Royally Ever After (Royals of Valleria #7) by Marianne Knightly

her lipstick when Alex walked in.
    He was exhausted. Others probably wouldn’t notice it, but no one knew him like she did. He was tired and sad, and she also sensed anger. “Something’s happened. What’s wrong?”
    Alex headed for his closet, tugging off his clothes as he did. “What isn’t wrong?”
    Did she leave him alone? Push him to tell her? She wished she knew. Sometimes she felt useless in these situations because she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to cause Alex more stress but, if she didn’t know what was wrong, how was she supposed to help him?
    Alex strode naked from the closet, his broad shoulders and tapered waist, his long, corded legs and impressive cock, were all on display to her. They’d been together over a year now and the sight of his nude form still gave her a jolt.
    He pulled her into his arms and took a deep breath.
    She rubbed a hand down his back. “What can I do?”
    He pressed a kiss into her hair. “Join me in the shower?”
    The one thing he needed from her and she couldn’t provide it; having sex was too painful during her period to allow it, even with her prescribed pain pills. “I can’t, Alex. My period came early this month.” Disappointment flickered across his face. “But I can join you for a nap after you’re out.”
    “We’ve got dinner.”
    “We’ll be late. You need some rest, Alex.”
    “I won’t get any, not tonight anyway.” He pulled away and strode towards their shower. He stepped in, let the initially cold water jolt him, then let the blistering hot water soothe him. She’d seen him do the same thing before.
    “Why not? What’s going on?”
    “Let me shower first.”
    “You’re taking a nap after your shower.”
    “I’m not.”
    Should she push him? “You are, Alex.”
    He peered at her through the steam-coated glass, his hands busy lathering shampoo into his hair. The sight of him like that – gleaming wet, his hands behind his head, his cock warm and stiffening – usually made her want to lick him from head to toe.
    “There was a problem at the Council meeting,” Alex finally said.
    “What?”
    “They’re up to something, and I have a sinking feeling it’s about the wedding.”
    “What do you mean?”
    In between soaping up and washing himself clean, Alex told her what had happened, and about the meeting tomorrow.
    “Oh, Alex. The day before the wedding?”
    “I know, but there’s nothing for it.” He turned off the water and stepped out, flicking a towel off a warming rack as he did so. “How are you doing?”
    “Do you want the good news, or the maybe good news?”
    His lips twitched. “Start with the good news first.”
    “People have been coming to me all day needing help with things, and asking my opinions.”
    The towel whipped over his body in swift, careless strokes before he rubbed it over his hair and uncharacteristically tossed it aside instead of hanging it up. “Darling, that sounds like they’re pestering you. That’s not good news.”
    She stepped up and pressed her hands to his bare chest, still hot from his shower. “It’s good news to me. It means people think I’m competent enough to handle various issues. And, so far at least, I haven’t made a mess of anything.”
    His hands covered hers. “That is good news. What’s the maybe good news?”
    She took a deep breath. “I heard from the doctor.”
    “Whose doctor? My father’s or Arianna’s?”
    “Mine. My doctor.”
    His eyes widened. “And?”
    “They still didn’t find anything wrong with me.”
    He exhaled. “Darling, that’s great news. Why aren’t you happy about it?”
    Tears pooled in her eyes. “The pain I still feel.” She shook her head. “I can’t help but think there’s something the doctor’s missing. I don’t want anything to be wrong, but I can’t help the feeling that something is.”
    As he’d done earlier, Alex kissed her tears away as they fell on her cheek. “Then we’ll keep searching for