Page 116 of The Prince's Charm

Pel looked delighted that he’d remembered that bit of etiquette, and he wiped Tor clean with an edge of the sheet. Then he came to settle in Tor’s arms, lying half across him with his head on Tor’s shoulder.

“So that was all right?” he asked, sounding mostly certain.

“That was awesome,” Tor confirmed. “I really enjoyed it, but if you don’t like it, that’s totally fine.”

“No, I liked it,” Pel assured him. “I liked seeing what sounds I can get you to make, so you were right about that. My jaw is a bit sore, but I assume practice will help with that. I like what we’ve been doing together.”

“Me, too,” Tor assured him. “No matter what it is.”

“I want to do everything,” Pel assured him promptly. “I’m going to get better.”

“I don’t have any complaints,” Tor told him.

Pel still looked a little doubtful, and Tor didn’t know how to explain himself better. It hadn’t been terribly skilled, but there wasn’t anything he’d change about it.

“I like learning with you,” Tor confirmed. “You’re thoughtful and dedicated andyou. You see me, just as I am, even when I get things wrong.”

Pel’s face softened. “You get a lot right, too. And let’s not forget which one of us punched the other person in the face over a misunderstanding.”

Tor grinned. “True.”

Pel snuggled closer. “It still feels a little unbelievable, if I’m being honest.” His voice dropped to a whisper, “But it also feelsright.”

Tor pressed a kiss to the top of Pel’s head. “I agree. You’re not at all what I was expecting, and I’m so glad to have found you.”

“I feel the same way,” Pel agreed.

Tor opened his mouth to tell Pel that he wanted more, that he wantedeverything, but he made himself close it. This was still new to them, and Tor was well aware that post-coital confessions could be entirely erroneous. He knew he’d feel the same way later. This was how he’d felt this morning, after all, before anything sexual had happened, but he wouldn’t want there to be any chance Pel might think he was just thinking with his cock.

(His cock wasveryhappy, but so was the rest of him.)

Besides, this was new for Pel, and even if Tor was certain he knew his own mind, it didn’t mean Pel couldn’t be swept along by all the feelings this intimacy was generating.

He needed to give Pel space to come to his own conclusions.

“Can I stay?” Pel asked.

“Of course,” Tor agreed, and the, “Always,” slipped out without his meaning it to.

Pel cuddled closer into him. “Since you didn’t kick me, I assume that means I didn’t kick last night.”

Tor laughed. “Not that I noticed. Must mean we’re doing something right.”

Pel pressed a kiss to his chest. “Lots of somethings.”

This had, in fact, been an entire day of things going right. There’d still been a bit of sniping with Pel’s father, and Tor would be sure to make plans with Pel for the future—every evening for the foreseeable future if he had his way—but everything had gone right.

No doubt there’d be more days where things went wrong, but it felt like something that they could handle, because they’d been through so much together already. There’d been a lot of shifts since Tor had shown up here with his asinine plan and Pel hadn’t given him the time of day. He spared another thought to how glad he was that Pel was stubborn and not easily impressed by charming royals. They’d been saved from Tor’s usual habits. Tor had had time to discover how amazing Pel was—and to realize that his brother would have hated Tor’s hair-splitting.

Quite without meaning to, Tor hadfoundPel, the real Pel, and he was quite sure that he’d found the connection and potential happiness that Varex seemed so certain could be achieved by royal decree.

So really, Tor was doing exactly what Varex wanted… except for the name of his intended. All Tor had to do, therefore, was convince his brother that Prince Pelun of Tond was the best possible choice for Tor. And since Pel was serious, hardworking, dedicated, and the best man Tor knew, it might actually be the easiest thing he’d ever convinced his brother of. Tor was sure he could do this. He’d never felt more motivated to fight for what he wanted.