Trying not to feel defensive, I roll my shoulders back and feign confidence I don’t really have. “Why would my father give me something I don’t actually need?”
Kian flicks my nose. “I’m just teasing, love. No need to get riled up.”
The truth is, after the lies Stepmother exposed, a part of me wonders what other falsehoods my father has told and if there are other surprises awaiting me.
My mind flashes back to my unexpected taste for blood, and with sudden clarity, I realize that all the strange experiences I’ve been having center on me either forgetting to take my tonic, tasting blood, or being out in the sun. Is it all connected somehow? I’m almost afraid to think the words. It’s utterly ludicrous. There’s no possible way.
“Where did you go?” Kian asks. “You slipped away.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry . . . I’m just dealing with all of these changes, and it’s quite overwhelming. I’m also not really used to being with someone else this much. I was mostly left alone at home.”
“Already sick of me?” Kian winks. “Should I leave you alone?”
“Oh gods, no.” I blush. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel unwelcome in your own rooms.”
He laughs. “It’s quite all right.”
“Speaking of rooms . . . where might mine be? Are the maids preparing one nearby?”
“About that . . .” Kian winces, and I go on alert.
“What?” I hold my breath.
“I think we need to hold off on separate rooms for the time being. My father is quite suspicious of us, and if he finds I’ve stuck you in another wing of the palace already, our entire plan falls apart.”
“But I can’t seriously share a bed with you!”
“We already did. Was it so bad?” Kian asks.
“We were fully clothed and it was during the day!”
“So?”
“So . . . that’s completely different,” I stammer. He might be used to waking up next to women, but it was a whole new experience for me having him pressed up against me . . . his touch causing my pulse to race and invoking all sorts of other feelings we can’t act on.
Kian folds his arms and leans against his chair. “I’d love to hear your reasoning on this.”
“We’re not actually ‘together,’” I whisper-shout. “Marriage on paper only, remember?”
Kian frowns. “I’m trying to protect you from my father, Rae. It might be a little uncomfortable right now, but it won’t be forever. Soon enough, he’ll forget about us.”
I scoff. “Sure.”
He runs a hand through his hair. “I’ll keep my hands off, I promise.”
“Like you did today?” I throw back at him.
His eyes widen. “What did I do? Surely if I touched you, I’d remember.”
I roll my eyes. “You were asleep.”
“Well, that’s disappointing. I’m jealous of myself.”
I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous. My point is, how do I know you’re not going to keep doing that.”
“I didn’t realize my touch would be so unpalatable to you.”
I blush but try to cover it up. “That’s not what I said, and you know it. I just don’t want to confuse things between us. We madean agreement, and we should honor it. If you need to be close to me in public, that’s fine, but when we’re alone, hands off.”
