Chapter 29
29
FARRON
I stared at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time, willing a message from Tore to appear. The screen remained stubbornly blank, however. It had been two hours since I’d messaged him from the Oslo Gardermoen airport, a name I hadn’t even attempted to pronounce.
With a frustrated groan, I tossed the device onto the hotel nightstand and flopped back onto the plush king-size bed. My eyes were gritty from lack of sleep, and my body ached from being crammed into tiny airplane seats for way too many hours. I’d left Hawley yesterday afternoon, changing planes in Charlotte before the long haul on a red-eye to London Heathrow. Then, yet another layover, and now here I was in Oslo, chasing after a guy I’d pushed away.
It had been the craziest day of my life. What the hell was I thinking? I’d blown well over a thousand dollars of my savings on a last-minute ticket to Norway, not even thinking about the fact that I might need a visa until I’d landed in Oslo. Luckily, US citizens didn’t need one. Phew.
But once I was here, I hadn’t known what to do. It wasn’t like I could knock on the front door of the mansion he lived in—I’d seen pictures online, and it was every bit as massive as I had imagined—and ask to see him. He might not have Secret Service-level protection, but I highly doubted they let just anyone walk in from the streets.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to fight off the exhaustion. The rational part of my brain knew I should shower and try to adjust to the time difference, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Not until I heard from Tore. Despite my best efforts, I felt myself drifting off. The last coherent thought I had was of Tore’s blue eyes and gentle smile…
A loud knocking jolted me awake. I sat up with a start, my heart pounding as I tried to get my bearings. Where the hell was I? The unfamiliar room swam into focus as memories of my impulsive trip flooded back. I’d fallen asleep on the bed, still fully dressed.
“Shit,” I croaked, my voice rough with sleep. “Coming!”
I stumbled out of bed, nearly face-planting as my foot caught on a rug. The knocking came again, more insistent this time. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my brain as I hurried toward the door. My bare feet sank into the plush carpet with each step.
Who the hell could it be at this hour? And what time was it anyway? I had no idea how long I’d been out.
I reached for the doorknob, stifling a yawn, then swung the door open. My jaw dropped. Standing in the hallway, looking as perfect and put-together as ever, was Tore. For a split second, we stared at each other. Then something inside me snapped. Without thinking, I grabbed his arm and yanked him into the room, slamming the door behind us.
“Farron, what?—”
I cut him off, pushing him against the wall and fusing my lips to his. The kiss was desperate, hungry. All the longing and frustration I’d been bottling up poured out as I pressed my body against his. Tore tensed for a moment, then melted into me with a soft moan that sent shivers down my spine.
His lips were even softer than I’d remembered, and he tasted faintly of mint. I deepened the kiss, one hand tangling in his silky blond hair while the other gripped his hip. Tore’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me even closer.
“Fuck,” I breathed when we finally broke apart for air. My heart was racing, and I could feel Tore’s rapid pulse beneath my fingertips, where they rested on his neck.
“I… I must say, I wasn’t expecting quite such a warm welcome,” Tore said, his voice breathy and accent thicker than usual. His cheeks were flushed, blue eyes dark with desire.
I couldn’t help but laugh, resting my forehead against his. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly planning on jumping you the second I saw you. But damn, Tore. I’ve missed you.”
I stepped back, suddenly aware of how much I’d jumped the gun here. My body ached at the loss of contact, but I needed to catch my breath and process what was happening. Tore stood there, looking disheveled and confused, his usually immaculate hair mussed from my fingers. “Not that I’m complaining, Farron, but what on earth are you doing in Oslo?”
“I, uh…” I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling foolish. “I came to find you. To talk to you. Shit, I don’t even know what I was thinking.”
Tore’s eyes widened. “You really flew all the way to Norway for me?”
I nodded, feeling heat creep up my neck. “Yeah. Look, I… I’m sorry, okay? I’ve been a stubborn asshole. I shouldn’t have shut you out like that.”
“Farron, I?—”
“No, let me finish.” I needed to get this off my chest before I lost the courage. “I missed you, Tore. I missed you so much. I tried to convince myself I didn’t, but… Fuck, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. But somehow, I thought there would be time, until Luke told me you’d left for good. And I realized I should’ve given you a chance to explain. I freaked out and pushed you away.”
Tore’s expression softened, and he took a step toward me. “I missed you too, Farron. More than I thought possible.”
His admission made my heart race. I reached out, taking his hand in mine. “And I’m sorry I judged you based on your wealth without really knowing you. That wasn’t fair.”
Tore’s eyes softened, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek. “Farron, you don’t need to?—”
“No, I do,” I insisted, leaning into his touch. “I’ve always had this chip on my shoulder about rich people, and I was judging you based on your background from the moment we met.”
“And you didn’t even know all of it…”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Be glad because I probably never would’ve even given you a chance, and I would’ve missed out on so much. Your background doesn’t define you, and I was wrong to think it did. You’re disciplined, hardworking, you give your all for the team, and you’re generous. The thing is, I’ve realized it’s not about the money. It’s about who you are as a person. And you, Tore Haakon von whatever-the-hell-your-last-name-is, are pretty damn amazing.”
