Reign Queen L. Gibbs (best books to read for young adults TXT) 📖

“Yes.”

He kissed her gently, but his hands held hertightly to him. With her on the top step, and him one below. Shewas face to face with him. Her arms of their own accord curledaround his neck, and he deepened the kiss. He withdrew and pressedhis forehead to hers. “Kambry, don’t let me kiss you again, notuntil after dinner.”

It took her a moment to find her voice. Itseemed to have dropped somewhere in the middle of her chest. “I’mstarving, Russal.”

“You are a terrible tease, Kambry do Runiya,queen of Kavin Wood.”

A rumbling giggle escaped her. She was inlove with this man and pressed her fingers through his tidy locks,one finger sliding under the temple braid on one side. Turning herhead, she kissed him. He stood rigidly in place, responding with asoft mouth.

When she pulled away, he sighed.

“You’re better than a terrible tease,” hewhispered. “You are the love of my life, and you floor me, butplease don’t kiss me again if you want to eat before breakfast theday after tomorrow.”

“Russal!” Amily’s strident voice tore up thestairwell and jerked them apart. “We’re having dinner together, nota midnight snack, correct?”

Russal’s hands clung to Kambry’s waist, histhumbs caressing her hip bones. “We’ll be right down.” His voicesounded normal, but Kambry could hear the raggedness in his breath.He touched his forehead to hers.

Tingles ran up her spine.

“I’m going to eat fast,” he said. “And claimexhaustion.”

“But what if the food is superb?”

He kissed her dizzy, then pivoted, grabbingher hand and tugging her down the tight curving stairs. When theyexited the bottom, they found Amily tapping one prettily shod foot.Her dress was deep maroon and accented her brown hair and merryeyes.

Tomo walked up beside her and handed hertheir son, the child’s eyes blinking, his body limp. He raisedtheir daughter Suria and pressed her to his chest, her head on hisshoulder. “I remember those days. All giddy with love anddesire.”

Amily bumped him with her hip. “You should,you were quite giddy with desire last night.”

With sleepy eyes, Tomo gazed sideways at her.His mouth tipped up on one side. “Don’t talk to me that way, love.I’m might drag you home before you’ve had any dinner.”

Russal pulled Kambry under his arm and guidedher around his sibling. “This is what I’ve had to put up with. Youcan see why I kept falling for any woman who would look twice atme. All this giddiness thrumming through the air, bound to make aman easy to temp.”

“Huh.” Amily turned on her heel. “He wasignoring women like they carried some sort of plague and wasn’tfalling for anyone, Kambry. It worried me he’d lost all interest inlove.” She rubbed the back of her sleeping son. “Iron will, but youchanged and melted him. Nothing but liquid gold now.”

Russal and Kambry stepped around the dividerseparating the more private portion of the first floor of thechambers. The long living area spread out to their right. Thebalcony doors opened to their left. Outside, the elderly Laurentsstood at the balcony rail, looking out over the royal gardens,their twin silver heads pressed together. Kambry’s parents worebemused expressions on their faces. They sat on the sofa near theroom’s entrance and looked as if they felt out of place.

Kambry smiled at them and pulled fromRussal’s grip. So much had happened in the months she had been inKavin. That same sofa had been where she and Amily had sat lookingover the first draft of Kambry’s illustration. She knew that sameillustration now hung in the babies’ nursery back at Strom Castle.“Mom, Dad, come join us on the balcony.” She pursed her lips atRussal. “What is it called, this meal we’re having?”

“A grace board.”

Kambry turned back to her parents. “Right,it’s a grace board. I don’t know why it’s called that, but theservants lay the fare out on narrow tables, and we select from theplatters, placing tidbits on tiny plates. You keep going back formore because you can’t get enough to eat.”

Russal joined her before her still-seatedparents. “It keeps the guests moving and forces them to have totalk to everyone instead of sitting tight in one spot with onlythose they know.”

Dad looked amused. He patted Mom’s hand.“You’ll feel at home soon, Meezy.”

Directly in front of them, Stahn and Tia sattogether on the lounge Kambry had always imagined curling up onwith a delightful book. They had yet to notice she and Russal hadentered the room.

“Stahn, Tia?” Kambry said a second time.

Stahn looked away from Tia with surprisedeyes. He continued to caress the backs of her small hands held byhis calloused fingers. He stared at Kambry. “How is it you marriedbefore we did? It hardly seems right. We’ve been engagedlonger.”

Amily whispered into Kambry’s ear. “All thatdesire thrumming in the air. It’s catching.”

Russal snorted.

Kambry heard a thwack, and he jolted besideher.

“More courageous men than you, Amily, havedared to hit their king and not survived.” Russal double-stepped,tugging Kambry along with him. “Want to try again?”

“Quit running away, and I will.”

Amily leaned in close to Kambry again. “I’veleft you a beautiful nightshift.”

Kambry raised a shoulder and skipped awayfrom Amily, trading hands with Russal and dodging to his otherside. Nervousness made her shiver, and she turned back to herbrother. “Food, Stahn. I am offering you food.”

“Well, in that case.” He stood, helping Tiarise from the well-upholstered lounge. Her infectious grin peakedout from behind him.

Kambry was certain given the opportunity, Tiaand Amily would make fast friends. She looked at Amily and back toTia’s teasing eyes. Yes, those two both had mischievouspersonalities.

Kambry stepped away from Russal and towardthe balcony doors. “Where is this sumptuous spread I interruptedStahn’s lost heart for?”

Stahn gazed over her shoulder. “There aretables outside.”

Before any of them could turn, the door tothe chambers swung open. Three rolling carts trailed in one afterthe other, servants pushing and making a beeline for thebalcony.

The aroma drew rumbles from Kambry’s stomach.She turned to Amily. “How will you two eat with those sleepyhandfuls?”

Amily grinned. “We’ve both gotten very goodat eating one-handed.”

Before long, everyone was picking up a smallcream-colored plate and piling on all the fruit, vegetables,custards, compotes, breads and cheeses they could and strolling tothe chairs