Devotion

Title Page

Book Details

Devotion

About the Author

Reyes is not the most romantic of souls; he is not a romantic at all, really. An entire day devoted to the nonsense just piles further trials upon his already hectic schedule. But even the most unromantic man in the palace has a weak spot …

Kiss Me Quick
is a collection of short and sweet stories from authors familiar and new, celebrating the season of love. Come and enjoy these tales of misunderstandings, lonely singles, pining lovers, and so much more! Because if there is one thing that is never in doubt, it’s that LT3 knows the way to your heart, and these stories are a straight shot.

Devotion

By Megan Derr

Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

Edited by Samantha M. Derr

Cover designed by Megan Derr

This book is a work of fiction and as such all characters and situations are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

First Edition February 2012

Copyright © 2012 by Megan Derr

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 9781620041383

If Reyes saw one. More. Flower. He was going to start killing people. Huffing out an irritated breath, he gingerly made his way through the veritable forest of flowers that filled his office, their combined scents strong enough to start a headache buzzing.

There was nothing quite as aggravating as the Days of Devotion, and if Reyes knew a way to go back in time to murder the King and Queen who had started the ridiculous three-day-long tradition of giving flowers and other gifts to loved ones, he would do so gladly.

As near as he could tell, 'devotion' was just another word for 'attempt to suck up to the king'. As if it were that easy to do. Reyes sneered at a particularly opulent arrangement of white and yellow roses, unimpressed by the bracelet twined around the gold ribbon securing them.

More bouquets than he could count filled the office, having delivered steadily throughout the day. Some simply had names on the tags, some had 'charming' little notes, still others bore poetry that made Reyes feel very sorry for the poet.

He carefully pushed aside a dark blue vase holding yellow orchids and a tall stand holding a truly repulsive number of lilies. Did no one understand subtlety?  Finally reaching his desk, Reyes cleared it of the half-dozen vases of flowers piled on it, and then sat down with another sigh. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, wishing he could just retreat for the day and go hide somewhere.

But a holiday did not mean the work stopped, even if it meant everyone tried to pretend otherwise. Rhoten would be mired in meetings and dinners and other celebratory affairs all day long and well into the night—far longer than anyone should force Rhoten to stay up, but hopefully Sharla and Dilane would take care of that.

His task was to catch up on paperwork, and then discreetly start getting rid of the ridiculous flower arrangements overtaking his office. He scowled at the purple vase filled with peonies sitting on the bookcase immediately to the right of his desk.

Did no one realize that flowers given so crassly should not be given at all? Was there a single damned arrangement anywhere in there that was sincerely meant? Reyes made a face and went to pull out fresh sheets of paper to begin drafting a letter to the Krian Emperor. Rhoten would want to look it over before he went to sleep and fuss over it in the morning.

When he opened his desk drawer, however, he found something in it that did not belong:  a small package wrapped in orange tissue paper and bound with an orange hair ribbon. Curious and amused, Reyes picked the package up and closed the drawer, paper forgotten. Removing the ribbon, he used it to replace the more demure brown one in his hair.

Pulling away the paper, Reyes lifted one brow as he stared at the velvet jewelry box in his hands. If Kinnaird was giving him a ring, Reyes was never speaking to him again. Opening the box, he smiled to see the tiger lily lapel pin inside. Extracting it, he pinned it to his dark brown, velvet jacket, admiring the detail that had been put into it.

He wondered when Kinnaird would bother to show. Shortly after waking him up in very delightful fashion, Kinnaird had slipped away and not been seen since. Reyes rolled his eyes again, and finally retrieved the paper he had been after in the first place. Setting it on the desk, he opened the drawer that held all his inks and pens and saw yet another package, wrapped in green tissue paper this time. The shape was peculiar, and when he picked it up Reyes realized what it must have been. Unwrapping it proved him correct:  a bottle of cologne he had admired, but refused to let Kinnaird buy because it was stupidly expensive.

Honestly, he should have anticipated that.

Shaking his head, Reyes set the bottle on a corner of his desk with the few other personal belongings he kept there now because of Kinnaird. Retrieving his ink and pens, he set those on the desk as well, and then opened the drawer where his wax and seals were stored. He was completely unsurprised to see yet another package, this one wrapped in blue tissue paper.

It was large, square, and left Reyes puzzled. Closing the drawer, he set the package on his blotter and slowly pulled away the paper. The velvet jewel box within matched the one that had contained his pin, and he was ignoring for the moment that it was from the most expensive jeweler in the country—and not a one of them was remotely cheap. Sighing, excited and annoyed all at once, he finally opened the box.

He stared at the contents, and then reluctantly smiled and extracted the beautiful pocket watch. It was silver, etched all over the back and front with tiger lilies. Opening it, he immediately saw the engraving on the inside of the front piece.

~To my prince

Love, K~

"Idiot," Reyes said softly, and tucked the watch away in the pocket of his waistcoat, attaching the chain to a buttonhole. Where was Kinnaird?

