I looked him over. He was a virile man, no doubt about that. Muscles strained his jacket, and the width of his shoulders was impressive. But I had gotten over my initial awe and was starting to feel nervous. I hadn't wanted to attract any attention, especially not his.
“Will you dance for me?” He asked me as he escorted me down to the dance floor.
“Dancewithyou, you mean?”
“No,forme,” he asserted as he continued to walk us past the swirling couples to the dais at the other end of the room. “Did you not receive the instructions? We're auditioning women to be our wives.”
“Auditioning?” I lifted a brow.
“You will retain your maidenhood,” he assured me. “But I need to be certain that I marry an exceptional woman. I require you to dance for me, in any way that you like, but I recommend using every womanly wile you have.” He gave me a wink.
“I think not.” I extricated my hand from his and started walking away.
“Pardon me?” He chased after me. “You're at our Ball, so I assume that you know our court etiquette. Are you seriously surprised by my request?”
“I am not from here,” I said airily. “And I won't perform for you.”
“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “All right, just come in the back with me and we can... talk?” He said the word like he wasn't sure it would accomplish anything.
“You want to talk with me?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Yes, actually,” he huffed. “I do. Will you join me?”
“All right, Your Highness.” I took his hand. “Lead me to a room we can converse in.”
Prince Ashton smiled brilliantly and escorted me past his beaming parents, who looked me over as they might a new horse. The Queen nodded her approval, and the King leered. I swallowed past my dry throat and went with the prince into the room he had exited just minutes before.
It was not vacant.
His brothers were sharing the audition room with him, though they each had a separate area to themselves. Prince Weston, with his ebony hair and bright emerald eyes, was to the left, arms spread over the back of the couch he sat on as he watched a naked woman wiggle. He did not look impressed. To the right was Prince Braxton with an equally naked girl dancing before his couch. He was laying on his side, his head propped by a fist. The girl dancing for him happened to be one of my stepsisters, and I nearly turned around and left when I saw her.
“Pay no attention to them,” Ashton led me to his couch, set between the others, and helped me sit.
His brothers looked over at us in surprise, and then they got a good look at me. Each man sat forward and then stood.
“Get out,” Braxton said to my stepsister, Ava.
“What? But, Your Highness, I've just begun,” she protested.
“Leave now,” Braxton growled.
Ava started to cry as she hastily pulled on her clothing.
“You too,” Prince Weston said to his dancer. “Off with you.”
The women protested more, but the princes were too intent on me. I was a little shocked when they descended upon us. I knew that I was pretty, but this amount of attention was ridiculous. Something shimmered over my feet, and I looked down at the glass slippers. Damn her; my Mom had bewitched my footwear!
“Who is this?” Weston asked as he sat on my open side.
“Her name is Lily and she's mine!” Ashton declared. “I found her first. Besides, she won't dance. She only wants to talk.”
“Won't dance?” Braxton lifted a mahogany brow and set his cerulean stare on me. “Why not?”
“I'm a lady, you are supposed to woo me,” I said haughtily. “The only kind of dancing I do is the proper sort.”
The men gaped at me, then at each other, and then burst out laughing.
“Well, if you find that humorous, I'll just be going as well, shall I?” I stood.
