He frowned. “But you just said—”
“I’m sorry,” I said hastily.
He looked at me suspiciously. “Is this another game?”
I flinched. No matter how many steps forward we made together in this relationship, there were moments Liam still doubted me, causing us to take another step back. I couldn’t blame him—Princess Lavena had much to atone for in her past treatment of Liam, and I was paying for it now.
I took his hands. “Of course it’s not a game. I only meant that while I welcome your affections, I’m not ready to go as far as a kiss quite yet.” I wasn’t sure if I ever would be. Surely kissing Liam would make it all the more difficult to eventually let him go.
His gaze snapped to mine, eyes hopeful. “Really?” He seemed encouraged by the blush warming my cheeks and his lips quirked up in a tentative smile. “You mean it?”
I shyly peeked up at him. “I do.”
Even though I knew encouraging him wasn’t wise, the battle between yielding to him and resisting him was already so wearying. How long would I fight it when it seemed obvious which side would win?
I shifted restlessly. “I should go. It’s been a long day.”
He nodded, as if he’d expected me to run away after he’d pushed me too far. He took my hand and kissed it, his lips lingering. “I hope to see you soon.”
Despite my own longing to stay with him, I was too frazzled to do so tonight. I took dinner in my room, but rather than eating any of it, I sat picking at my food as I relived that moment in the library—the smoldering look filling Liam’s eyes, his leaning into me and enveloping me with his intoxicating cinnamon scent, and especially the fact he’d almost kissed me. My heart ached, and even though I knew it had been for the best, I wished more than anything I hadn’t stopped it.
Chapter 12
I fought off a yawn from my restless night as I pushed my eggs around my plate at breakfast the following morning. Rain pattered against the dining room windows, the only sound filling the awkward silence between us, a silence seeming more unbearable after we’d gone so long without it.
I stole a peek at Liam sitting across from me. He wasn’t eating either but was instead building an elaborate tower with his toast. He completed the structure and met my gaze with a shy smile. “I know what you’re hoping for.”
I’d been lost in thought, bemoaning the fact I hadn’t let him kiss me yesterday while trying to imagine what it would have been like. I startled at his statement, jolting the table and knocking over his toast structure. He blinked at it in shock.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry.”
He chuckled. “For what? For knocking my amazing tower over or for not kissing me?”
“Both. I mean for ruining your tower. I mean…oh.” I buried my flaming face in my hands.
He reached over and gently pried my fingers away. “I’m sorry I’m teasing you. I just found it amusing that you knocked over my tower when I was just about to invite you to do so. It was as if you’d read my mind.”
I took a steadying breath as I fidgeted with the ring, waiting for my cheeks to cool. Liam watched me with a sweet look before it melted into a frown.
“You didn’t eat dinner with me yesterday.”
I continued twisting my ring. “I didn’t eat at all.”
“Why? Was something on your mind?” He tilted his head. “Please say it was me.”
I was caught. “Can you read my mind?”
“It appears I’m getting better at it.” His smile was triumphant. “I must have affected you deeply yesterday.”
He had no idea just how much, both then and now. I found myself staring at him, lingering on his gorgeous blue eyes, aglow with good humor. Oh dear, I was gawking. I hastily tore my gaze away and he chuckled.
“You know, Lavena, for claiming you don’t know how to flirt, you’re remarkably good at it.”
“I’m not trying to flirt.”
“You’re still succeeding.”
I traced swirl after swirl on the table with my fingertip to avoid meeting his eyes again.
“I wish I knew how to flirt,” he continued seriously. “Then perhaps I could win you over like I’m so desperate to. Though perhaps I’m more skilled than I think. Lavena, you’re blushing rather adorably. You’d best stop if you want me to slow down.”
I finally raised my gaze. “What are you doing to me?” I whispered.
“I’m trying to make you smile and am disappointed I’m failing.”
I managed a smile. He studied it for a moment before shaking his head.
“A real smile, Lavena, not one to humor me.”
“If you want to see it so badly, then you should give me something to smile about.” Which, knowing him, wouldn’t be difficult.
“A challenge.” He rubbed his hands together, his eyes already brightening with an idea. “I mentioned yesterday while we were in the library that the settee is frightening when one sits on it alone. Last night while I was tossing and turning, I refined the story about the potential dangers of that particular settee. Do you want to hear it?”
He gave me such a heartbreakingly hopeful look I couldn’t resist him. It was difficult even at the best of times, but nearly impossible now with my defenses weakened by the lingering memory of our almost kiss, a memory almost unbearable to recall when its most charming subject was staring at me from across the table.
“Will it make me smile?” I asked.
“I hope so.” He frowned. “Although perhaps not. My theories never make anyone smile. Whenever I spout any off, people always give me a look of forced endurance.”
“I understand that all too well.” I never failed to receive blank stares whenever discussing insects.
Liam leaned closer, as if trying to cross the table keeping us apart. “Do you? How so?”
His bright blue eyes were rather dangerous. I could feel them reaching inside me, attempting to extract my secrets. The ring warmed on my finger, an unwanted reminder for me to be careful. “Perhaps one day I’ll be brave enough to share that secret.”
