Page 105 of Fit for a King

“Your Majesty,” he said, “if you have the time, I’d like to go over the schedule for—” He came to an abrupt halt when he raised his head and saw me. The footman who had traveled by the king’s side throughout his tour.

Gilbert had never once questioned my presence those couple of weeks. But as his eyes fell to our joined hands and then came back up to meet his king’s, shock and confusion waged for dominance on his face.

“Gilbert, business can wait for the moment,” Nicholas said. “I’d like to introduce you to my fiancé, Mr. Bennett.”

“Fiancé?”

“Yes.” Nicholas cocked his head toward his private secretary, as if daring the man to question him, but Gilbert knew better.

“Of course. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

Again with the sir, the polite head incline, and the ruddy cheeks when he straightened.

“I wasn’t aware—” he started, but Nicholas cut him off.

“Well, now you are. I’ll be showing Mr. Bennett to my—our”—Nicholas smiled at me, and I felt my entire face heat—“chambers now. I’ll check in with you soon.”

“But sir⁠—”

“Later, Gilbert.”

Gilbert swallowed and gave a small nod. “Of course, Your Majesty. Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you. We will.” Nicholas squeezed my hand and pulled me toward the left side of the grand staircase.

As we started up them, I leaned in to whisper in his ear, “That is never going to feel normal.”

“What’s that?”

“Everyone calling me sir. You calling your room ours.”

When we reached the top of the stairs, the second floor split off into two grand halls up either side of the palace. Behind us were the guest quarters and Prince Gabriel’s chambers. The left side of the hall housed the study, the right the library, where I’d had my game of mahjong with the both of them.

It was surreal walking down the hall now toward the back of the palace where I knew Nicholas’s chambers were. I’d been in there so many times that this should’ve felt somewhat normal. But never had I entered through the front door holding the king’s hand and wearing his ring.

As we approached, the guards stationed outside snapped to attention. They never smiled, weren’t allowed to, so it was a welcome relief to enter the room with no judgment from any outside party.

When the door finally closed and it was just the two of us, I turned in his arms and took his lips in the kiss I’d been dying to give him.

Nicholas wound his arms around my waist and drew me into his embrace. The minutes between exiting the car and now had felt like forever. But now that we were alone, I couldn’t wait to taste him, touch him, claim his as mine.

I cradled his face and teased his lips with my tongue, and when he parted them to let me inside, I moaned. It felt like coming home, and I reveled in it.

“Noah…” He tore his mouth free, then kissed his way along my jaw to my ear. “If you don’t stop that, I’m going to introduce you to your new bed sooner rather than later.”

I crooked my neck to the side as he kissed his way down it, and had to grip his jacket so my knees wouldn’t give out. “Promise?”

“Promise.” His voice was rough and deep, and the sound vibrated through my entire body, making my cock ache.

I was just about to pop open the button on his pants when the door to his—our—chambers flung open and I jerked back, out of the king’s arms.

No, out of my fiancé’s arms. My fiancé who was currently glaring at our uninvited guest.

“Brother,” Prince Gabriel said, clearly not having seen the both of us yet, “I hear you have returned from your— Oh.” He drew up short. “I see the whispers were correct.”

“How many times must I tell you to announce yourself before you enter my chambers?”

“Well, in my defense, you’ve never had any reason to need privacy before now.” Gabriel’s lips twitched. “Hello, Noah.”