an illusion. Outside the gates, she’d been certain she could manage him. But when she wasn’t in his presence she always underestimated the effect he had on her. That dangerous pull made her want to close the distance between them and climb into his lap. No partnership between them could ever be a cold business arrangement. She could hire a guard with the money she’d earned, repeat her performance today. She didn’t really need Kal any longer.
She still wanted him.
He leaned forward and set his goblet down. “Before you go, I have a proposition I’d like you to consider.”
“A proposition?”
A smile played at the edges of his mouth. “Not nearly as...provocative as yours was, I’m afraid. I’d like to hire you.”
She blinked, startled. That wasn’t what she’d expected to hear and judging by his expression, he knew it. “Haven’t you enough servants?”
“But no weavers, let alone a master.”
“Ah.”
He frowned. “What do you mean—‘ah’?”
“I am something rare that you don’t already own.”
“I don’t want to own you, Ily.” His voice was level but his expression was uncharacteristically shuttered.
“I know how the aristos work. There are only five other master level weavers—one tied to the Dravon family by blood, the other nearly too old to cast. That leaves three of us to offer our services.”
“Two,” he corrected when she paused to draw breath. “Two weavers who offer their services. One who hides herself in the Southton slums weaving rags.”
She couldn’t completely cover her flinch. “That’s the draw though, isn’t it? There will be rumors about my casting and people will wonder. You want to tell your friends that you’ve engaged the services of the Southton weaver to capture the fleeting interest of the court.”
He didn’t speak for a moment, only regarded her steadily, appearing undecided. He sighed and shook his head. “Why do you hold me in such contempt?”
Something about the look on his face prodded her to honesty. “To remind myself that no matter how charming you are, we are very different people. My life is more fragile than yours and I can’t afford to be careless. I’ll drink your wine, but I won’t overindulge. I’ll take your protection, but I won’t trust you.”
He tipped his head to one side. “You think I’m charming?”
She rolled her eyes. “I think that perhaps I should take my money and go.”
“I don’t think so.”
For the first time, a frisson of fear slid down her spine, a cold touch on the back of her neck. Eyes narrowed, she waited as he rose and walked toward her. He moved like a lion, all easy muscular grace. Confident. Kingly. Gently, he caught her jaw in his hand, thumb resting in the curve below her lips.
“Not yet.”
Anger and arousal warred inside her. She wanted to demand her money from him at knifepoint. She wanted to dip her head and suck his thumb into her mouth, taste his skin.
His sensual lips curved into a wry smile, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Why would you run away when you’re winning? You need to learn when to press your advantage.”
“Last night...”
“Last night, what did I ask of you? I only gave. Last night, you offered me your body and I gave you mine.” His eyes darkened. “And I will do it again if that’s what you wish. Freely. As for business, I’ve told you what I want. To hire you for your craft. I want you to create a magnificent work of art that I will gift to the emperor when I’m summoned to court in the spring. I want to be allowed to watch you work because it amazes me. You amaze me. I will pay you in coin. Will you consider it?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” he said, then more firmly, “Good. Then we put business aside and move on to more pleasant negotiations.”
A crude sound of denial escaped the back of her throat.
Pressing two fingers beneath her chin, he lifted her face so she couldn’t escape his gaze. “I’ve been watching you for weeks, and we both know you never would have me made that offer if you didn’t want me.” A strange smile played at the corners of his lips. “You thought you could use me.”
“I did use you.”
His eyes softened and his hand shifted to stroke down her neck. Waves of pleasure radiated from his touch, warming her breasts, her belly. “I can’t deny being flattered...and fascinated,” he murmured. “But I don’t understand why you’ve tangled this passion with money. You can have both, Ily. I’ll