“Better than you expected?” she asked.
“From now on, I’m going to assume that you’re better than I expect at everything you do.” He smiled suggestively at her.
“Oh, you have no idea.” She ran her hand up the shaft of the bow and then burst out laughing at his expression. His mouth went dry and his jaw dropped again. He needed to wire the stupid thing shut. Otherwise, she was going to think he was a gaping fool.
Clearing his throat, he said, gesturing to her newly strung bow, “Alright, General, time to put your body where your mouth is.”
She raised her brows and sighed with exasperation. “That isnotthe saying.”
“What?”
“The mortals say, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.’ Not yourbody.”
“That makes no such sense!” he exclaimed. Solveig put her hands up.
“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t come up with it.”
“So, what, you’re supposed to pay someone to do the thing you’re boasting about? Or eat your money? Putting your body into action to prove your words is much more accurate.”
“It’s a gambling phrase.” Solveig sighed. “It’s meant to be motivational.”
“I stand by my opinion. Regardless, time to put out or get out,” he said with a serious face. Solveig raised both eyebrows.
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? There’s no way a member of the royal family doesn’t know these things.”
“What?”
Solveig laughed again when he appeared genuinely confused.
“It’s ‘put up or shut up.’Put outmeans something very different to mortals.” His continued confusion must have been obvious because she loudly whispered, “Sex.”
His mind came to a screeching halt. Hearing that word from her mouth was not fair. He was losing control and couldn’t find it in himself to care. Recovering from his bit of shock, and not bothering to hide his interest, he said, “Again, I stand by my phrasing.”
When she laughed, his control slipped a fraction more. Goddess save him, he loved the sound.
Solveig notched an arrow into the bow and then swiftly brought it up, pulling the string back to the corner of her mouth. He took this opportunity to really look at her.
Her body was strong and lean, graceful even when standing still. He identified areas that could help improve her skill—her stance, and the way she drew back the bow. Her head was tilted too far for the arrow to fly straight.
When he nodded, she let the arrow go. As he predicted, it missed the tree she was aiming for. It did graze the bark, which was impressive.Solveig’s jaw was set, and Westley was coming to know that look of frustration. Thankfully, it was directed at herself this time.
“I take it back,” he said.
She whirled on him. “What?”
“Assuming you’re better at everything than I expect. That was pitiful.”
She narrowed her eyes at the tree. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“You’re right. For an amateur, it wasn’t the worst I’ve ever seen.”
“Careful, Prince. You may best me at archery, but I’ve already proven I can beat you in other ways.”
“I didn’t entirely mind you taking me down, but I can think of better things to do while rolling around on the ground, if you want another go.”
She snorted. “No thanks.”
That part of him that was completely at her mercy heated. But he had to keep himself in check. “Stop stalling and do it again. This time, stand with your feet a little wider and relax your shoulders. Let’s see if that little tweak helps.”
