This man had mastered the art of seduction.
“Why did you insist I be willing?” I asked.
“Would you want an unwilling husband?”
“I guess not.” Though if he was unwilling, he’d leave me alone.
Yet . . . I didn’t want Merrick to leave me alone. Even simply standing beside him on the deck sent a thrill through me. The walls I’d erected after Kinart died wavered. The pull of my growing affection for Merrick was intense. Beautiful. But fear rode along with it. I wasn’t sure I could bear to feel that vulnerable, pure wasteland of despair again. Losing someone had gutted me. It left a wound on my soul. I’d seep the blood red I adored until my dying day.
I could almost taste the sweetness of possible love but a bitter taint rode along with it. Merrick might see me as brave and strong, but I wasn’t sure I had the strength to welcome what he seemed to be offering.
“What’s your favorite flower?” he asked.
The ones Kinart used to give me. The lavender one pressed between the pages of the book of poems in my room.
“I don’t have one,” I said.
“A pity.”
“Why?”
“Because then I’d know what I could give you.”
“You don’t have to give me anything.”
He ran his fingertip across the bracelet he’d sent me, the heat of his touch sinking into my skin. It swirled through me like smoke on the breeze, compelling and sweet. “I want to fill your room with flowers.”
“That would make walking through my room a challenge.”
“Imagine how gorgeous they’d smell. How they’d be jealous of your beauty.”
He really was good at this. Why would he bother to seduce me when he could have me with one crook of his hand? When I said I was willing, I meant it. Perhaps he wanted more from me than that, something I still wasn’t yet willing to give.
“What do you love to do most?” I asked him.
“Dream.” He turned his gaze to the water. “Of a future full of hope and promise.”
“That’s worthy.”
“And seemingly out of touch.”
“You’re the king. You must have more say in this than anyone else.”
“I wish I could hold that thought in my hands and never let go.”
I nodded, staring toward the horizon along with him.
We had lunch and dinner together on the deck with him creating a water umbrella over our heads again to shield me from the sun’s rays. We talked about almost everything, and ineach careful expression of a thought, he showed me how deep he was, how kind and insightful.
And I began to dream of a future of hope and promise myself.
As the sunbegan to set, he walked me to my suite.
“We could stroll around on the deck,” I said, wanting to spend more time with him. I suspected once we reached Evergorne Court, duties and court life would take up much of our time. “The moonlight is gorgeous on the water.”
“I’d love to but papers are waiting for me to read in my room.” The longing in his voice soothed my sadness that I wouldn’t see him again until tomorrow.
Lore would be patrolling soon, though, and I should hide in my suite if I wanted to avoid him. Which I did. Always.
