LITMIR.BIZ

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make a spectacle of yourself. Remember your place.

      Don’t embarrass me.

      Don’t make me regret that we’re related.

      ‘Five minutes,’ she said to Theo, as she nodded minutely at her brother—message received—and headed for the door.

      Moriana lived in a wing of the royal palace. She’d furnished it to her taste, raided the palace’s art collection until she was satisfied with the result and had purchased whatever pieces she felt were missing. Augustus could complain about her spending—and he did—but her ledger was in the black.

      In the space of five years she’d tripled the value of the royal art collection and outlaid only a fraction of that cost. She wheeled and dealed, had an eye for a bargain and the sensibilities of a curator. And, of course, she had the throne of Arun behind her.

      She had dual degrees in politics and fine arts. Connections the world over. She was the ambassador for a dozen different charities and she took those roles seriously. She was educated, accomplished and blessed with favourable looks, or so she’d been told. She was in a position to make a difference.

      And nervous. Dear heaven, she was nervous as Theo prowled around her sitting room, staring at her furnishings and possessions as if they held secrets he wanted to know.

      ‘You wanted a drink?’ she asked.

      ‘If you’re having one.’ He put his hands in his trouser pockets and continued to study the sculpture on a small side table. ‘It’s fake,’ he said of the copied Rodin.

      ‘I know. But it’s a good copy and it’s still very beautiful.’ She’d paid a pittance for it. ‘How do you know it’s a fake?’ Not many would. Not without examining it thoroughly, and he hadn’t.

      ‘Because my father gifted the real one to my mother on their tenth wedding anniversary.’

      Oh, well. There you go. ‘I have Scotch.’

      ‘Perfect.’

      She poured him a serve and then doubled it because it wouldn’t do to have her serve be twice the size of his.

      He was standing by the fireplace and she crossed the room with all the grace she could muster and handed him the drink.

      ‘I like this room,’ he said. ‘It’s more comfortable than I thought it would be.’

      ‘I use it,’ she said simply, and tried not to look at his lips but they were impossible to ignore now that he’d put the idea of kissing into her head. ‘I like jewel colours and textured fabrics. I like comfortable furniture.’

      ‘Your taste is exquisite.’ He sipped his drink. ‘Does Augustus know you serve his special Scotch?’

      ‘Does he need to know?’ she countered. ‘Because, frankly, he’s slightly precious about it.’ She took a sip of hers. ‘You sent me a form letter proposal.’

      ‘I had it specially made just for you.’

      ‘Now you’re making fun of me.’

      ‘Not really. The scions of the House of Liesendaach always put their marriage proposals in writing. It’s the rule.’

      Byzenmaach didn’t have such a rule and neither did Arun. Her and Casimir’s engagement had been more of a verbal agreement between their parents than anything she’d signed up for. Maybe there was some small merit to Theo’s form letter after all.

      ‘A marriage proposal is usually accompanied by a ring,’ she said. There’d never been one of those between her and Casimir either.

      Theo slipped his hand into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small wooden box.

      ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake. I suppose you had that especially made for me too,’ she said.

      ‘Yes.’

      He was the best liar she knew. And she’d been surrounded by courtiers and politicians since birth.

      ‘What?’ He looked anything but innocent. He was inviting her to enjoy the joke, but she couldn’t.

      She turned away.

      ‘I’m putting it on your mantelpiece so you can think about it.’

      ‘I’ve thought about it.’ She’d thought of little else all day. ‘I’ve decided I’d rather pursue a different kind of life. I’m going to take half a dozen lovers, one for every day of the week, and I’ll rest on Sundays,’ she continued. ‘I’m going to throw debauched parties and seduce the unwary. I’ll use you as my role model.’

      ‘You don’t want to do that.’

      ‘Oh, but I do. Purity is a construct of my own inhibitions. It’s time to let those inhibitions go.’

      He smiled tightly. ‘As much as I agree that you should definitely explore your sensual side, I’m not a fan of your proposed method of doing so. May I suggest choosing one person to take you on that journey? More specifically, me. We could aim for one new sensory experience a day. I could teach you everything I know. Assuming you enjoy our kiss and agree to marry me.’

      ‘I’ve yet to agree to kiss you at all, let alone all the rest. What if I enjoy the kiss and refuse to marry you? What if I ask you to teach me everything you know regardless? Would you do it?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Yawn.’ He stared into his drink and then drained it in one long swallow before setting the delicately cut crystal tumbler on the mantel next to the ring box. ‘It’s not what I want and it’s definitely not what I need. I meant what I said about commitment. I’m prepared to pay close attention to your wants and needs and see that they’re met.’

      She wanted to believe him, even if she couldn’t quite bring herself to. ‘And you expect the same from me.’

      ‘Face it, Moriana, you’ve spent a lifetime making sure other people’s needs are met. It’s ingrained in you.’

      He made her sound like a particularly comfortable leather chair. ‘That’s about to change. I’m on a Moriana First kick.’

      ‘It’s about time.’ He smiled faintly. ‘I happen to believe a person can be both kind to themselves and committed to the people they care about. But first things first. What is it you think I can’t give you?’

      Where did she begin? ‘You’ve never been exclusive with a woman before.’ Understatement.

      ‘I’ve never asked one to marry me either, yet here I am.’ He met her gaze, and there it was again, something hard and implacable and patient in his eyes. ‘I happen to think we’d make a good team. There’s fire between us; there always has been. We rub each other the wrong way. We could also rub each other the right way—so much so that there’d be no room for other lovers. That’s what I believe. I’m attracted to you. I may have missed that point in the form letter.’

      ‘You did.’

      ‘I’m making it now.’

      He was. ‘Theo, you’re attracted to a lot of people. You’ve proven that quite spectacularly over the years. Kissing me and enjoying it would prove nothing.’

      ‘You’re wrong. A kiss could prove extremely informative for us both.’ He smiled that charming smile. ‘Come on, Moriana. You have nothing to lose and only experience to gain. Don’t you want experience?’

      ‘Yes, but I’d rather have it without strings.’

      ‘No strings.’ She’d never seen him so obliging.

      ‘There’s an engagement ring on my mantelpiece,’ she said drily.

      ‘That’s a measure of my sincerity, not a string.’

      ‘We get this wrong, you go away,’

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