Page 47 of Twelve Nights In The Prince's Bed

‘I don’t know,’ she gave up with a shrug. ‘Just...be careful.’

‘Poppy, the whole world believes we are dating. To be seen together at the ball is going to reinforce that belief.’ He lifted a hand, gently touched her cheek. ‘Are you regretting this?’

She pulled a face. ‘I regret lying to your mother,’ she said, then wrinkled her brow. Because that wasn’t quite accurate. She hated lying, but this week had been one of the best of her life. She would never take it back. ‘I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.’

He nodded slowly. ‘Fortunately for you, I don’t think anyone in the world has any confidence that I can make a relationship work. We’ll part ways in six days’ time, and all the world will know it’s just Adrastos being Adrastos.’

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Poppy wanted to kiss him, but she knew that if she did all the tension and doubt in the middle of her chest would burst into something else and she might actually break down and cry.

‘In which case, let’s go, Your Highness.’

But his last statement sat with Poppy all night, tightening around her throat almost as if she’d worn the necklace and the necklace had been a noose. She felt it and, despite lifting her hand to her throat and pressing her fingers to the flesh there, she couldn’t loosen it, couldn’t make herself relax, make her breathing grow easier. She was exhausted as the night went on—not from making small talk with people but from being close to Adrastos and trying to get everythingright. How to play the part of his girlfriend without allowing it to appear as though either had a serious wish formore?

Why did that matter so much to her? Why did she want to rail against the genuine expectation that their relationship might somehow seem permanent? That was obviously a risk they’d taken right from the beginning of all this, so why did it bother her so much now?

Because of the parameters shifting, she reminded herself, sipping a champagne just before midnight.

‘Come with me.’ Adrastos appeared out of nowhere, catching her hand, pulling her with him. She frowned, looked around, but everyone was far too merry and involved in their own conversations to care too much about Adrastos and Poppy. He pulled her through the edge of the crowd and towards a set of large glass doors that opened onto a terrace.

Just like that first night, Poppy’s birthday, it was cold. Colder, in fact, tonight, with snow falling in swirls around them, and Adrastos shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around Poppy’s shoulders. The hum of the party was behind them; here, they were alone.

‘What are we doing?’ she asked, her heart lifting, her stomach squeezing.

‘Celebrating the new year.’

‘Isn’t that what the party is for?’

‘Given our conversation before the ball, I thought you might not appreciate being kissed in the middle of the room.’

This was so ridiculous. Shouldn’t she have insisted he kiss her in front of everyone? Wasn’t that the point of a fake relationship? She shook her head slowly, a sigh strangled in her throat. It was almost impossible to wrestle with her emotions. All night she’d been trying, and all night feelings had stormed through her. Now she was alone with Adrastos, emotions were taking over.

‘Poppy?’

‘I’m sorry. I was just thinking how strange this all is.’

‘In what way?’

‘We’re doing this to convince everyone we’re a couple and yet I’m insisting we don’t do anything coupley. I don’t know... I’ve lost sight of everything.’

He moved closer, his body warm and big, his strength wrapping around her, making Poppy’s heart lift.

‘What have you lost sight of?’

She shook her head. She wanted to explain, to put into words how she was feeling, but she didn’t have the words to properly answer him.

‘We’ll part ways in six days’ time, and all the world will know it’s just Adrastos being Adrastos.’

But then it dawned on her. Poppy didn’t want to part ways in six days’ time. She didn’t want to leave Adrastos. Not then, not ever.

She pulled away from him, moving down the terrace a little, the din of the party just background noise to the frantic nature of her thoughts. This was a fake relationship, but why? What about it was fake? Not the way they talked to each other, not the way they slept together, not the way they just...clicked.

Everything about Adrastos wasrightfor Poppy. It was allreal.She gasped, lifting a hand to her lips and turning to stare at him as her heart wentkerthunkin her chest for another reason altogether now. Relief that finally Poppy was listening. Finally, she understood.

She loved Adrastos.

Not fake love.

Real, all-consuming love. From the tip of her head to the bottom of her toes.Love.For all of him. The warrior, the ruler, and the broken, grieving brother. She loved this man, every angle, every facet, every part.

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