The tender look in his eyes intensified. “I hope one day you’ll share every part of yourself with me.”
The promise I ached to give burned on my tongue, but I knew I could never share Anwen’s interest in entomology, which was a shame, because I not only longed to share this part of myself with Liam, but I had a feeling he’d be one of the only people who wouldn’t laugh.
His sigh tore me from my reverie. “Another frown. I’m not very good at making you smile today.”
“That’s only because you haven’t shared the theory you came up with. I really do want to hear it.”
He fidgeted nervously. “You’ll think me childish.”
“Never.”
He searched my expression to gauge my sincerity before leaning close and lowering his voice. “I’m convinced certain objects within the palace are haunted, and not just any objects, but the favorite objects of past royals. One of the settees in the palace—which I’m pretty confident is the one in the library—happened to be the favorite lounging place of the insane King Claude the Second, dead these past five hundred years, whose spirit still lingers near his prized settee. Should one find himself alone on it…”
He trailed off mysteriously before giving me a look that dared me to laugh. But I could never laugh at him. Instead, I felt inclined to do something else: play along.
“Well, there’s only one thing to do.” I stood to leave the table.
Liam’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Where are you going?”
“On a quest, of course. We need to track down all the haunted objects in the palace, beginning with that mysterious settee. I don’t know much about this insane King Claude the Second, but I wouldn’t be surprised if his haunted settee swallowed its victims the moment they sat down on it alone. We must find it…unless you’re too scared.”
I’d no sooner begun heading for the door than he scrambled after me with a wide smile. “You’re in
itiating an adventure?”
“You can’t be the only adventurer in this relationship.”
He seized me around the waist, tugging me to a stop. “Just when I didn’t think you could be more perfect for me…”
Flutters filled my stomach. “Am I perfect for you?”
“Extremely. You never cease to surprise me.” His grin widened. “I like surprises.” He started to lean in, as if he meant to once again try to…but no. He blinked and jerked back, cheeks crimson. “I’m sorry, I’m distracting us from our quest: tracking down haunted objects. Shall we go?” He offered me his arm, which I happily accepted with a smile. He lit up. “At last, my Lavena’s smile. I’ve been waiting for it all morning. I shall treasure its memory, for I’m afraid the rest of the day is going to become rather frightening as we seek out every spooky object in the palace.”
“Beginning with the settee in the library.”
We walked there together, and once we arrived, Liam got down on his hands and knees and examined the settee with the concentration of an investigator searching for clues.
“Have you discovered anything?” I asked.
He settled back on his heels with a sigh. “Nothing. Perhaps what we need is live bait.” His gaze flickered towards me with a rather wicked grin.
I held up my hands and backed away. “Oh, no you don’t.”
He stood and slowly approached, stalking me like a salticidae—a jumping spider on the prowl for its prey. “Now who’s the scared one?”
“I’m not inclined to be attacked by a haunted settee. Aren’t you supposed to be the gentleman protecting your lady from such a horrible fate?”
“One of us must be sacrificed in order to figure out whether this is the haunted settee, and I certainly can’t do it,” he said with feigned solemnity. “I’m sure the trap is only sprung on beautiful maidens. But not to worry; I’ll be sure to have a lovely funeral for you, and I will see that your legendary sacrifice lives on in royal lore.”
I took another step back. “It’ll look like murder should I be knocked off during our honeymoon when there’s no other suspect but you. No one will believe I met my demise via the royal furniture.”
He paused and stroked his chin. “True…but all suspicion will drop from me when I play my role of the grieving husband. You’d be surprised at how convincing I can be as an actor.”
“So your grief will be insincere?”
“Of course not, darling. You’re my wife and I’ll miss you terribly, but the mystery of the haunted settee must be solved no matter the cost.”
“Even the cost of offering your new wife as live bait?”
He flashed me another wicked smile and I realized he was about to spring. I bolted, but he was quicker. He pounced with so much force he sent us crashing to the floor, but at least he was gentleman enough to absorb most of the fall with his body. He oofed, both from the landing and from when I elbowed him in my scramble to escape the confines of his arms…nevermind it felt amazing having them enfolding me.
“I can’t believe you actually attacked me.” He really was just like a jumping spider. How delightful.
“All in the name of proving a theory, my dear. Hey, where do you think you’re going? Come back here.” He tugged me back into his hold, keeping me pinned to his comfortable chest with a rather affectionate snuggle. “Mm, much better. You shan’t escape me.”
Escape was the last thing on my mind, not when every touch from him felt like fire. “Imprisoning a lady? And here I thought you were a gentleman.”
“You doubt me, milady?” He tried to sound affronted. “Such ingratitude, especially after my demonstration of gentlemanly behavior in protecting you; my shoulder will be sore for days from breaking our fall.”
“All in the name of proving a theory, my dear,” I quoted back to him. “And considering you’re keen on sacrificing me to the settee, forgive me for not being more sympathetic.”
I made a half-hearted effort to wriggle free, but I wasn’t inclined to fight too hard, given the incredible feeling of his arms wrapped around me. He sat us up and gave me another affectionate squeeze.
