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ChapterNine

Roland leaned forward slowly.

It was not her first kiss. Nor would he be her first lover, if she gave herself to him. Though, she would not. Roland was an entirely different sort of man than the others. His intentions would never be to make her his wife.

Which was precisely why she should not have agreed to this wager.

Precisely why kissing him was a very bad idea.

And yet, as he leaned into her, Amalia felt more alive than she had in a long time. Sitting here this way, with this man . . .

He was so close.

Amalia closed her eyes just before his lips touched hers. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as his lips pressed gently atop her own. And then, they were gone.

Her eyes flew open.

Roland had already moved back, away from her. Clearly, that brief kiss, if it could be called as much, was all he’d intended.

“That,” she declared, “was not the kiss I expected from you.”

“Nay?” he asked, amused.

From the knight who’d nearly slit a man’s throat earlier that day for touching her? “Nay.”

“What sort of kiss did you expect?” Before she could answer, he continued. “Have you been kissed before, Amalia?”

“I have.”

“Hmmm. Had I known that, it might have been a very different kiss indeed.”

Shamelessly, she wanted to ask him for that kiss, but of course, she would not.

Roland’s eyes narrowed, as if something distasteful had occurred to him. “Have you been with a man before, Amalia?”

She was not ashamed of the fact, but neither had she told anyone but Evelina of it, which was what she said to Roland. “It is a question none have asked me before,” she admitted.

“And one you have the right to refuse to answer. I will tell you, I have been with other women.”

Amalia pretended to be surprised by the fact. “Have you? I’d not have guessed. So many men, knights especially, remain chaste,” she said, the lie rolling easily from her tongue, as Roland likely suspected. “Especially one . . . ”

She stopped.

Caught herself.

But it was too late.

“Do continue,” he prompted, a devilish grin slowly appearing.

She shook her head.

“Please?”

It was the only word that could have persuaded her. “From a man such as you.”

“Surely you’ll offer more details than that.”

Amalia smiled. “Are you attempting to wrestle a compliment from me, Roland?”