Chapter 31 #2
“Except for pregnancy,” I say. It’s all I have left. The only way to talk him into keeping his trousers on. “If I fall pregnant before we’re wed, they’ll say I was unfaithful. I’ll be hanged. I sat through several lectures about waiting until after our wedding.”
“We’ll keep our clothes on.” He returns his lips to mine, and I try to go along with it.
He must sense my reluctance this time because he pulls away. “They really got in your head, didn’t they? I know how much you want this.”
“I guess it’s just been a while,” I say.
He releases me, then walks toward the table. I let out a shaky breath. Hopefully it’s over. Instead, he returns with my wineglass. They’d left our glasses and two more full bottles of wine behind after they cleared our dinner away.
“Here. It’ll take the edge off.” He hands me the glass.
I take a long drink, then attempt to smile. What do I do? Just the feel of him touching me makes me want to peel my own skin from my bones. I take another sip. After what just happened with Katherine, what would happen if I asked him to leave?
He sips his own wine, and an idea occurs to me. I set down my glass, then go retrieve both bottles. With a playful smirk I place them on the table. “I propose a new game.”
He lifts a curious brow.
I pick up the deck of cards. “Poker. Only, loser drinks a whole glass.”
“I think I’ll like this game,” he says with a wicked grin.
I fill his glass entirely before topping off mine. Then I deal the cards. I win the first hand. He downs his whole cup, and I refill it. I lose the next hand. I drink my whole glass.
I win the next two, then lose one.
I’m starting to feel the wine, but Caiden is visibly drunk. His words slur slightly. And based on his squinting, I think he’s having trouble seeing.
I win the next hand and cheer him on as he downs another glass of wine. At this point, he can’t even tell which cards he’s playing. I pour more for both of us and call for a toast to his health. He downs it all again without prompting.
He leans on me, his eyes glassy. He’s a happy drunk, thankfully. This time when he kisses me, I kiss him back, but I’m not thinking about Caiden. With the wine in my system, I can’t get Brevan out of my head.
It’s his mouth on mine. It’s his tongue teasing mine.
When I pull away from the kiss, Caiden’s eyes are heavy.
“Why don’t you come to bed?” I ask.
“I thought you’d ask never,” he slurs. “You-you’re beautiful. Even the hair.”
“Thank you.” It’s not easy helping him to the bed.
I’m swaying a little on my feet and things are foggy, but I’m not drunk enough to lose awareness.
I know what that’s like. I did that nightly for weeks after my brothers died.
I don’t like to think about the fool I made of myself repeatedly during that time.
Or what my brothers would think of me now.
I manage to pull back the blankets and get him on the bed. He giggles as I help him out of his tunic and trousers. I could go the rest of my life with never hearing this man make that sound again.
“You lie down. Be patient. I’ll be right back,” I tell him.
“I’ll be waiting,” he says.
I wink at him before I saunter toward the bathing chamber. I close the door behind me then run the faucet as cold as I can get it. I splash the water on my face to help me sober up.
Then, I lean against the wall and I wait.
By the time I leave the bathing chamber, Caiden is sound asleep. I cover him, then I strip off my clothes and slip on his tunic. I lie on top of most of the blankets, covering myself with only the top layer so I’ll have some warning if he wakes up wanting to touch me.
The cold water wasn’t enough to eliminate the wine’s effects, and soon, my eyes are too heavy to keep open.
Someone knocks on the door. I sit up at the same time as Caiden. He groans and rubs his head. He looks over at me, then down at his naked body, then back at me. “Well, good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning,” I reply.
“Is that my tunic?” he asks.
I bite my lower lip and shrug.
“Looks good on you.”
The knock sounds again. Caiden tugs a blanket free from the bed and wraps it around his waist before going to open the door. I pull a blanket around myself and slide out of the bed.
“Coming,” Caiden calls. He pulls it open as wide as it can go and leaves it that way while he stumbles back into the room and starts picking up his abandoned clothes. “Wait there, I’m on my way out.”
I take a few steps toward the door and see Brevan standing there. For a second, his face falls, that mask of indifference slipping.
I would give everything I have to not have to see that look on Brevan’s face.
He hides it quickly, but I recognize heartbreak.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I came to take the princess to training. I can come back later.”
“Give me five minutes,” I call.
“Could you get me a hangover tonic?” Caiden asks.
“Of course.” Brevan leaves the doorway before he’s even finished speaking.
Caiden rubs his head again. “How much did we drink last night?”
“Too much,” I say.
“What happened?”
I act hurt. “You don’t remember? Our first night together and you don’t remember?”
His mouth opens, then closes like he’s struggling for words. “Of course, I remember. Just maybe not as well as I’d like.”
“We did drink a lot,” I say playfully. “But what they say about Pendralian men is absolutely true.”
“And what do they say about Pendralian men?” he asks.
That they’re selfish lovers who don’t know how to please a woman. I clear my throat. “That no other men can compare.”
He stands a little straighter at the remark.
I turn so my back is to him, then tug off the tunic. I cover my chest with my arm before tossing him the shirt. I quickly step into a day dress and lace up the side before I face him.
Caiden has just finished pulling his tunic and trousers on when a knock sounds again.
“Come in,” he calls.
Brevan enters the room. His expression hard and cold. He hands Caiden a small vial of purple liquid, then holds out a second one. “I thought you might want one as well, Princess.”
I accept the vial and drink the contents. If he’s trying to poison me, I’d deserve it.
“I’m late for a meeting.” Caiden kisses my cheek and leaves without another word.
I stand in silence with Brevan for a long while. He won’t even meet my eyes. Finally, I can’t take it. “It isn’t what it looked like.”
“He’s your betrothed. It’s not my business,” he says to the ceiling.
“It’s important to me that you know I didn’t sleep with him.”
His gaze finally meets mine. “Why?”
“You know why.”
“You were naked. In the same bed.”
“He was naked. I was wearing his tunic.” I wince. That makes it sound worse. “I wanted him to think we had sex.”
Brevan glances at the bottles of wine on the table. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. But he would have taken what he wanted if I didn’t come up with another way.”
“How drunk was he?” Brevan asks.
“We went through three bottles of wine. He drank most of it.”
We’re silent for a while, then I add, “I don’t want to be alone with him again.” I’m surprised by how small my voice is. I clear my throat and pretend to be confident. “But I know I won’t have that luxury.”
“We should go,” he says. “I’m going to teach you how to kill a man today.”