like she was in the spotlight. Everyone kept their distance as if to better watch them. She knew she wasn’t putting on a good show. Not very ladylike at all.
“Dear Calax, Lord Tavik gotten a common pig wench.” Her back stiffened in response to the overheard comment. She peeked up at Tavik to see if he’d heard the comment, but he showed no indication that he had. She tried harder to learn the dance steps, but her nerves and seething resentment of the anonymous insult made her move jerkily.
“The way to vex them is to enjoy yourself,” he murmured.
So he had heard the comment. She set her jaw, and she nodded imperceptibly. She renewed her effort to relax and soon had the moves of the dance learned and was able to follow him without trouble.
“You look very lovely tonight,” he said, breaking the silence between them again.
She gave him a polite smile in acknowledgment of his compliment. “I think Yula wishes to vex Mrs. Boon by doing her job well,” she replied.
He chuckled and briefly then fell silent again. He tilted his head down to her, and she got the feeling that the light moment had passed before it could be fully enjoyed. She stared into the dark holes for his eyes. “About this afternoon…” he began, but he trailed off.
She raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to finish his statement. She had a sinking feeling that she was not going to like what he had to say. She had berated herself for what had transpired during lunch, but she didn’t exactly want to hear he had found what happened embarrassing or morally questionable.
“I apologize for breaking our agreement,” he finally finished.
She blinked at him a moment in surprise. That was right. She had made him swear not to expect any bedroom fun from her, and he had basically taken advantage of her while she was tied up and blindfolded, never mind the fact that she had been a cheering participant.
She dropped her head as the blush crept over her cheeks. She didn't know how to respond to his apology. If she forgave him, he could construe it as an invitation to try to get hot and heavy with her again, and in confusion, she realized that she wasn’t entirely opposed to that idea. What to do, she wondered. She worried her bottom lip as she scrambled for a way to reply, but the music stopped before she could formulate a diplomatic response. Tavik didn't prod her for an answer, and for the moment, she assumed that her silence was answer enough. She followed him, but instead of going back to their seats, he took them to the doors. It looked like he was ready for them to leave. Naomi was glad.
They walked from the main hall, up the stairs, and back to her room in silence. He held her bedroom door open for her as she slipped inside. She turned to face him holding her breath. What now? He bowed his head and closed the door with him still in the hall. She slumped and started to breathe again. As she turned to bed, she shrugged out of her finery and removed her jewelry.
Tavik’s silence had unnerved her, but she couldn’t blame him for it. She hadn't even managed a thank you for the apology and merely a shy nod for farewell. Next to her, he had been the chatty one. She fell into bed happy that the day was finally over. She tried not to dwell on the fact that she had no clue what the next day would bring.
That night, she dreamed the unicorn met her in the great hall. Music began for them to dance. The unicorn bowed low, and she curtsied back, but as they began to move, she remembered that she didn't know how to dance and faltered. The unicorn pranced in step to the music, but she could only stand still and watch as he danced away.
When Yula woke her the next morning, she felt bleary eyed and grumpy. She became grumpier when she reminded herself there was no possibility of coffee with breakfast. How was she to survive her adventure without the assistance of caffeine? To further torture herself, she ticked off in her mind other amenities that
“Dear Calax, Lord Tavik gotten a common pig wench.” Her back stiffened in response to the overheard comment. She peeked up at Tavik to see if he’d heard the comment, but he showed no indication that he had. She tried harder to learn the dance steps, but her nerves and seething resentment of the anonymous insult made her move jerkily.
“The way to vex them is to enjoy yourself,” he murmured.
So he had heard the comment. She set her jaw, and she nodded imperceptibly. She renewed her effort to relax and soon had the moves of the dance learned and was able to follow him without trouble.
“You look very lovely tonight,” he said, breaking the silence between them again.
She gave him a polite smile in acknowledgment of his compliment. “I think Yula wishes to vex Mrs. Boon by doing her job well,” she replied.
He chuckled and briefly then fell silent again. He tilted his head down to her, and she got the feeling that the light moment had passed before it could be fully enjoyed. She stared into the dark holes for his eyes. “About this afternoon…” he began, but he trailed off.
She raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to finish his statement. She had a sinking feeling that she was not going to like what he had to say. She had berated herself for what had transpired during lunch, but she didn’t exactly want to hear he had found what happened embarrassing or morally questionable.
“I apologize for breaking our agreement,” he finally finished.
She blinked at him a moment in surprise. That was right. She had made him swear not to expect any bedroom fun from her, and he had basically taken advantage of her while she was tied up and blindfolded, never mind the fact that she had been a cheering participant.
She dropped her head as the blush crept over her cheeks. She didn't know how to respond to his apology. If she forgave him, he could construe it as an invitation to try to get hot and heavy with her again, and in confusion, she realized that she wasn’t entirely opposed to that idea. What to do, she wondered. She worried her bottom lip as she scrambled for a way to reply, but the music stopped before she could formulate a diplomatic response. Tavik didn't prod her for an answer, and for the moment, she assumed that her silence was answer enough. She followed him, but instead of going back to their seats, he took them to the doors. It looked like he was ready for them to leave. Naomi was glad.
They walked from the main hall, up the stairs, and back to her room in silence. He held her bedroom door open for her as she slipped inside. She turned to face him holding her breath. What now? He bowed his head and closed the door with him still in the hall. She slumped and started to breathe again. As she turned to bed, she shrugged out of her finery and removed her jewelry.
Tavik’s silence had unnerved her, but she couldn’t blame him for it. She hadn't even managed a thank you for the apology and merely a shy nod for farewell. Next to her, he had been the chatty one. She fell into bed happy that the day was finally over. She tried not to dwell on the fact that she had no clue what the next day would bring.
That night, she dreamed the unicorn met her in the great hall. Music began for them to dance. The unicorn bowed low, and she curtsied back, but as they began to move, she remembered that she didn't know how to dance and faltered. The unicorn pranced in step to the music, but she could only stand still and watch as he danced away.
When Yula woke her the next morning, she felt bleary eyed and grumpy. She became grumpier when she reminded herself there was no possibility of coffee with breakfast. How was she to survive her adventure without the assistance of caffeine? To further torture herself, she ticked off in her mind other amenities that
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