Some Enchanted Waltz by Lily Silver

statement, also the truth behind it.
    “Agreed.” He shot to his feet. “You must sit, my dear. In either realm, it is unseemly for me to sit in your presence while you remain standing.”
    Tara tried really hard not to laugh at his words. Was it the male in him, or the fact that he thought she was from a race of beings exalted above men? She sat down, slowly and regally, adjusting her skirts with care so as not to disabuse him of her imagined superiority as a member of the Fey. “You may begin. Explain your intentions and expectations from this union.”
    Adrian did not flinch at her commanding tone. He adapted quickly, emulating a respectful mien as if he were addressing true royalty. “I needed a wife. The Tuath an Danaan sent me you. Now that I am married I cannot be blackmailed into a union with my enemy’s offspring. Agreeing to such a union would mean my life, my lady. My enemy would use his daughter to spy upon me. I would be judged a traitor to the crown of England, and my enemy would see me hanged for treason while his daughter inherited my family lands. That was his design all along. With you here, that will not happen. You are my protection. Understand this, dear Tara, I am grateful to you and to your people for your sacrifice. I will do anything you ask of me in return for such service.”
    Tara didn’t understand. She didn’t really care about all that political intrigue. The only thing she truly cared to find out was what their relationship would be as man and wife. “Anything except make love with me, is that it?”
    Adrian’s face flushed with color. “It would be sacrilege for me to expect you to lie with me as my wife. Your race is but a little lower than the angels.”
    Tara was flattered. He truly thought she was above him? That gave the reluctant kiss today a whole new meaning. “Is that why you didn’t want to kiss me earlier?”
     He nodded, and continued to stare at her as if she truly had wings and a halo. “I didn’t want to offend you or your race by appearing too bold after the honor you have bestowed upon me. I did not expect the Reverend to be so bold in declaring we should kiss in front of the witnesses. I apologize for the oversight.”
      “Oh, don’t!” Tara was quick to protest. Really, this dude was acting like she was a goddess or something. While it was cute, it really wasn’t sexy, not in real life. If they were to be husband and wife, she wanted them on equal footing, with neither beneath the other one. “Don’t apologize, Adrian. I wanted you to kiss me.” Tara smiled warmly at her handsome devotee. His eyes widened with first surprise and then pleasure.
    Okay, so a little goddess worship once and awhile was nice, just a touch, mind you, like Westley when he said those three little words to Buttercup in The Princess Bride ; “ As you wish .” Every woman wanted that kind of devotion from her man. And yet, she could not, in good conscience, allow Adrian to become her slave, intellectually--or otherwise.
    “And I want us to be together as lovers, eventually.” She added. “It would be a shame to waste--” She bit her tongue, ashamed by what her words were about to be.Fairy Queen or not, she was not going to reduce him to a sexual object for her pleasure.
    A giggle sprang forth as she realized the irony of her thinking. If the shoe were on the other foot, she had no doubt that the man before her would do just that. She arched a brow at him. Perhaps he did, in his mind, and was just too careful to reveal it.
     He was smiling, truly grinning from deep within. Yes, he was pleased by her words. Still, he remained the cautious sycophant.  Adrian made a graceful bow to her. “You are generous, my lady. It is well known that at certain seasons of the year, the Fairy Queens make great efforts to carry off the fine stalwart young men of the country to the fairy palace in the cleft of the hills, or they emerge from the hills to take a mortal lover. I would be