“Would you like to borrow a necklace? I have a few that would look great with that dress.” Cathy pulled a phone out of her pocket and tapped on the screen. “I can have Selene bring them to your room.”
“No, it’s fine. Thank you.” I hadn’t thought about wearing a necklace, but Cathy’s taste and mine differed greatly. I’d rather have something simple and she was all about jewels.
“The offer stands if you change your mind.” Cathy leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “I’ve got to run. I’m signing up for my first semester today.” She practically vibrated eagerness. Sometimes it was easy to forget how young she was. After a quick kiss for her brother, she left in swirl of excitement.
“How are you doing?” Alex asked. He stepped closer, ignoring Chadwick. “You’ve been really busy for just getting here.”
“I’m fine.” I sighed. “Okay. I’m a little overwhelmed, but Chadwick’s keeping me sane.”
My assistant hummed to himself before looking up. “I’m going to run a quick errand—I’ll be right back and then we’ve got to move on to our appointment.”
“Sure.” I frowned as I watched him disappear out the door. He was leaving me alone when we had something to do?
“Samantha?” Alex’s voice drew me back to him. “He’s giving us a few minutes to talk.”
“Oh.” I looked up into his eyes and words left me. Again.
“You say the most profound things.” Alex laughed softly.
“Shut it, Your Highness.” I narrowed my eyes.
“And then when you do find something to say, it’s always so sweet.” Alex reached out and tucked some of my hair behind my ear.
“Why do you do that?” I wanted to hear that he needed to touch me as much as I wanted to touch him. He did something to me that I had never felt before.
He rubbed some of my hair between his fingers. “You know why.”
I stood there, enjoying his nearness. I felt like I was trying to soak him up to get me through the craziness of the rest of the week. “You’re the least normal person I know and yet you’re the only person that makes me feel grounded.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t understand why you’re so intent on fighting this.”
I’m scared. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t make my mouth utter the words. How silly would that sound? He’d think I was a child.
He slid his hand over my cheek and I looked up at him with wide eyes. Leaning down he leaned close so that his breath tickled my mouth. “Ask me to kiss you.”
“I can’t.” I wanted him to. I wanted him to kiss me badly. I wanted to not worry and to get lost in the moment. To get lost in him.
“You want me to. I can see it in your eyes.” The rumble of his voice dropped even lower.
His lips were so close to mine I could barely think. I wanted to say something, anything. My heart was screaming for me to beg him to kiss me. And yet my throat was frozen. After a moment he pulled back enough to look at me.
“Tell me when you’re ready, Samantha.”
Disappointment flooded my body. My heart was more than ready, it was my brain that was holding me back.
There was a knock on the door and Chadwick stuck his head in the room. “Ma’am, it’s time.”
“I have to go.” I turned away and walked to the door.
“Samantha?” I stopped and looked over my shoulder. “The ball’s in your court.”
I nodded my head and hoped my face didn’t show my regret.
Chapter Twenty-One
The New Duchess of Rousseau to Host Nature Show
—Lilarian Prophet
“I’m not wearing that much makeup.” I grabbed a washcloth and rubbed at my cheeks. I looked at Chadwick in the mirror and hissed under my breath. “I look like a prostitute.”
He barked a laugh. “You do not.”
I glared at him in the mirror as I rubbed off an inch of foundation.
“Okay. A very classy one.”
“Damn it. I smeared the eyeliner!” I rubbed at my face harder. “Now I look like a crying prostitute.”
“Stop that! You’re taking off skin.” Chadwick grabbed the towel out of my hand. “Look at me.”
I turned toward him and sat very still while he carefully wiped around my eyes. He picked up something that I couldn’t see. “Close your eyes.”
I sat there patiently while he reapplied the eyeliner. He tsked under his breath while he worked. “The makeup artist I hired had a family emergency.”
“Where did you find her replacement? A brothel?”
“It’s not that bad.”
I peeked one eye open. “Yes it is.”
“Okay. It was pretty bad.” He spun me toward the mirror. “But I fixed it.”
“Why didn’t you just do it in the first place?” I checked my reflection out, feeling much better about the way I looked.
“Bah.” He helped me out of the chair. “Now hurry. We need to pick a diadem for the photos.” He led me into the room where we were doing the shoot. There was a bland-looking background set up in one corner with lights focused directly on it. Off to the side was a table with a large wooden box. Chadwick went straight to the chest, produced a large key, and unlocked the lid. He opened it and stepped back so I could see what was inside.
“These belong to my family?” I ran my fingers gently over the jewel-encrusted tiaras.