Page 56 of Crown of Hearts
Cai laughed. He actually laughed. “When, dearest Elara, did you turn into a romantic?”
“Who said I wasn’t romantic?”
Well, his expression certainly does.
“I could be romantic.”
“Oh, you could now?”
I shifted my position and Cai decided to sit up. Leaning forwards, I reached for the picnic basket. “I asked the servants to make us some things to eat.”
“How kind of you.” His tone was still teasing.
“I even asked them to make your favourite.” I pulled out a small blueberry tart and held it towards him. Anesta, who performed her duties exceptionally well, had managed to findout that blueberry was, in fact, Cai’s favourite flavour of dessert. It was an effort to keep my hands from shaking. Why was I so nervous?
“How did you know these were my favourite?” He didn’t hesitate to take it.
I shrugged. “I have my ways.”
“Am I hallucinating or are you, Elara, Queen of Everness, trying to flirt with me?”
“A gentleman would just say thank you.”
“Thank you for the blueberry tarts, Elara.” Why did my name sound like that only when he said it?
Cai surprised me by giving me a kiss on the cheek, and then he proceeded to dig into the picnic basket as if it was nothing. I couldn’t help but stare at him. It wasn’t fair. How could he be so calm when it felt as though at any moment my heart was going to jump right out of my chest?
This was dangerous territory. I wanted the alliance to be nothing more than political, believing any kind of feelings between me and Cai would only make the matter so much more complicated. What if I allowed myself to be vulnerable and only ended up getting hurt? What if Cai realised he could never grow to love me again? Would I spend the rest of my days pining after someone who didn’t want me?
I quickly cleared my throat, trying not to appear unnerved. “Do you have many other things to do today?”
“There are still heaps of papers and things that I have to get through on my desk, and then, of course, I need to follow up on the planning of the ball.”
“I thought you were letting Lord Thatcher plan the ball?”
Cai held up one of the blueberry tarts for me to bite into. Tempted as I might have been, my nerves got the better of me and I reached out to take it instead. Cai’s expression remained unchanged.
“If I allow Thatcher to plan a ball on his own, not only will it be too expensive, but the drunken revelry likely to take place would not be appropriate.”
I suppressed a smile. “You and Thatcher are so different. I wonder how you ever became such good friends.” The blueberry tart was deliciously sweet, and I wondered how I had never tasted anything like it before.
“I think circumstance was the main driving force. We grew up together.” He tilted his head to the side. “We used to be much more alike.”
“I remember you told me stories of your younger days together and some of the mischief you got up to.”
“I’m afraid there wasn’t much else for a spoiled young prince and his friend to do.”
“You, spoiled?” I raised an eyebrow, holding back a laugh.
Instead of replying, Cai reached towards me and brushed remnants of blueberry tart away from the corner of my mouth. The air around us turned quiet and I watched with avidity as he brought his thumb to his lips. Cai’s green eyes seemed to smile, studying me.
“Perhaps I was a little spoiled.”
I swallowed harder than intended, suddenly flushed at the intimacy of his action. After pulling out my handkerchief, I dabbed at the corners of my mouth, hoping I look more composed than I felt.
“What about you?” Cai changed the subject.
“What about me?”
