The second time I got to execute my plan was a little after noon.
The duties of the throne room for the morning had been fulfilled, and everyone would be on their way to lunch soon. I knew Peter was meeting with some diplomats from Archenland for the meal, so I caught him when he was about to transition to wherever they were.
He was walking down the left wing corridor with Oreius at his side. When he heard my footsteps behind him, he turned. His eyes softened when they reached me.
"Oreius, could you go on ahead to our visitors? I'd like just a moment."
"Of course."
Oreius and I nodded to each other in both greeting and farewell before he left on ahead.
Then Peter turned back to me.
I didn't think I'd ever tire of the softness that washed across his expression at the sight of me.
In two long strides, he was in front of me, much closer than what would be deemed proper for public. One of his hands found my cheek and the other the small of my back to usher me closer.
His actions were firm yet still tender, but his eyes were his telltale. I'm fairly certain it was this exact look that inspired the term "bedroom eyes."
The kiss was bruising. Even so, his hands remained chaste.
Sometimes, it just struck me: the fact of who exactly those hands belonged to. I knew the man beneath the crown, but I also knew the king that wore it so well. Those hands were calloused of battle. Those hands formed alliances with a shake. Those hands bore the weight of a country. Those hands bore the sometimes even heavier weight of three siblings that looked to him in one way or another. And still those hands chose to embrace me and show me within his arms the definition of family that I'd never known.
There sometimes are no words for the amount of love in my heart for that man.
And I wanted to relieve the one small weight that I could: the weight of holding back.
So when I kissed back, I did so with fervor. And my hands didn't stay chaste. Up and back down his chest. Knuckles grazing just below his belt, earning a sharp intake of breath from the character against me. I moved my hands to his shoulders as an anchor when he moved his lips to my left ear and down to my jaw.
Another fun fact about Peter: He has very nice shoulders. That is all.
When he started kissing a hot trail down my neck, I caught a glance of the time on the ornate clock on the wall. Peter needed to go.
"The time, Peter."
"What of it?" was the breathy reply.
"Orieus and the visitors are waiting."
A frustrated groan left his lips.
"Don't think I haven't caught on to what you're attempting to accomplish. You're not going to win," he said with a tone of voice that proved otherwise.
I laughed. "Are you sure of that? You're going to be late if you don't go soon."
A warning glace was sent my way that said, "This isn't over."
How right he was. Just as he started to walk off, I called his name.
Slowly, he turned back around.
I made a few confident steps forward until I was close again and pulled something out of my pocket.
I took his hand, pulled his clenched fist open, and placed a certain delicate undergarment there.
"Would you mind holding these for me? I decided I have no more need of them today."
I quickly scanned his face to find the slight slack jawed, wide-eyed expression before turning and walking the opposite direction.
"Have a nice meeting!" I called, not bothering to look back.
Ah, yes. Today was going to be good.