With a gasp, Gwennore tried to pull away from him.
He held on to her, keeping her pressed against his side. “Whenever I marry, whomever I marry—that decision will be mine.” He swooped Gwennore up in his arms, ignoring her small cry of surprise. “Good evening, Your Majesty.” He strode toward his bedchamber, carrying her.
“What are you doing?” Gwennore whispered, her hands clutching at his shoulders.
“Making a dramatic exit. I want them to focus on us and not Margosha. Can you see her?”
Gwen peered over his shoulder. “She just went into a room on the other side of the stairwell.”
“That’s her bedchamber.” He nodded. “We did good. And the queen?”
“She and her ladies have gone into her bedchamber.” With a groan, Gwen ducked her head. “That was so embarrassing.”
“Why? Are you embarrassed to have me as your lover?”
She gave him an incredulous look. “Has it never occurred to you that I don’t like being the subject of gossip? Or that I hate having my reputation ripped to shreds?”
He winced. “I am sorry about that. At the time, it seemed like the best way to keep you and Margosha safe.”
“You don’t find this embarrassing?”
“No. I’m actually flattered to have such a beautiful lover.”
She scoffed. “This is not real.”
Ouch. Why did that hurt? Because you still want to kiss her, you fool. “It…” Don’t say it. Once you say it, you can’t take it back. “It could be.” Dammit, why did you say it? “It could be real, if you wanted—”
“Put me down.” She squirmed, but he pressed her harder against his chest.
“You seem to have forgotten the first rule for dating.” He angled his face close to hers. “When you go for a ride, you hang on tight and never let go.”
“That’s not for you. It’s for dating a dragon.”
“Ah. So you still want to date Puff.”
“I never said that.”
Silas let out a sad sigh. “Poor Puff. He’ll be so disappointed. He’s very sensitive, you know.”
She blinked. “Then he does like me?”
“Ha! You do want to date him.”
“Do not.”
“You shouldn’t toy with his feelings, Gwen. Rule number two for dating a dragon is to remember they have extra-large hearts. That means they can love fiercely, but they can also be terribly hurt.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Extra-large hearts?”
He nodded. “So be careful if you decide to date him.”
“I can’t possibly date a dragon.”
“Then date me.”
Her mouth fell open.
She looked a bit dazed, but damn, he still wanted to kiss her. He motioned with his head toward the nearest door. “Can you open that for me?” When she turned the knob, he kicked the door open and strode inside.
She peered around the room with a confused look. “This isn’t my bedchamber.”
“No, it’s mine.”
She gasped. “Put me down.”
“As you wish.” He headed for the bed.
“Stop!” She struggled against his hold. When he set her on her feet, she made a wild dash for the open door.
“You didn’t answer me.”
She paused in the doorway. “Answer what?”
“Will you date me?”
She gave him an incredulous look. “Are you being serious? Because I never know. As far as I can tell, everything is a joke to you. I’m just snookums and bunnykins, and you’re playing with me.”
He walked toward her. “I’m not playing now.”
“How can I believe anything you say? Or don’t say. You keep hiding things like the fact that you’re the heir to the throne.”
“I didn’t think it was important.”
With a scoff, she impatiently brushed her hair back from her brow. “It’s extremely important, for it gives you motive. If the king’s children were truly murdered, then the next in line—”
“What?” He halted with a jerk. Holy Light, what did she think of him? “You—you think I could harm children?”
“No.” A pained look crossed her face. “Others might believe it, but I don’t. I saw how you were with Eviana.”
“You thought I would make a good father.”
She hissed in a breath. “You heard my thoughts. Do you have any idea how mortifying that is for me?”
“Yes, I do. I heard your reaction.”
With a groan, she covered her face.
“Don’t be embarrassed. I like the way you think.” I like you. He took a deep breath. “Hearing your thoughts helped me to get to know you well.”
When she lowered her hands, her eyes were glimmering with tears. “It didn’t work both ways, for I hardly know you at all. And it doesn’t help when you deceive or trick me. Or when you neglect to tell me something important. I … I need you to stop hiding things from me.”
He swallowed hard. There was one thing he could never reveal. “We all hide things, Gwen. Our worst fears. Our secret desires. What we truly think about each other.”
She blinked away tears. “I don’t know what to think about you.”
“What would you like to know? How much are you ready to know?”
She bit her lip, then ventured a quick glance at him. “Do—do you truly think I’m beautiful?”
“Yes. You’re more than beautiful. You’re clever. Brave and loyal. Those are the qualities that are the most important to me.”
She took a deep breath, and her breasts nearly popped out from her tight bodice.
Holy Light, he wanted to kiss her. “I have a question for you. Did you … when we were embracing, did you want to kiss me? Were you tempted?”
She looked away, her cheeks turning pink.
“No answer?” He stepped closer. If he took her into his arms, would she stop him?
She retreated a step. “This is happening too fast. I met you only yesterday.”
“We can slow down. We have plenty of time.”
“No, we don’t.” She met his gaze. “I’m leaving in a month.”
He swallowed hard. He’d forgotten about that. “I could still see you. I could visit you—”
“To what end? It is true what Her Majesty said. I would never be accepted here.”
“I don’t give a damn what people think.”
“If you become king, they will be your people. So you should care.”
“Gwen—”
“No.” She lifted her chin. “I won’t date you. And
