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His kindness cut through everything else. He treated me as though I mattered more than any mission, more than any title. In his presence, I felt less like a pawn on a chessboard and more like a woman worth every risk.
But terror knotted in my stomach. I wanted to plunge in headfirst, to let joy carry me away. Instead, my fingertips tingled, and my chest tightened, because I understood exactly why.
Fear.
The memory came unbidden: my mother’s trembling hands as she read my father’s letters during the siege, my father’s fierce love having made them both targets. Our so-called allies had turned their loyalty into a weapon, gleeful to hold their devotion over them like a dagger to the throat. Love like that left you vulnerable in the worst way.
Pain.
It was such a mind-fuck. As much as I was afraid, I couldn’t look at Leon without being excited at the same time.The thought of moving through the world with him was thrilling.
The thought of marrying him…
Waking up in the same bed with him…
Going to bed together and all that entailed.
Suddenly, the dream I’d had about him the other night flashed in my head, and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. Was it possible to feel shy and bold at the same time?
The urge to tell him what I was thinking overwhelmed me.
And yet, there he was, essentially telling me he was willing to be patient and let me set the pace of our relationship. Did he think I wanted to go slow? It would make sense that he would, given my background. After all, he was only being thoughtful.
But I couldn’t help but wonder what he would think if he knew about my dream. What would he think if he knew I was considering sharing a hell of a lot more than a kiss with him?
I yearned to be alone with him.
To feel his lips on mine again. To feel his hands running over my bare skin, to feel safe enough to let go and lose myself in the desire I felt for him. After that dream, I’d felt like we’d already made love, and I’d been letting the images play in my head over and over, constantly aroused by the thought of it all.
That was what gave me the courage to kiss him like that.
The urge to confess, to spill all the images playing onrepeat in my mind, throbbed low and deep inside me. But he’d already told me I could set our pace. Gentle, patient, respectful. He didn’t know I wanted more than a slow dance. I wanted to slide my fingers into his hair, to feel him shiver under my touch. I wanted to go back to his place as soon as possible. I knew he had two residences, the main one at his estate in Vouliagmeni and the other in Central Athens.
I drew a steadying breath, squared my shoulders, and met his gaze. “Is your house nearby?”
His pupils dilated, a slow smile curving his lips. “It’s not too far from here.”
“You said I could ask for anything.” Relief and desire coiled together inside me.
His brow furrowed. “Always.”
I leaned in. “Then I don’t want to go slow. After the ball, will you take me there?”
For a moment, his expression stilled as if he’d been holding his breath. Then, pleasure spread across his face, and he stepped closer. His stubble grazed my cheek, warm and reassuring.
“Anything you want, always,” he murmured, brushing his lips to mine in a soft, promising kiss, and then stood and pulled me up with him.
“Are you ready to join the others? I’m suddenly keenly interested in getting this over with as quickly as possible.”
He winked, that mischievous glint in his gaze as he offered me his elbow.
I slipped my hand into his, smiling up at him. “More thanready.”
Together, we walked up the staircase heading back into the ballroom in search of my family, my heart still pounding. But this time, excitement, not fear, led the way.
Ten
LEON