Giving up all attempts at getting work done even though he knew he was going to regret it in the morning, Reyes put back all the things he had taken out, tidied up his desk and put out the lamps. Casting the overabundance of flowers a last scathing look, he left the office, locking it behind him.

He lingered in the hallway right outside the office, worrying his lip as he tried to determine where Kinnaird might have been hiding—and what else he was plotting. There was also the matter of his own gift.

Well, best to start where they had begun, because their rooms were the only place no one was foolish enough to bother them except in an emergency. Walking through the halls, mostly ignoring the people he passed, Reyes went quickly up the stairs and then down the hall towards the suite of rooms allotted to Kinnaird—their rooms, really, since Reyes could not remember the last time he had been anywhere near his own little room at the opposite end of the palace.

The smells of a fine meal struck him first, followed almost immediately by Kinnaird's warm, spicy cologne. The room was dim, with only a few candles offering light, just enough to see the lavish dinner arranged on the table before the fire.

Movement caught the corner of his eye, and he turned in time to go easily into Kinnaird's arms, returning his heated kiss full measure. "Where have you been all day?" he asked when they finally pulled apart.

"Ensuring that we are not disturbed for the rest of the night and all of the morning," Kinnaird replied, reaching up to tug away the ribbon binding back Reyes' hair and casting a spell that banished the dye in it to reveal its true royal gold color. "I wanted to be able to enjoy my winsome prince at my leisure. Did you get enough work done to keep from fretting about it?"

"It will keep," Reyes said, meaning it. As much as he hated to admit it, work was far too easy to push aside where Kinnaird was concerned. "Thank you for the gifts. You're an idiot and did not have to go to so much trouble—"

Kinnaird cut him off with a kiss, fingers sliding down Reyes' back and curving around to lightly grasp his hips. "No trouble at all, I assure you."

"I thought the lapel pin was going to be a ring, at first."

The words made Kinnaird laugh against his mouth. He stole another quick kiss before stepping back and motioning toward the table. "I know very well how much trouble I would be in if I tried to give you an engagement ring during the Days of Devotion. Come, we should eat dinner before it grows cold. I had them make all your favorites." He took Reyes' hand and turned away to lead him to the table.

Reyes swallowed, refusing to be nervous, and said, "So from the way you are laughing, I guess you do not want the ring that I bought you?"

Kinnaird stopped so abruptly he nearly tripped over his own feet and whipped around to stare in surprise. "The what you bought me?"

The nervousness Reyes hadn't been feeling vanished. He clasped his hands behind his back and shrugged. "Nothing of interest to you, clearly."

"Oh, it's of interest," Kinnaird said, narrowing his eyes. He closed the small space between them, standing over Reyes in that way that never failed to make Reyes shiver. "I want my present."

Reyes smirked. "I don't think you deserve it, your grace. You laughed at the idea."

Kinnaird grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "You're a brat. Give it to me."

It was only the uncharacteristic anxiety he could see behind Kinnaird's playfulness that finally made him relent. Reaching into his jacket, Reyes extracted the small jewelry box he had kept hidden in Rhoten's desk for the past month, waiting for the Days of Devotion.

He might roll his eyes at the idiocy of it all, but Kinnaird was nothing if not a completely hopeless romantic who liked all the nonsense.

Kinnaird took the box and broke into the prettiest smile Reyes had ever seen as he looked at the engagement ring inside. It wasn't anything fancy. The single, small, square cut yellow diamond set in gold had taken him months to save up for, even on his overgenerous salary.

When Kinnaird continued to say nothing, and only stared, Reyes started to get nervous again. "I know it's nothing like what you—" He broke with a muffled noise when Kinnaird kissed him hard, left him breathless.

"Here I thought it would take me forever yet to get you to marry me," Kinnaird said, and he slipped the ring onto his finger, holding his hand up to admire it. Reyes smiled, pleased that it looked just as perfect as he had hoped. "Yes, by the way."

Reyes rolled his eyes. "I did not think you were saying no, you idiot." Reaching out, he tugged Kinnaird close again and leaned up to kiss him. "Dinner smells wonderful, but are you certain it must be eaten now?"

"I think it will still be tolerable cold," Kinnaird murmured.

"Then take me to bed, fiancé," Reyes replied, laughing fondly at the way that stupid little word lit Kinnaird's face up and going easily when Kinnaird dragged him into the bedroom.

Megan grew up a military brat and traveled extensively with her family. She is now firmly settled in Ohio, with two roommates and their four cats. She has always been book obsessed, and writing obsessed since she first gave it a whirl in college. Romance and fantasy are her primary obsessions, but she’s game to write just about anything and enjoys a challenge. She is a sucker for stories of enemies becoming lovers. When not writing, Megan is drinking too much coffee, reading still more books, and harassing family and friends, or otherwise doing whatever possible to avoid editing.