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Maybe Father is right. Perhaps it’s time to end my bachelorhood. I gazed at her lovely face as she slumbered at my side. At twenty-five, I was young yet, and I’d never once considered marriage, aside from rolling my eyes at my father when he tried to assert the matter.
But as I looked upon her, I knew my growing feelings for her were about far more than her bewitching face, the way she could charm an entire room, or even her flare of temper which made life far more interesting for me. There was something special about her, something I could not name, but which I knew I wouldn’t be likely to find again.
It only helped matters that she not only tolerated my desire to dominate, but seemed to thrive under my control.
I only wish I could know more about her…
As my gaze caressed her face, she seemed to sense it, for her emerald orbs opened and she looked at me. The moment she saw me staring back at her, her lips curved into a smile that had me mirroring her movement.
“You’re going to be good now, aren’t you?” I asked, stroking the side of her face softly. The look of mingled shyness and trepidation that crossed her face did more to me than her smile. I could feel my cock stirring to life once more. Yes, life with my little waif would be very interesting indeed. Yet… I let out a long sigh.
Her smile vanished and she looked at me quizzically.
Being able to read the question in her eyes made me chuckle and my hand dropped to stroke her bare collarbone. “I was only wishing I knew more about you.”
Her brow furrowed, and I ran my finger along the soft ridges of her forehead.
“I… I was thinking it… might be nice to have a life together.” What’s wrong with me? I never get nervous.
She sat up so quickly she smacked my forehead.
“Ow! What is it? What’s wrong?”
But she was smiling so widely and talking with her hands as they dove this way and that through the air that I quickly got the message.
Knowing she was happy with what I’d said made the pain in my head subside but I grabbed her hands before she caused more damage. “All right, all right.” But I couldn’t help but chuckle. The knowledge that she wanted me—hopefully as least half as much as I wanted her—was electrifying. “I only wish…”
She leaned forward, her mouth still wreathed in a smile and a question in her eyes.
“Well, it’s only that I wish I knew what to call you. I’ve been calling you ‘little waif’ but I strongly suspect that is not your name.”
The crinkle on her forehead told me she was confused again.
“Do you know what that means?”
I watched as she put two fingers inches away from one another.
When I realized what she was doing, I chuckled. “Yes, that’s what ‘little’ means. And waif? Do you know that one?”
She shook her head, sending the red-gold curtain of her hair flying.
“It means… stray.”
Her nose wrinkled this time.
“Lost,” I supplied. “Are you lost?”
She shook her head once more.
“Hmm… but you have no family at the palace, surely?” I would have known… wouldn’t I?
Another shake, but her smile returned as though she enjoyed playing this little game.
“I’ve never seen you before, have I?” I felt certain that I would have remembered, but then again, I saw a lot of people, all the time, a lot of new faces and names. It was impossible to remember them all.
But the shy, subtle way she ducked her head made me wonder.
“Have I?” I pressed again.
