“I know, right?”
“We need to find her,” he tells Leo.
“I’m going to assemble a team and search for her right now,” he says.
“The investiture is this afternoon,” Rhys adds. “Until we know where Lady Thomley has been hiding and who gave her the orders to harm Stella, say nothing. We continue as planned.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Leo says before leaving.
“So, a turkey sandwich?” he asks me as he pulls me back into his arms and holds onto me tightly.
“I’m starving,” I tell him. “There was food everywhere and I meant to grab a cupcake, but I was dancing around the maypole with the kids and having a ball. I forgot to eat when I thought I saw Suzanne and I chased after her.”
“Stella—” he starts.
“I know, I know,” I tell him. “Leo already yelled at me. I know. No more running off.”
“Ever.”
“Ever,” I agree.
He picks up the antique phone in the sitting room and orders a late lunch. When he hangs up, he pulls my jacket off of me and tosses it aside.
I scoop up my cat and flop myself down on the sofa. Honestly, today has already been kind of a lot and it’s only half over. This life has a learning curve that I wasn’t prepared for.
He sits down next to me and grabs my foot, tippingme around so that he can slide my wedge off of my foot and then grabs the other to do the same. He rubs one foot and then the other while I snuggle my fluffy boy.
“So how was your block party?” I ask.
“A lot less eventful than yours,” he says just as there’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” he calls out.
A maid walks in and delivers a tray laden with huge club sandwiches, potato chips, and fruit along with drinks. She sets it on the coffee table in front of us before making her way out.
“I know I said I was hungry, but this is kind of a lot,” I tell him. “Also, I feel like I could sleep for one hundred years right now.”
“That’s the adrenaline from this morning,” he says, handing me half a sandwich. “Eat up.”
“Thanks,” I reply as I bite in.
Rhys picks up half of the other sandwich and devours it in a handful of bites before picking up a glass and draining half the fruit punch in it. He hands me the other glass and I grimace.
“The sugar will help with the crash,” he says, nodding to the glass in my hand.
I take a small sip and then some more when I realize how good it tastes.
He finishes his sandwich, and I pick at the rest of mine until he takes it from my hands and sets it aside on the tray. I wipe my hands clean on a napkin before he takes my hand and pulls me to my feet.
“Feeling better?” he asks.
“Kind of.”
“Good,” he says as he pulls me toward the bedroom. “I know what will help…”
“I just bet you do…” I mutter as he pulls me into his chest and presses his lips to mine.
I feel his hardness grow between us and it presses into the softness of my belly. I let out a small whimper, an advantage he uses to lick into my mouth before backing me into the bedroom.
It’s not been that long since we were together, but I placed some distance between us when he didn’t believe me about what I saw at the opera. It still hurts, but I missed him and the intimacy that we share.