My Royal Sin / Playing Dirty

He rests his head on his forearm. “Not tonight. I must remind myself there are certain comforts that are not for me.”

Like sleeping with a woman in my arms, I imagine him saying to himself.

Like believing a prince could choose you over God, I think, realizing my own guilty wish.

“Thank you for making me feel safe,” I say, staring at the ceiling.

I hear him let out a long breath.

“You will always be safe with me, Evangeline.”

Tomorrow morning we will find out what X knows of the map that must exist. Tomorrow night I will convince Benedict how dangerously tempting I really am—so that neither of us is seduced again into thinking there could ever be more.

So that my foolish heart understands there is no promise in a prince’s kiss.