Evelyn met his gaze, surprised by the question. “No. Someone else.”
“Then no,” Damien decided. “Why should I settle for someone less than you?”
She tried to ignore that her heart was about to fly out of her chest. “How many women have you used that line on?”
He grinned. “Do you want an exact number?”
“No!” she snapped, turning away.
“Evelyn!”
Damien spun her into his arms. He held her waist with one hand and lifted the other to her face. Gently, he trailed a line up her cheek, over the tip of her ear, and then down through her curls.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.
“You had a bug in your hair.”
Evelyn yelped and jumped away from him. She shook out her curls like there might be a whole nest of spiders in there.
“Calm down!” Damien laughed. “I got it! You’re fine!”
She glared at him. “I’m ready to go back to the palace now.”
“Whatever you want, Princess.”
I don’t think I can have what I want.
57
Succession
Hannah came to Evelyn’s room at dinnertime with a tray of food for them. They climbed on the bed and retold old stories from before their father became a king. Like the time Hannah accidentally got drunk at a party because she didn’t realize the overly sweet flavor of the punch covered the taste of alcohol. Turned out, she was a flirty drunk. Hannah avoided punch—and Lord Moran’s eldest son—ever since.
It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve had fun with my sister. I hope this isn’t our last chance. Now that I’m married, I’ll stay in Gryon and Hannah will go back to Carrowmore. I’m going to miss her and Rowan.
Hours passed and the sisters talked until they couldn’t stop yawning, always managing to avoid any heavy conversation. Hannah returned to her own room.
Evelyn was about to fall asleep when there was a knock. She opened the door, both hoping and dreading Leo would be in the hallway, but it was Damien. He winced at her expression.
“Isolove when you look disappointed to see me,” he said, stepping into the room.
“Sorry. I thought you were Leo.”
“Leo’s not here. He left a couple hours ago. He didn’t tell you?”
A knot of anxiety formed in Evelyn’s stomach. “No. I haven’t seen him since this morning. Where did he go?”
“I don’t know. Leo spent most of the day in his office, then took off. He glared at me the one time I tried to talk to him.” Something showed on Evelyn’s face, and Damien narrowed his eyes at her. “You wouldn’t happen to knowwhyLeo wanted to rip my head off, would you?”
“I…”
“Evelyn?”
She spoke her sins slowly. “I was angry and told him I should’ve married you instead because you respect me more than he does.”
Damien’s eyes widened, then he lowered his head to rub his temples. “Yep. That would do it.”
“And then I set his boots on fire.”
