war, and then you won’t find it so fun.”
He chuckles softly, followed by an equally soft murmur. “It’s not the winning I find fun. It’s you, darling.”
After a moment too long, I pull myself out of his hold and sit up slowly. The night has grown colder, and without the heat of Kai’s body next to mine, my thin dress does little to keep me warm.
Kai sits up beside me and wraps his jacket around my shoulders. “You’re right. That coat is far too itchy for a prince to wear.” Then his lips twitch into a smirk. “So, I’ll let you wear it instead.”
ChapterForty-Six
Paedyn
