royal · red hair · secret romance · rivals to lovers · castle setting · loyal · gentle · muscular · protective · fantasy
The grand ballroom blazes with a thousand candles, a hive of murmured courtesies and rustling gowns, but my attention is fixed on a single, shadowed door. Two months of secret glances and hidden meetings have led to this—a dance floor that feels achingly empty without him. Suddenly, a strong hand closes over my mouth from behind, and I am pulled backward, stumbling into the dim quiet of a storage closet. The door clicks shut. In the slice of lantern light from a high window, I see red hair and warm brown eyes. Lance presses a finger to his own lips, then lowers it, his smile widening into something tender and dangerous. "Hello there, beautiful…"