Tore’s eyes widened slightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “Glücksburg,” he murmured.
“What?”
“My last name. It’s von Glücksburg.”
I rolled my eyes. “As if I even stand a chance at pronouncing that correctly. Anyway, the point is, I’m sorry for being such an ass.”
“Thank you. That means the world to me.”
“Can we start over?”
Tore’s expression shifted, guilt and remorse evident in his blue eyes. He squeezed my hand, his touch sending a familiar jolt through my body. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I lied to you about who I was, and that was inexcusable. I’m truly sorry.”
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words. “Why did you do it?”
Tore sighed. “I so desperately wanted to be normal for once. To not be treated differently because of my royal background. I had to beg my parents and uncle to let me go undercover for a year and attend Hawley. It was my one chance to just be me. Not Prince Tore, not part of the royal family. Just Tore.”
His vulnerability struck me. I’d never considered how isolating his position might be. “I get that, but?—”
“No, you’re right to be upset,” Tore interrupted, his eyes locked on mine. “I should’ve been honest with you, especially after…” He made a vague gesture.
“Especially after what?” I teased him.
“After we became more than teammates.”
“You mean after we had sex.”
He looked away. “Was that all it was, sex?”
I tugged on his hand until he met my eyes again. “If it had been about sex, do you really think I would’ve flown halfway across the world for you?”
Relief washed over Tore’s face, and before I knew it, we were kissing again. This time it was slower, more deliberate. I poured all my forgiveness into that kiss, my hands cupping his face as I drew him closer. Tore’s arms wrapped around my waist, holding me tight as if afraid I might disappear.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I couldn’t help but grin. “So, Your Highness, huh?”
Tore groaned, burying his face in my neck. “Please, don’t start with that nonsense.”
I laughed, the tension from the past weeks finally dissipating. “Hey, at least I didn’t bow.”
“Thank goodness for small favors.”
I caressed his cheek. “I’m glad you disclosed the truth to the team. They took it pretty well.”
He nodded. “I owed them that much, and yes, they did. Much better than I had expected.”
“Yeah, I was the only asshole. I know.”
“That’s not what I?—”
“But I was. Probably because…” Hell, how did I even put into words what I felt for him?
He tilted his head. “Why’d you fly here? You could’ve simply messaged me.”
I winced. “I wasn’t sure if that would be enough. Figured you’d need a bigger effort on my part to convince you I meant it.”
“You mean your apology? I assure you that a message would’ve been enough. I would’ve accepted that.”
“No, not that. Well, yeah, to start with, but mostly because…” I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “I wanted to tell you in person that your wealth, your title… They don’t matter. Not when it comes to how I feel about you.”
Tore let out a soft gasp. “And how do you feel about me?”
I was standing on the edge of a cliff, teetering between fear and exhilaration. And then, without really thinking about it, I took the plunge. “I’m in love with you. It makes no sense, and at the same time, it’s the most natural thing ever. You make me happy. Being with you makes me happy. You make me want to be a better man, you know? I smile more, I laugh more, I’m…” I threw up my hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m happy. Somehow, you get me. You see me like no one else does, and you awaken parts of me no one else can. Those weeks without you were horrible, and all I could think about was you. There’s probably some romantic, poetic way to tell you all this, but I’ve been up for well over twenty-four hours and I’m exhausted yet so happy to see you, to be with you. That’s all I want, is to be with you. I love you.”
After that acute verbal diarrhea, I closed my mouth again, my cheeks heating.
Tore’s blue eyes bored into mine, filled with an intensity that took my breath away. “I love you too, Farron,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “God help me, but I do.”
Without another word, Tore took my mouth again in a deep kiss, reigniting the passion that had been simmering between us. I kissed him back with equal fervor, my hands sliding under his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin. Our tongues danced as we pressed our bodies closer, desperate to eliminate any space between us.
As we continued to kiss, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over me. The adrenaline that had kept me going was wearing off, and my eyes felt increasingly heavy.
“Tore,” I mumbled against his lips, fighting to keep my eyes open. “I’m sorry, but I’m so damn tired.”
Tore pulled back, concern etched on his face. “Oh, Farron. I completely forgot about your long journey. You must be knackered.”
I tried to protest, not wanting to ruin the moment, but a massive yawn escaped me instead.
Tore chuckled softly. “Let’s get you to bed.”
He helped me undress until I was left in my boxer shorts, my limbs feeling like lead. I crashed onto the bed and somehow managed to crawl under the blankets. As soon as I put my head on the pillow, my eyes drifted shut.
“Sleep, min kj?re ,” he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Tore’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. I nestled into his warmth, breathing in his familiar scent. My last coherent thought before succumbing to sleep was how right this felt: being here, in Tore’s arms, our bodies intertwined.
It felt like coming home.