Free His Royal Favorite by Lilah Pace Page B

less like “staying over,” a lot more like “moving in.”
    He stood in place, unsure what to say, as James went to the chest of drawers and pulled it open to reveal Ben’s own clothing. “I knew you wouldn’t want a valet or footman unpacking for you, so I did it myself,” James said. Apparently it had never occurred to James that most people unpacked their own bags. “Hung things in the closet if they needed it, and your new suit’s in there too.”
    Ben was on the verge of objecting. That suit probably cost five hundred quid. Maybe more. He had no idea how expensive things like that were. Shouldn’t he pay for it himself? Even if it took him a few months, which at that price it would. No, they should send it back. Could it be sent back after he’d worn it?
    “I wasn’t sure what to do with these—you know, just for now—but I tried this.” James pulled back one of the drapes on the four-poster bed to reveal that he’d hung the Thai silk from the upper rail of the bedframe. The two panels formed symmetrical stripes above the headboard. “You can take them down whenever. But I thought they looked nice like this.”
    “They do,” Ben said, because it was true. But his old doubts were rising up again, stronger than ever, now that he was facing the reality of what he’d done.
    Then James smiled and said, “For the time being, anyway, welcome home.”
    Ben breathed out so hard it was almost a sob, then clutched James in his arms. For a few long moments he could only hold James close, breathing in the scent of him, as he thought of those days when he had sometimes found himself wishing he had a home to come back to. Now he did.
    This is why I’m doing this.
He’
s the reason why
. In the furor Ben had almost forgotten that. He’d remembered just in time.
    When he trusted himself to speak, Ben whispered, “That was the exact right thing to say.”
    “Was it?” James kissed his lips softly. “I’m glad you like the room.”
    But it wasn’t this room Ben was grateful for. Home was James.

Chapter 3
    Benji
    It all felt like a dream, the best dream James had ever had. His head rested on Ben’s chest; the two of them lay amid sheets so white and rumpled that they might have been on a cloud floating high above the rest of the world. The only lamp lit had a deep golden shade, so the light around them was honeyed and soft. They hadn’t made love that afternoon—they were both so tired—but they’d curled together in Ben’s bed, napped in each other’s embrace, woken as close as they’d been when they fell asleep. Now the entire world knew about them, and they were together, and happy.
    “I really thought you might back out,” James murmured as he touched his fingertips to Ben’s, the two of them mirroring their hands against one another.
    “I thought about it. I’m not proud of that, but I did.”
    “I don’t blame you.” In many ways it actually made James feel better, knowing Ben had dealt with his doubts. “What made you decide to go ahead?”
    “Your courage up there. How brave and perfect you were, standing in front of the whole world.” Ben’s lips brushed against James’s forehead.
    “My God, I was terrified.” The speech felt as if it had taken place a thousand years ago, in some other lifetime. “I felt as though my legs would give out from under me at any moment.”
    “You sounded steady. Strong. I know how scared you were, but you didn’t let it show, James. Not even once. You gave me the bravery to keep going.”
    James rolled over, propping himself up on his elbows so that he could frame Ben’s face with his forearms, look down into his eyes. “How could you get your courage from me when I get my courage from you?”
    Ben smiled. “It’s a paradox. Like those arcane scientific theories you sometimes go on about—the ones that make no sense but keep the stars apart.”
    The idea delighted James, and he kissed Ben softly before winding himself back into their