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“I’m not upset.”

“Well, that isn’t much. Was he or was he not a good fuck?”

Her swearing didn’t offend me. I swore and cursed too. It was perfectly normal in an all-female company. But I didn’t appreciate her word choice when applied to Salas.

“What?” She spread her arms out in response to my glare. “We aren’t at your mother’s ball. There are no men here. You won’t offend their delicate sensibilities. I can curse all I want. No need to beat around a bush. Was this slave any good at fucking?”

“I can’t answer your question for several reasons,” I replied icily. “One, I wouldn’t know how to rate his performance since I have nothing to compare it to. And two, we didn’t fuck.”

“You didn’t?” Her mouth fell open. “It’s past ten in the morning. What have you been doing all this time?”

“Sleeping.” I propped my butt on the back of the couch by the fireplace.

Gem sank into the chair by the closed patio doors, looking devastated from disappointment.

“And that’s it?”

“Yes. Mostly. But we also talked and ate. He made me tea and then... he kissed me this morning.”

“He did?” She perked up. “So, did you like the kiss?”

“I did, yes,” I admitted.

Gem threw her hands up in the air, casting her eyes upwards.

“Thank you, Eci, the Goddess of Winter, you didn’t create this woman out of ice after all!”

I shook my head at her antics.

“So.” She leaned closer in her chair. “Why didn’t he finish the job, so to say?”

“Meaning I’m hisjob?”

She brushed me off with a hand gesture. “You know what I mean. Why did you stop at kissing?”

“We ran out of time.” I gave her the simplest of explanations. “You know I have things to do, but I slept in.”

“That’s absolutely fine. The queen is aware.”

“Mother knows?” I had the queen’s general approval, but I hadn’t informed her that Salas was visiting specifically last night.

She nodded. “I had to tell her. She sent for you this morning.”

“What exactly did you tell her?”

“That you had a male visitor overnight and that you needed some more time before you were ready to part from him. The queen seemed delighted. She said she wouldn’t fault you for skipping the council meeting, either, as long as you attend the dinner with the ambassador tonight. However, if you insist on going to the meeting, you’ll have to hurry. I’ll send the maids with breakfast right away and—”

“No. I don’t feel like rushing.” I shook my head, getting up. “Tell Mother I’ll be a little late. I need a few more minutes.”

“For what?”

To wrap my mind around everything that happened and figure out how to deal with the unexplained ball of longing growing in my chest.

But of course, I couldn’t tell Gem that.

“I need some time to rest.”

“From a kiss?” Gem winked. “Damn, he must be good.”