I knew now that it wasn’t because of me that he couldn’t yet be thoroughly intimate, and in turn, actually being aware that all he needed was patience had taken the pressure off. It had allowed him the chance to figure out that detaching himself made everything worse, and that sleeping with me in his arms was enough to soothe his primal urges and quiet the loudest noises in his head. He could think clearly again, see the benefits of letting himself recover, and with each day, it felt like everything was slowly returning to normal.

Our version of normal.

Speaking of the devil, my gaze shifted toward the house just as Cair wandered outside, as if I’d subconsciously known he was coming. His dark eyes lit up the second he noticed me, and warmth settled in my belly. He looked better already—the dark circles retreating, his shoulders looser. He was also sleep-ruffled and sexy as hell in those informal clothes. His shirt was untucked, his hair was flowing down his back, and it was all completely incongruous with the high-maintenance, regal creature I knew and adored.

Country life suited him.

So do those boots.

“Have you been out here long?” he asked, handing me a mug of tea—a fruity blend Gary had conjured up from my dad’s ingredient cupboard—and smiling fondly.

“An hour or so.”

He kissed me sweetly, his breath tinged with mint. “I should have risen with you. Forgive me.”

“You deserve to rest,” I said firmly. “You work hard, and you’ve been through a lot. You don’t always have to put my needs first, you know. It is acceptable to take turns.”

“Alright.” He laughed and rested a hand on the small of my back as he slotted himself against my side. I returned to my position, leaning on the fence, mug in hand.

“Think of this as a vacation,” I added. “You’re not supposed to get out of bed before noon on vacation.”

“I’ll trust you on that.”

“Good.”

I looked back out over the farm, enjoying the way the branches on the rose-tinted trees swayed in the slight breeze, and the sun covered everything in a rich golden glow. I sighed without meaning to, a blissfully happy sound Cair obviously heard.

“You like it here, don’t you?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. This is the type of place where I’d want to live if you weren’t a prince.” Realizing what I’d said, I faced him and started backtracking. “Not that I actively wish for you not to be. I just mean that I think about a simpler life sometimes, but it’s only a fantasy.”

Cair hummed, staring out at the paddock. “Well, hold on to it. It may come true sooner than you think.”

“What do you mean?”