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“Chores? I don’t understand how that applies to you.”
I gazed at him and took a sip of champagne, then shook my head. “I wasn’t raised to be idle. Mama passed a few years back, but Daddy lives in the same house he built before I was born, and yes, I had chores. They paid me ten dollars a week to keep the house clean. I also learned to cook and fend for myself.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks. It was cancer.” I turned to look out the window in hopes he’d stop talking, but he seemed determined to ignore my wishes.
“You were forced to clean an entire house? That’s too much work for a child.”
“Please.” I laughed and held out my glass for a refill. “It has six rooms including the kitchen and bathroom.”
“Bathroom?” He frowned and cocked his head. “One bathroom?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, there were only the three of us. I could clean the whole house in less than an hour.”
“I believe we grew up in entirely different worlds,” he finally said. “Is that why you don’t like me?”
Different worlds was the lord’s own truth. I glanced out the window at Stockholm’s skyline and wondered how an East Texas rancher’s daughter ended up in a vintage designer dress drinking champagne with a prince.
I took a sip of wine, trying to keep my hand from shaking. “What makes you think I don’t like you?”
“The fact that it took me confining you to an airborne helicopter before you’d speak to me.” Savva brushed a lock of hair over my shoulder, making me shiver. “Tell me what I can do to make you look upon me more fondly.”
I was totally blaming the champagne for my foot in mouth disease, but I said, “It would be nice if you could see your way clear to put on pants when I come to clean your room.”
“My apologies.” He topped off my glass again and I made every effort to leave it alone. I didn’t need to show up to the symposium three sheets to the wind. “I’m sorry my appearance offends you.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. You’re…” My face heating, I gulped the last of my wine, but held my hand over it when he tried to pour more. “I mean, maybe I should save your room for last to give you more time to wake up.”
A naughty, dirty little smile curved Savva’s mouth into pure, carnal sin. “But then you’d miss breakfast and a show.”
SAVVA
“Lord have mercy. Is there a hole I can crawl into?” She covered her face with her hands but couldn’t hide the crimson staining her cheeks.
When I laughed, she glared at me, then added, “It’s not funny. I’m really sorry for invading your privacy like that. It was wrong.”
Every word out of Damaris’s mouth reminded me of the differences between her and Alivia, my ex. Damaris was everything she wasn’t. Alivia had never been kind. As for loyalty and friendship, she hadn’t known the meaning of the concepts, nor would she have understood the necessity of a work ethic.
The pearls encircling Damaris’s beautiful neck would have gone missing if Alivia had gotten her grabby claws on them. Even now, Damaris constantly checked to make sure they were still there.
I hid a smile, wondering if she thought they’d fly from her throat and run away.
“Damaris…” I tugged her hands from her face and tipped up her chin with a gentle fingertip. “If I minded, I would have said something.”
“But…”
Her lower lip quivered, and I nearly groaned as I imagined biting it.
“It was still wrong. I shouldn’t have come in while you were asleep like that.”
Her comments and reactions made me even more determined to have her as my own. She would be a brilliant steward for Agafonza and raise our children with love and likely a few chores too.
“You would deprive me of the pleasure of watching you steal my breakfast? So cruel.”
She laughed helplessly but the charming blush didn’t fade. “Let me guess. You’re the one who asked for ketchup because you thought I’d like it.”
“Guilty as charged.” I hadn’t expected to enjoy our conversation so much, and although surprised, I was delighted. “You didn’t touch it though. What do you like on your eggs?”