“I’m rather enjoying this. It almost makes me want to spare you your fate…but not quite.”
With another wicked grin, he stood and swept me into his arms. I made more of an attempt to escape, flailing everywhere, but he was too strong. He carried me over to the settee and gave me a rather somber look, marred only by the light dancing in his eyes.
“Well, my dear, this is it. Please visit from beyond the grave to let me know how you are.” He leaned down to tenderly kiss my forehead and I froze. “Mm, so this was the secret to making you more cooperative? I should have done it sooner. Too late now. Goodbye, darling.”
He dropped me onto the settee and scrambled back, watching with wide eyes, as if he truly expected the cushions to swallow me whole. Nothing happened except for me sitting up to glare at him.
“It appears this settee isn’t haunted after all, leaving you with a rather angry wife who was just given up so freely by her husband to a piece of furniture.”
He held up his hands. “Now, my dear, let’s not be rash; it was all for a good cause.”
I crawled off the settee, glaring, all while fighting my smile threatening to emerge. “Here’s a lesson that you’d best learn early in our marriage: I don’t take kindly to death threats.” I raised my eyebrows when he chuckled.
“You’re delightful,” he said fondly. “I’m really enjoying this.”
I was too, but I refused to break out of character. “Don’t try to humor me out of my revenge, young man. First you tried to drown me in the fountain, and now you’ve attempted to sacrifice me to the settee.”
“If you want to exact revenge, you’ll have to catch me first.” He turned and bolted. I immediately gave chase. At first he stayed within the confines of the library—ducking beneath tables and darting around the shelves—but then he escaped into the corridors. I followed as he darted into a sitting room, passing several gaping servants.
“Shall we see if this settee is the haunted one?” he asked.
“Excellent idea,” I said when I finally caught up, panting. “This time you can be the sacrifice.” I pushed him onto it and stood back to wait. Again, nothing happened. “Oh dear, this haunted settee is proving difficult to track down.”
“Giving up already? We still have dozens of settees in the palace to investigate.”
I gaped at him. “Are you serious?”
His look became challenging. “Am I ever.”
My lips quirked up. “I’ll join you on this quest on the condition that we take turns being the required sacrifice.”
“Deal.” He took my hand and hurried me from the room, where we spent the remainder of the morning exploring every nook and cranny of the palace.
In the end, we never found the haunted settee, but we had a spectacular time looking all the same, ending our search only to take lunch and spend the remainder of the day in one another’s company. As evening settled we found ourselves back in the library where the adventure had started.
I gaped at the clock on the mantle. “Is it really that late?”
“Time flies when you’re romping around the palace most of the day.” He tugged me down on the rug in front of the fireplace. “Won’t you join me?”
“Are you going to push me into the fire?” Our death threats had only increased with each failed attempt to find the haunted settee, and I saw no need to stop now.
“Silly Lavena, if I were to truly knock you off, I’d do it in a more stealthy way—like in your sleep.”
“Then it’s a good thing we don’t share a room yet.” My cheeks enflamed the moment the words left my mouth.
Liam grinned as he leaned towards my ear. “The operative word being yet.” He traced my blush with his fingertip. “I love how you blush for me.”
I had never been much of a blusher, but something about Liam made me hyperaware of every response of my body.
“Are you scared of rainstorms, Lavena?” Liam asked. I shook my head and he sighed. “Can you pretend that you are?”
My brow furrowed as I tore my gaze from the storm. “Why?”
“So I can propose warm tea and a snuggle with me beneath a blanket in front of the fire and be your doting husband by comforting you from your fears.”
“I can’t keep up with you,” I said. “First you want to sacrifice me to a piece of furniture, and now you want to comfort me from the storm?”
He flashed a mischievous grin. “I’m a husband of many talents.”
My lips twitched into a smile. “You certainly are. But must I be the scared one?” I scooted closer, arranging my expression into one of concern. “Why Liam dear, you’re trembling. You must be frightened out of your wits.”
I expected him to play along but he missed his cue; instead of acting frightened, he smiled. “You called me dear.”
My stomach jolted. So I had. “You started using the endearment for me several days ago.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his gaze intensifying. “It seems appropriate for you,” he murmured. “As such, I’m quite eager for an excuse to snuggle with my wife.”
“Then pretend to be scared so I can be your adoring wife who comforts you. If you promise you’ll no longer threaten to sacrifice me to haunted settees, I won’t tell our servants that the crown prince is afraid of storms.”
He sighed. “I’m rather disappointed that my theory turned out to be false. This palace is centuries old; I felt certain it was haunted.”
I playfully shoved my shoulder against his. “Giving up already? Perhaps the settee only comes alive at night.”
“Excellent hypothesis. Sometime before our honeymoon ends, when you least expect it, I’ll sneak into your bedroom, scoop you up from your bed, and dump you on every settee in the palace. You’ve been warned.”
The thought of Liam in my room at night caused my stomach to both twist in nerves and flutter in anticipation. “I’ll be on my guard. Now I shall fetch some tea and we’ll both comfort one another from the storm.”
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