“Don’t be.” He placed another kiss on her shoulder. “I’m quite happy right now. I have the best view in the palace, and I’m willing to sit here all day, holding you if you want.”
She slid her gaze up to see him staring down her décolletage. The hunger in his eyes and the sudden sensation of him bulging against her hip set fire to her own blood. “You’re so bad,” she teased.
“Can’t help it. I find you completely irresistible.”
A light knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” Darling called.
It was Gera with Shahara, Desideria, Jayne, Maris, Ture, Sorche, and Lise. They came into the room to form a semicircle around them.
Could this day be any more embarrassing?
Maris passed a smug look at Ture. “I told you he wouldn’t be angry at her.”
Ture folded his arms over his chest. “I’m impressed he hasn’t at least choked her. I don’t think I could be so kind if you did that to me, Mari. So take note. I don’t tolerate vomiting on me in the midst of a public event, especially when it’s being videoed.”
“Then I shall forever endeavor to confine all such drama to the washroom.”
Zarya would laugh at his comment if she wasn’t afraid it would unsettle her stomach again.
Kneeling beside her, Ture placed a kind hand to her brow. “How are you doing, sweetie?”
She tilted her head back to see the concern on Darling’s face while he continued to hold her. “Darling needs a new pair of shoes, and I need my dignity repaired. Other than that, I’m totally miserable. I can’t believe I did this at my wedding. I’m so humiliated.”
Returning to stand over her, Ture bit his lip. “Look on the bright side, it’s not really your dignity that should be bruised, hon. Darling’s the one who was left at the altar while you rushed off gagging… Great timing, by the way. The media is having a field day with it.”
With a light laugh, Maris wrapped his arms around Ture’s waist and rested his chin on Ture’s shoulder. “Thank the gods, if we get married I don’t have to worry about you having morning sickness in the middle of the ceremony.”
Ture laid his hand over Maris’s cheek. “Exactly. If I get sick, you definitely know you’re the cause of it.”
Shahara laughed. “Yeah, you both might want to be careful what you eat beforehand.”
It still amazed Zarya how close Ture and Maris had become in such a short amount of time. Since both had been hurt badly in the past by others and given the depth of Maris’s feelings toward Darling, they’d started off very slow after they’d returned home—just friends who hung out. But as of last week when Ture’s brother had gone after Maris for the bounty on his head and Ture had chosen Maris’s well-being over his brother’s, they’d become inseparable.
She was so glad to see them both happy. They deserved to have someone love them who treated them with respect and deference.
Gera brought over a fresh cloth and switched it with the one Darling held against her forehead. “Would you like me to have the priest come in here to finish, my lady?”
“Oh goodness, no.” Nothing would be worse than to have her vows broadcasted across the universe from the bathroom while she sat on the floor.
Not that they needed to take their vows. Technically, they were already married. As Darling had promised, he’d made her his wife the moment they returned to the palace.
He hadn’t even given her time to clean up. The priest had literally met them at the door, ready to go, and they’d been married just inside the foyer.
One thing about her first baby, when he made a promise, he kept it.
But for her to be accepted as Darling’s legal consort and for their child to be acknowledged as the legal Caronese heir, they needed a public ceremony before the gerents and people.
She drew a ragged breath. “I think I’ll be all right. Let’s try this again.”
“Are you sure?” Darling’s voice was filled with warm concern.
She nodded.
Carefully, he helped her to her feet.
Desideria handed her a small package that was wrapped in a lace kerchief. “It’s lerin root. Place a small bit under your tongue and it’ll help with the nausea.”
“Are you sure?” She’d never heard of it before.
“Absolutely. My people have been using it for hundreds of years, and other than some minor brain damage, which can’t really be linked to it, no one’s suffered from using it. And I’m pretty sure the brain damage comes later in the child’s life, like during training.” She winked at Zarya.
Laughing, Zarya tried it while Desideria put a bit under her own tongue, too.
She arched a curious brow that caused Desideria to blush.
“Yes, there’s a reason I just happen to have some on me.”
Zarya beamed for her and Caillen. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, and I pray this one is a boy. I’m not sure poor Caillen could handle being surrounded by any more women during holiday meals.”