Page 88 of The Forgotten Queen
“This?” She picked up the fabric of the shirt. “But this is your shirt.”
“Right. You’re never allowed to wear that again.”
“My wardrobe isn’t complete.” She tilted her head. “And don’t you have a ton of shirts like this?”
“It’s not about the shirt. It’s about how the shirt looks onyou.”
“Oh.”
“And, while we’re making a list, that chartreuse dress you wore to the party the other night? You’re not allowed to wear that again. Remember the physical boundaries we set? That dress isn’t helping me meet those boundaries.”
Sydria dipped her chin as a slight smile formed on her lips.
“And the swimming garment from yesterday. Don’t ever pull that out again. Just burn it.”
Her slight smile grew to something more—something adorable.
“And I don’t know if you still have it, but that lavender dress I saw you wearing at the beach the day we met is out, a definite no.” He placed his hands on his hips, pleased with how he was handling the situation.
He was clearly in control.
“I see,” she said.
“What about me?” Marx asked. “Is there anything you’d prefer I not wear, you know, because it makes things too hard for you?”
She pressed her lips together, raising her shoulder—the shoulder that was bare and exposed because she was wearing an illegal shirt. “It’s not what you wear that makes things difficult, but what youdon’twear. Maybe you could button your top buttons a little more and not take your shirt off so much.”
“Of course.”
Had she said that because she thought he looked good without his shirt on, or because she was repulsed by him?
It has to be that she thinks I look good, right?
“But then, it’s not really the things you wear that make me attracted to you,” Sydria said. “It’s the things youdo.”
He turned his eyes back to hers. “What do Ido?”
“The mustard shallot sauce.”
Marx nodded.
“And.” She bit her lip. “The aquarium.”
He scratched his ear. “Right.”
“Why did you do those things?”
He shrugged. “Because I wanted to make you happy.”
Her smile widened. “You did.”
Forget about the list of clothes he’d rattled off. Sydria smiling like that should be outlawed.
Everything was confusing now.
Muddied waters.
Blurred lines.
