Though everyone in SouthWard abhorred her hair, apparently he liked the color. Still, something about him made her uneasy.
While he cupped her chin, she could think of nothing else but how badly she wanted to move away. Instead, she forced herself to hold still, curious to see where he was going with this.
“You smell like lilacs,” he murmured. His eyes had drifted half closed, as though sensory awareness of her had overwhelmed him. “And something else. Maybe vanilla.”
Skepticism warred with fascination as he moved his hand from her face to her hair. From her brief experience with Ruben, she imagined he would want to kiss her soon.
At the thought, she found to her surprise that she wanted to giggle. With a major effort of will, she kept her expression serious, focusing on the handsome Bright man who had moved even closer still.
He was handsome and muscular and well-proportioned. Well-bred and polite and oozing with masculine charm. Yet he couldn’t hold a candle to Ruben.
Again, she pushed the unwelcome thought away. According to her parents, she was to marry this man. She might as well see if his kiss affected her as strongly as Ruben’s had.
If not, she would be in for a world of trouble.
Encouraged by her stillness, Chad cupped the back of her head. Gazing into her eyes, he tilted his head and hesitated, as though asking for permission or waiting for her to make the first move. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to respond, so she decided to take matters into her own hands and kiss him first.
She pulled him to her, letting him crush her mouth with his. The instant his lips began to move greedily over hers, she realized she’d made a mistake. Blech.
Unfortunately, Chad apparently didn’t feel the same.
Deepening the kiss, he crushed her to him, letting her feel the strength of his formidable arousal as he ground his hips against hers.
Starshades. Not what she wanted. Not what she wanted at all. She struggled then, attempting to push him away, which only seemed to inflame him even more.
When he attempted to ram his tongue down her throat, making her gag, she brought her knee up in reflex, jamming it into his man parts so hard he staggered backward. Then, as he doubled over, gasping and groaning, she pulled away, uncertain if she should apologize or not.
The shudders wracking him indicated her move had caused him great pain. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, only discourage him.
“I’m so sorry,” she told him, reaching to touch his shoulder. Unsurprised when he recoiled from her, she doggedly continued. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just—”
“Enough,” he snarled. When he raised his head, the rage blazing from his eyes hit her hard enough to send her staggering back. Then, as he struggled to regain his equilibrium, he stumbled toward her. He opened his mouth to speak, and she felt the familiar sizzle of magic. She might be in serious danger. Though all of her people had been trained to put up shields to protect against magical attacks, Willow didn’t even have enough magic for this.
Praying Chad didn’t know about her serious lack of power, she raised her hand and waved it slowly in front of her, as though building a magical wall. “Don’t do this,” she ordered, relieved her voice sounded strong and sure, the exact opposite of the true way she felt with her insides quaking.
He narrowed his eyes. “Give me one good reason why not?”
“Because I am a princess of the royal house of SouthWard and your intended betrothed. I meant you no harm. My actions were those of a foolish, scared virgin,” she told him, hating the way something else, something even darker, flared in his eyes at the word virgin.
Nevertheless, she kept her shoulders back and her spine straight as she continued. “I was frightened and lashed out without thinking. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
All of a sudden he became all smiles. “I understand,” he said, though his eyes remained cold. “I wasn’t aware of your untouched state. I confess, I’m a bit surprised, especially given the way you kissed me.”
“Are you?” She crossed her arms, cocking her head and wishing she could find a way to let him know, subtly of course, that she was no fool. “You of all people should know princesses are expected to be pure.”
He laughed. “Now you’re trying to tell me Tatiana is a virgin? Please. How stupid do you think I am?”