Every shadow in the room seems drawn to Kane as he takes careful steps inside of the dining room. His brow furrows when he looks at me, but there’s a softness in his eyes that I’ve only seen in rare instances. My eyes trail up the length of his body, appreciating the flex of each muscle beneath his clothing as he takes a seat at the head of the table. The chair beside him pulls out with a flick of his wrist. My feet carry me across the room of their own accord and I join him. Those tantalizing black orbs flicker over my face and down the exposed column of my neck.
A phantom touch prickles against my skin and my eyes snap to his. He licks his sensual lips and I dig my fingers into the armrest of my chair. “I wasn’t expecting an invitation. I thought you and Willem were still discussing things-”
“I don’t wish to talk about that right now,” he interrupts.
I immediately look away, feeling the bite of his words. Reaching up, I push at the perfectly polished silver fork atop the napkin. “I saw Lilith today.”
A small grunt shakes from his throat but nothing more. My eyes shift over to him and back again, wanting to so badly to talk about her, but fearful of his response. It’s a thorn in our very delicately structured relationship, and I know will continue to be unless I release the burden from my shoulders.
Staring at the indentation the prongs of the fork leave in my small fingertips as I nervously press each one, I muster a bit of spirit, the same I have used countless times since taking on this life. “She was coming to see you in your office. She believes there is love between you still. She is determined to re-spark that flame.”
Silence sits dank and thick between us and I don’t even dare to let the air from my lungs. Seconds pass, feeling like years, and rising from just a whisper in the wind to a full thundering roll, Kane begins to bellow, leaning back in his chair. With a furl to my brow I look up in both amusement and fear, never having seen him laugh quite like this before. I can’t tell whether it is a laugh of beguilement or one that is quickly followed by the wrath I am becoming more accustomed to with each passing day.
He reaches forward, gently gripping my chin, lifting my eyes to his. The smile still lingers on his lips. “And to think, I took you as callow in the ways of women. But here you are, treading with a delicate nature but still making your point known. I like this.”
As he drops my chin from his warm fingertips, my cheeks blush slightly and I look away, feeling caught in my own deceptive tactic to push the subject further. Kane looks up at one of the servants standing close to the door and rolls his wrist in the air. His eyes return to the side of my face, and I catch another light smirk on his lips. “There is no need to worry about Lilith. Our time is long past and it will stay there. I do have to say, jealousy is an interesting look for you. Shall I call ahead before we leave and warn them of your woman scorned sensibilities?”
I can’t help but smile, shaking my head. “No, that won’t be necessary.”
My cheeks blush violently and I tear my gaze away to stare down at my plate. Servants begin to dish out portions of succulent lamb and various sides as I struggle to find my voice in the sea of my embarrassment. With our plates full, I poke at the dish, waiting for him to take the first bite. Everything he does, every movement that he makes is persuasive and alluring. I find myself almost entranced even with the dominant way he chews his food.
We sit in silence as we eat, the only sound coming from the light pattering of the servants feet as they fill and refill his wine glass. During dinners back home, if I were caught in the silence of strangers, my mind would create a sea of amusement to keep my hands from fidgeting. But the silence between Kane and myself is anything but awkward or unnerving. There’s a seduction to it, one that keeps my ankles crossed and my thighs pressing firmly together.
“Let’s talk about you.” Kane’s head tilts to the side as he looks up at me.
I’m caught off guard, nearly choking on my tender bite of lamb. I reach down, taking my napkin from my lap and blot my lips. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” Amusement flashes across his handsome face. “Tell me about your childhood. The intimate details of growing up. Try maybe… the first time you ever kissed someone.”
A scoff of nervousness erupts from me as my eyes shift to him and back to my plate over and over again. “With the excitation your life brings to the table I fear you will be nothing but bored at my stories of growing up.”
Kane’s eyes narrow, knowing with certainty that I am attempting to divert the conversation. Instead of calling me out on it, he leans back in his high back chair, lifting his glass of wine to his lips. “Don’t be silly. I’m sure you were inundated with adventure and lustful men chasing the demure and secretive Princess.”
I have to force myself to swallow, closing my eyes in an attempt to divert at least a small amount of my deepening embarrassment. “You were my first
