Page 29 of Enchanted Heir
He leaned in and whispered into my ear, “Don’t tempt me, love.”
Flashing me a quick smile, he was off to fake woo his next consort.
* * *
“How haveyou not murdered Krew yet?” I whispered to Renna in her light pink gown as I slid in next to her in the back of the line to dance.
She made a choking noise and then burst out laughing. “Sorry,” she said as she continued laughing. “Oh wow.” And then she was laughing again. To the extent that some were turning in our direction wondering what was so funny.
I smiled, so the rest of them wouldn’t think anything was amiss, but whispered through gritted teeth to Renna, “Get yourself together, woman!”
She wiped at her eyes. “Right, right, sorry.”
I looked to the ceiling and the sparkly chandelier above us. “Are we done with this night yet?”
“Problems with our prince?” It was impossible to miss the amusement in her tone.
“He’s giving me emotional whiplash, Renna,” I admitted at a whisper.
“He can be standoffish at times,” she admitted. “But he and I never had any... tension? Of the sexual variety. So that is not something I have had to deal with, no.”
My eyes went wide. “And you think we do have tension? Of the sexual variety?”
She grinned at me. “Honey.”
My eyes went even bigger.“You do?”
She put a hand on my wrist and squeezed. “Look. I think he finds he rather enjoys the role he now has to play.”
I thought of how good he was at it. “Maybe. Sometimes. But other times...” I thought of all the nights we slept with pillows dividing his side of the bed from mine. “He seems to resent it.”
“Honey,” Renna repeated, “he likely resents it because he enjoys it. Did you ever consider that?”
My jaw fell open. “No. No, I have not.”
Her eyes seemed to twinkle as she added, “So like I said. Tension.”
I shook my head and crossed my arms. “No. No tension.”
It was now her turn to dance with Krew. She took a step forward and then over her shoulder said, “Keep telling yourself that.”
Molly happened to be dancing with Keir, so I kept my eyes on Renna and Krew. Soon they were both laughing. Probably about me.
I loathed them both.
Actually, other than Rinaldi, I loathed everything about this night.
Then it was my turn for dancing.
“Your Grace,” I bit out as I bowed.
“Still mad, I see,” he offered as he brought me in far closer than was necessary.
“Still arrogant, I see,” I muttered.
He snickered.
I let out a sigh as he turned us around elegantly. He was at least fun to dance with. “Do I get to leave soon?”
