Page 108 of Scandal Queen

“Maybe that’s all we’ve got.”

“It’s not. Stop being dramatic.”

“Oh, I’m dramatic am I now?”

I grinned and I could almost hear his smile down the line. “I’ve got to go,” he whispered.

“Mind out for those pitch forks.”

“I will. I’m fast. It’s all that jogging I do, and there you were telling me it was a waste of time.”

I chuckled and we lapsed into silence again.

“I love you, Princess Leia.”

“I love you too.”

When we hung up, I turned to find Nana watching me.

“What?”

“You know, you make a very humble princess.”

“Yeah, right.”

“You’ll do good for that family, Leia. You’ve just got to wait for the time to be right.”

I smiled and nodded, but really I thought she hinged on the desperate side of optimistic.

I could wait forever for Ollie. I just didn’t think some things would happen no matter how much you waited for them.

A couple of nights later, I blinked into darkness, not sure what woke me from my tangled dream. “Daisy?” I hissed.

The bed dipped and fingers sought mine. “It’s me.”

The shape of him moved in the shadows. “What are you doing here?”

I ached at the sound of his voice, in painful and truly deep, torturous ways.

“I couldn’t stay away.”

I reached for him, my free hand slipping around his neck into the silky strands of his hair.

His own free hand lifted to my face and then brushed along my exposed collarbone. I shivered as I always did at the touch. It spoke straight to my soul, louder and clearer than any words he could say.

When his mouth met mine, it teased with urgency and desire. His tongue pushed against mine, demanding my response as his fingers knotted into my hair and he tilted my face upwards.

“I can’t breathe without you, Leia.” He whispered his words against my throat as he trailed kisses along my neck. “And I don’t want to. I can’t fight the fight anymore if it means you and I are in different places.”

“It’s only been a few days.” I shuddered at his touch though; the grip of his fingers on my shoulders.

“Five. It’s New Year’s Eve and I won’t start the next year without you at my side.”

I shivered uncontrollably as he grasped me tight and made me his own in the only way he knew how. I knew the palace wouldn’t be announcing our engagement tomorrow.

It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered apart from me and him.

Our breaths exhaling, our chests rising, fingers sliding. Everything of both of us within the moment.