He looked at her in surprise. “Did you not want me to?” He paused, hesitating. “I would never want to hurt you.”
“I would have liked to choose.”
“I did not consider that.” After a split second of consideration, he chuckled. “That is an easy remedy. Is that all?”
He looked relieved, as if some answer had finally clicked into place. She hated that he thought his transgression was so easy to fix. No apology in sight for changing her feelings and mind without her consent.
She searched his face and saw he would never apologize.
“Thank you,” was all she was able to say. She struggled to keep her words polite.
They danced for several songs, until the night turned dark and the stars winked into existence outside.
The musicians seemed to sense the shift in the room and continued to serenade them with slow music. She held her head against his chest, and they drifted in silence.
He held a hand to her cheek, hesitating, and tilted her chin up to meet him. Giving her the option, letting her choose what she wanted to do.
She kissed him once, softly, quickly, and then pulled back.
“Thank you for the evening. It was wonderful,” she said, as she felt her walls go up. She took a step away from him.
“Would you like to take a turn about the courtyard?”
She nodded, and to her surprise, he took her hand.
His hand was warm and sure in hers as he led her through the castle. Elizabeth looked down curiously and saw he was still holding her hand as they walked through the courtyard gardens. The fountains burbled softly, and soft music from the ballroom filled the air.
Caspian stopped and turned towards her, his face illuminated with moonlight. “It’s a beautiful night.”
“It is,” she said quietly.
It was the perfect moment. The whole evening had been perfect. Well thought out, romantic, designed to make her fall to her knees.
“If I get to choose, then I choose that we don’t do that tonight,” she murmured.
It’s a shame she’s not more clever, or I might have been genuinely interested.
His thoughts that she had overheard played in her mind over and over. How dare he think her simple and uninteresting, then have the arrogance to say he knew her well.
“I am confused.”
“Why are you confused?”
“Elizabeth, we have already slept together. We’ve shared each other many times now, and I have done nothing wrong that I can see. You have no secrets left from me. I must ask, why the change?”
“If we have no secrets left between us, then why do you still pursue me as if you are unsure of what my response will be?”
“You have a silver tongue. But the point remains, we have shared each other many times. I’ll ask again, what changed? What is different tonight?” he asked with what might have been genuine concern in his eyes.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. I am just not interested tonight,” she said, her voice tired.
He sniffed and gave her a pointed look.
She flushed. They had danced together for hours, their warm bodies rubbing against each other. An evening of sweet nothings was whispered in her ear. She refused to be blamed for her body’s response to his affections.
Her mind did not want to sleep with him tonight, and that was all that mattered. So, she rolled her eyes, lifted her chin, and walked away.
She felt a hand wrap around the back of her neck.
