Page 26 of Night's Fall
Definitely he thoughtIwas touched with the way he was regarding me, and the manner in which he asked, “Doyou…not want him to court you?”
Of courseIdid.Ithad been my heart’s desire from whenIwas six years old.Byall the levels of hell, it was every girl’s heart’s desire.
And…Ididn’t know.
He was arrogant and elitist.
And what could come of it?
Not much.
Though, the champagne was pretty awesome.
And, of course, the small fact the prince was ludicrously gorgeous.
“Well?”Allainprompted impatiently.
I threw up my hands. “Idon’t know.Itnever occurred to me this was in the cards.Ourconversation was strange, at best.”
Though, the bedroom comment was not at all veiled.
I just thought he was playing games with me.
“It was short,”Iwent on. “Andthen it was over very abruptly.”
Allain sniffed. “Hedoes not relay his innermost thoughts and feelings to me, but one can assume he did not expect to meet you last night, and he had other plans he couldn’t avoid.Sohe made his intentions known, and nowI’mhere to move things forward.”
What an astronomical trip, sending your lackey to “move things forward” with a female you intended to court.
“What ifIdon’t want things to move forward?”Iqueried.
He gaped at me.
Honestly?
I could see that reaction.
I drew breath into my nose and straightened my spine. “Ican’t make this decision on the fly.Ineed time to think about it.”
He dropped his gaze blankly down to his tablet, mumbling, “Wehave other things to go over.”
“You can share all about how you invaded my privacy whenI’vemade my decision,”Iannounced.
His attention returned to me, and his eyes narrowed. “Youdo knowI’mtalking aboutPrinceAleksei, don’t you?”
“Of courseIknow that,”Ireplied curtly.
“This makes an odd kind of sense,” he said like he was talking to himself. “Itwould, of course, be an unusual female.”
“I’m not an unusual female,”Iretorted. “I’mactually a very usual one.I’mjust not used to people digging into my life, waking me up in the wee hours of the morning for unexpected visits and telling me what to do.NoramIused to princes of any realm sending their…no offense, but whatever you are to share with me they want to court me.”Idecided to drive one of my points home. “Again, in the wee hours of the morning.”
All of a sudden, his demeanor changed from churlish and perplexed to the dawn of understanding, a light twinkling in his eyes.
“I will inform the prince that you need time to consider his suit.WhenshallItell him he’ll have his response?Twenty-four hours?Forty-eight?”
I shook my head.
I wasn’t even sureIwas fully awake.Idefinitely hadn’t had enough sleep.
