He watched her.
“I've decided on something that involves you.”
Arianna cringed at the vague answer. Dammit she wanted to crawl over that table and slap him or shake him until he told her what he wanted with her.
When he said nothing more she made herself chew the tasteless salad and drink her wine, at least that wasn't a hardship. She downed her glass without any thought to being polite and taking delicate sips as she should. When the bell chimed again, the servants came out to refill their drinks, remove her half-eaten salad and his untouched one, and serve steaming cuts of meat, potatoes, and vegetables from a golden platter.
As a servant stood between her and the king, Arianna quickly picked up her just-refilled glass of wine and swallowed the entire glass. The servant didn't even bat a lash and refilled the glass without a word.
Arianna's eyes watered as the liquid pushed past her throat like a big ball. She looked away, blinking fast and delicately coughed as quietly as possible. That didn't work, and what started as a little itch in her throat turned into an irresistible scratching.
She kept her head turned away as she coughed—hard, loud. A few tears slid down her face as her head felt like extra air got squeezed inside her skull and lungs. After a good eight, choking coughs, the tickle finally stopped. Gasping, she looked over at the king. Of course he watched her. He probably invited her here tonight to get some kind of secret pleasure over her embarrassment.
“You should drink more slowly.”
A fierce blush blazed across her cheeks. “What is this that involves me?” she said in a hoarse voice.
He finally lifted his head off his chin, only to drum it on the arm rest. Dum, dum, dum, dum.
“Eat,” he ordered.
Arianna closed her eyes to keep from grinding her jaw. With all the grace her mother had taught her, she cut her slice of meat into tiny pieces and ate. The meat tasted like paper, the potatoes tasted like paper, and yet she knew the cream sauce over the meat would normally be delicious and the meat tender and juicy. She took as much as she could before her stomach rolled like she was standing on a boat with too much liquid in her stomach.
She set down her knife and fork and sat straight up in her chair. Her bottom had turned numb within minutes of sitting down but now it bordered on a stinging/burning sensation. She tried to keep her eyes trained forward, to make him give in and say something, but that only lasted for about two minutes.
Her gaze slid boldly to his and stared right back at him. One dark eyebrow lifted just a fraction. As if he had been waiting for her to meet his gaze, his eyes fell to her bare neck and shoulders as if memorizing or studying her shape, and then dropped lower to her arms, her waist, and her legs. She barely refrained from crossing her arms across her stomach.
The soft bell chimed again. Servants came to clear their plates, refill the wine, and set a tall glass with creamy cold mint in it. They left and she ignored his look. She hoped she could at least taste this dessert; it was her favorite. She picked up the small gold spoon on the glass’ plate and scooped a tiny amount onto it. She ate it and smiled. Cold creamy mint with a hint of sweet vanilla melted in her mouth and slid down her throat. She took another bite and another. When her spoon clinked against the empty bottom of the glass, she frowned.
“Want mine?” he said in a gruff voice, gruffer than usual.
She eyed the creamy mint but shook her head. If he was anyone else she'd take him up on that. Thinking quickly, she folded the linen in her lap and laid it on the table.
She gave him a false smile. “Thank you for the wonderful dinner, but I should really be going now.” She started to stand but he held out a hand. It stopped her in her tracks, had her sinking back into her chair with defeat.
“My brother isn't coming back for you.”
Arianna bit her lip to keep from saying what she wanted to say. “You don't know that for certain. I will wait and find out.”
“You've already been waiting a long time.”
“And I shall wait for as long as it takes. If you will recall, there is a contract involved that cannot be voided unless he is dead.”
They stared at each other for a long moment. In truth, she thought, it wasn't that he'd completely lost his attractive appeal. Surprisingly she still saw it—the rugged good looks she used to fawn over when she was little. She’d always wished she could’ve had “the other brother.” The darkness that had transformed him, for which she had no idea why, in a way, added a mysterious edge to him. A dark edge that hadn't been there before. It scared her. He scared her.
“As king I have the right to void the contract.”
“Only for a rightful cause!” she said. She blinked at her outburst and quickly reined in her temper.
“Seeing as he hasn't been here for a thousand years, I'd say that's a rightful cause.” His voice held a hint of sarcasm.
Arianna had had enough. She stood in a rush, planting her hands on the table and glaring at him. “Your highness, I will never agree to that—”
“Your opinions have no say in that matter and well you know it, Lady Arianna.” His intense eyes watched her like a hawk. Arianna couldn't stand it anymore. Whatever he was getting at, she wanted nothing to do with it.
“Thank you for the dinner. I shall return to my room now.” She turned from him and stalked towards the door.
She never heard him move, not even a whisper of clothes rustling. Then strong hands curled around her arms, pulled her back against his body. Arianna flushed with a mixture of emotions: outrage, anger, pleasure. The last she had the hardest time dealing with. His body felt superior to hers, strong and incredibly warm, his hands didn't hurt but kept her from leaving. He could have been cruel, but he didn’t grip her too hard.
“I am not finished with you, Arianna.” His hands slid up her arms then down over the soft material of her sleeves. Choosing the dress with sleeves had definitely been the right decision. Her heart picked up its pace, this time for an entirely strange and unusual reason, one she didn't quite recognize nor want to analyze.
He pulled her further against his body—chest to back hips to bottom. Unable to move, she fisted her hands instead, her teeth tugging hard on her bottom lip.
“I seek an arrangement with you, Arianna.”
“No,” she said, the sound ragged.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to her neck. This close she could inhale his scent that smelled so different than what she'd expected; he smelled wonderful, like a man ought to smell. He pressed a kiss to her neck and her breath caught in her throat as pleasure bloomed somewhere deep in her belly and spread out through her limbs, warming.
“Yes.” He trailed his lips to her shoulder then down to where the sleeve cupped her upper arm and then made the trip back to her neck, but going further this time to her jaw. She resisted the urge to tilt her head to the side and make room for him. Whatever he was doing made her feel wicked and wonderful all at the same time.
His hands trailed down her arms, fingers spread open as they slid across her stomach, barely touching her. “You are beautiful.”
“Many women are beautiful.”
His warm strong hands trailed up her torso, stealing her breath with each inch he moved. Her breasts pulled tight in her dress, nipples hardening like they did when she bathed in cold water. The hard buds grazed across the material of her dress, the feeling sharper, more pronounced.
“There is more to you. Things that I like and appreciate.” His lips found her ear, teeth tugged on it. In a deep growl he said to shell of her ear, “I'm done waiting. I will have you, Arianna.”
She sucked in a sharp breath at his words just as his hands slid further up, and cupped her breasts. He cupped just the underside of her breasts and in the barest of movements she registered a massaging motion. Her legs went weak and only by closing her eyes and concentrating did she keep from falling down. Hot liquid spilled from inside her, dampening between her legs. She'd felt it before while learning her own body, but never ever had another made her feel so. She felt suddenly so empty inside and breathing had never been more difficult.