In Chains by C. Noble (fiction book recommendations TXT) 📕

face for some encouragement that she was doing the right thing.
“What,” Darcey grabbed his wrists as she spoke, “is this way to get it over with?”
Hadrian’s shoulders seized up a little, and he raised his face to the sea. He breathed deeply and tried to calm his nerves. His head dropped as his eyes scanned the ground. He seemed to be stalling.
“Darcey…I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” he drew in a deep breath and held it. He raised his gaze to meet hers. She stared back into his purple obsidian eyes, confused. Darcey wanted to know what he was talking about. “What? What do you mean? I want to know, Hadrian –”
“No, Darcey, you really don’t. We’ll wait a year. We’ll wait,” Hadrian stood straight up and slammed his fist down on the banister. Darcey jumped and moved away. This Hadrian scared her. One second he was leading her to a tantalizing finish, the next it proved a new and frightening dead end.
Hadrian saw her move away from him and his muscles relaxed. His hands unclenched themselves and his arms moved to her. Darcey moved back farther from him and drew her loose clothes tighter around her. A pained look crossed his smooth features. He looked at her, confusion and anxiety evident on his handsome face.
“Darcey –”
“Don’t…just don’t. Not right now, Hadrian,” Darcey turned away, oblivious to the intense look of deep pain that shadowed his fine face, the intense pain that stabbed his unique purple-black eyes.
“Please…I’m sorry. I just couldn’t bear the idea once I’d said it out loud,” he ran his fingers through his thick black hair. “Darcey, please…”
Darcey turned around to look at him. Sharply breathing in, she saw glistening beads of water threatening to overrun his face. They framed his thick eyelashes and made his eyes glass over. It was shocking, this realization that he cared that much. That he cared about her.
She took a step forward and reached for his loose tunic folds. Gently grabbing a fistful of the deep purple silk, she pulled him toward her. He didn’t fight her, but he wouldn’t make the process easier.
When they were within inches of each other, Darcey let one hand slide over his sinewy, bare shoulder and the other up into his dark hair. She twisted a small curl in her fingers and looked into Hadrian’s wet eyes. She tilted her head up and her painted lips parted slightly. She leaned in, closing the small gap between them by half. A questioning look passed over Hadrian’s face as he stood still. Darcey let her eyelids slowly fall in acquiescence.
In an instant Hadrian had wrapped his arms around Darcey’s thin waist, more than closing the distance between them. His hands slid to the small of her back and nape of her neck. He touched his forehead to hers as their breath mingled. Pulling her even closer, he almost lifted her off her feet.
Darcey’s mind was entirely devoid of anything except her present situation. It was so suggestive, and other such situations had led to disappointment. But perhaps she was over thinking it. She just had to go with it…
For what seemed like an eternity she stood there, poised for what she hoped was coming. That hope radiated from her, leaving her glowing. Hadrian must have been able to see this, otherwise what happened next would have been less magical.
Darcey had begun to open her mouth, and had gotten as far as “I lo-”, when Hadrian’s mouth pressed firmly against hers. It caught her by surprise, but felt completely natural. He pushed her backward, forcing her against the palace’s cold marble walls.
That first kiss seemed to last both forever and merely a second. It confused her, but reaffirmed her feelings for this boy with the purple-black eyes. Her hand wove through his midnight hair, feeling all its spiked tips. Her eyes closed, enjoying the moment. He drew away slowly, but her eyes flashed open. He hovered mere inches from her face, letting a confident grin spread across his gorgeous features.
“I love you too,” he whispered into her ear. He was still leaning against her, pressing her back against the hard marble wall. But at that moment, all that existed was him. The palace, the island, even the world sunk into insignificance. A sudden flare crossed her mind as she replied: “Why?”
Whatever smiles she had seen Hadrian offer were dulled to stone. The brilliance of this smile, so full of warmth and love, could not compare to anything she could think of. “You’re my guiding star in the night, my sunlit angel in the day. You’re my friend, my love, my life. Princess Martinaque,” Hadrian grabbed her hands and sunk to one knee. “Will you marry me?”
Darcey couldn’t help it. She let loose a peal of laughter. When she looked into his eyes, she could see her love for him reflected back at her. Bending down to his eye level, she softly answered, “Always.”
Hadrian stood up and grabbed her around the waist, swinging her in circles in the air. When he let her down, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looked seriously at her. “I love you. That’s why.”
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Publication Date: 06-22-2011

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