“Actually, I’m kind of in the middle of something,” he says.
“Oh.” There’s no hiding the disappointment in my tone.
“Yes, I’m flying over the Atlantic, on my way to see my future husband.”
I let out a soft gasp and my heart explodes with joy and anticipation. “Okay, you so better be talking about me.”
He chuckles softly. “No one but you, kotya.”
“Husband, huh? I don’t remember agreeing to that,” I tease.
“I’m the king. You’re supposed to do what I say,” he says in a wry tone.
The prospect of marrying Lukas, of spending the rest of my life with him, fills me with so much joy I can barely contain it. But there’s a wariness there, too. “Is that even allowed? The king marrying a man?”
“There are a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out,” he admits. “We’ll talk about it when I get there.”
“When will you get here?”
He pauses for a moment and I can only assume he’s checking the flight’s progress. “In a bit over five hours.”
Those five hours seem like the longest of my life, but finally the doorbell rings and I rush to open the front door. I launch myself into Lukas’s arms the second I see him, almost toppling him over.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he murmurs between heated kisses.
“Me too. So much.”
“Your Majesty? I’m sorry but I’d feel more comfortable if we moved inside the house.”
I break away from Lukas and glance behind him toward the source of the Korovan accent, surprised to find Dorev, not Boyd, has accompanied the king for this trip.
We manage to tear away from each other long enough to follow Dorev’s suggestion, moving into the house and closing the door behind us.
“Boyd didn’t come with you?” I ask curiously.
“I didn’t want to take him away from the palace.” Lukas’s eyes catch mine and I see the unspoken words: and from Aleksandr and Lennox. Hmm…that’s definitely going to be a situation to keep an eye on.
I turn to Dorev. “Dorev, both my friends are out right now but they know Lukas is here and that he’ll have a guard with him so they won’t be surprised by your presence.” I point toward the kitchen and living area. “The kitchen is through there, help yourself to anything. And the living area is just past that if you want to relax and watch TV or something. Oh, and there’s a gym down in the basement you’re welcome to use.”
Dorev offers a single nod, his impassive expression giving Boyd’s a run for its money. “I’ll be fine.”
With that reassurance, I take Lukas by the hand and tug him toward the elevator that will take us up to my room. It may have only been a week, but it feels like a lifetime, and the second the metal doors close behind us, we’re all over each other.
We manage to make it to my room before clothes start coming off, but only just. “Missed this…missed you,” I murmur as I hastily strip the layers from his tall frame.
Once we’re free of the layers between us I back him toward the bed and push him onto the mattress, climbing on top of him and covering him with my body.
“What do you want?” I murmur, peppering kisses to his jaw as I grind my hips down against his. “Tell me. I’ll give you anything.”
He lets out a soft gasp, his head falling back, his legs wrapping tight around me to pull me in closer. “Just you. Inside me. Just like this.”
Afterward, we’re curled up in each other’s arms in a way I became so accustomed to while I was in Korova, and have missed so much over the past week. Our legs are tangled together, his hand stroking gently over my side as we face each other, just soaking in the reality of being in the same place, in the same bed.
“Katya’s been begging Santa Claus to bring you home for Christmas,” Lukas says, his tone full of affection. “She misses you so much.”
I grin at the mention of the princess. “I miss her, too. I miss everyone. And I’d love to be there for Christmas.” It’s only a few days away and, to be honest, I was kind of dreading it. Now, though, I can’t wait. But then a thought hits me that makes me bite my lip in concern. “Will I be allowed to come back, though? Is everything okay…after that announcement?”
Lukas smiles. “Yes, everything’s fine. And yes, you’re definitely coming back with me.”
“Lukas…”
He lifts his hand to brush my hair away from my face. “It was a gamble, but Alik was right. He suggested I get out in front of it and that proved to be the right move. The announcement has been broadcast all over the world. If the law were to be enforced now it would cause an international scandal. It would certainly jeopardize, if not completely ruin, any chance of joining the EU. The government isn’t prepared to risk that for the sake of a law they plan to overturn in a month anyway.”
I lean closer to press a soft kiss to his lips. “I’m so proud of you. You were so brave.”
“Thanks to you,” he murmurs. “You gave me the strength to do it.”
I offer a gentle smile. “So what is this wrinkle you mentioned in our plan to get married?”
“Ah, yes…that. You’d think it would be simple, seeing as how same-sex marriage is legal in Korova. But there are opposers that will argue that this law doesn’t apply to the monarch because they’re not considered an ordinary citizen.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“When Parliament sits again I’ll put forward a Monarchical Act declaring that members of the royal family can marry whom they choose, regardless of gender. That will make things simple for the future.”
I grin at him. “Perfect. And do the kids know you’re planning to marry me?”
“Yes, and they’ve both signed off. They’ve decided they’re going to call you ‘Dad’, because Katya thinks two papas will be confusing.”
I let out a rumbled laugh before crashing my mouth against his, clinging tight to him as the kiss becomes completely devouring. God, I can’t wait to marry him and be a dad to those kids.
Epilogue
LUKAS
“People are crowding the streets of Vlalens and other major cities as the Korovan Parliament votes today on a law that will enable the current and all future members of the Korovan royal family participate in a same-sex marriage. This law, if passed, will allow our current king, Lukas III, to make his partner Jai Winters the official Prince Consort of Korova.”
I cling tight to Jai’s hand as the broadcast crosses to the floor of Parliament and we get footage of the members debating the bill in question. The Prime Minister assured me when I put the Monarchical Act forward that it would be a done deal, that there would be no trouble securing the votes to get this law through both houses of Parliament, but even so, as the debate continues I can’t help the ball of nerves that squirms around in my chest. What if it doesn’t pass? What if they say no?
“Stop stressing, brother,” Alik says from where he’s standing behind me. “They can’t not pass it. If it doesn’t pass there’ll be rioting in the streets.”