Page 21 of You Belong to Me
When she said no more, he asked hesitantly, “But you will marry him?”
“I won’t be the one to cry off,” she replied with all the bitterness she was feeling.
“But you think he will?”
“Once he gets to know me—”
“Dammit, Alex, I know you are attracted to the man. I saw that myself.”
She gave a shrug that was supposed to indicate her indifference, but her tone was vehement. “I can’t deny he comes in a very pretty package, so pretty he’s more than likely asvain as a peacock, but with the personality of a worm—a lecherous worm.”
“You have some reason for phrasing that remark just so?” he asked sternly.
“Merely that he flirted with me—beforehe knew I was his betrothed.”
“And you have so much experience with men that you know the difference between flirting and being friendly?”
Alexandra snorted. “Friendliness doesn’t call for endearments like ‘sweetheart.’”
Instead of the fatherly outrage she had counted on, he smiled. “I am delighted to hear that he was attracted to you, even dressed as you are. And since we have also established that you are equally attracted to him—”
“We didn’t establish that,” she cut in hotly.
But Constantin ignored her to finish, “—you could at least try to like him.”
She made him wait a long, tense moment before she said, “Very well, I’ll try.”
Constantin blinked in surprise. “You will?”
It had been such a bald-faced lie, she couldn’t repeat it, so she asked instead, “What was that you said about leaving tomorrow?”
“An unexpected development, I’m afraid. I had assumed you would be wed here, within a matter of days, but apparently you’re going to have a grand ceremony at the royal palace in Cardinia—at their king’s insistence.”
“Well, isn’t it fortunate that I can manage to pack in so little time.”
She said it so dryly, her opinion of the situation was obvious, at least to her father. After all, women were known to take days, weeks even, to prepare for a journey. And although Alexandra usually traveled lightly, even she began packing several days before a scheduled trip.
“You’re wrong, Alex. He’s not trying to inconvenience you. It’s merely the time of year. His delay in getting here makes it imperative that you travel quickly now, to avoid the harsh snowstorms in the mountains.”
Her brows suddenly rose with interest. “I happen to like snow. You mean he doesn’t?”
The fact that she grinned as she said it made Constantin groan. “You wouldn’t intentionally delay the journey, would you?”
“To postpone the wedding?” Her grin got wider. “What do you think? Besides, it’s only fair that he finds out what life with me will be like.”
“Alexandra, I insist that you behave on this—”
“You’ve already gotten the only promise you’ll get from me, Papa, and you were lucky to get it.”
His face was turning red as he became upset. “You said you would try to like him.”
“Oh, I will, and I’ll havelotsof time to do so before the wedding. Not tonight, however, so you’ll have to entertain our guest this evening by yourself. I havesomuch packing to do, after all, that I’m quite certain I’ll need a wagon for all my trunks.”
“You’ll pack lightly, dammit, just as you always do. I won’t have you caught in one of those storms in the mountains because of your stubbornness. I’ll send the bulk of your things as soon—”
“Make that two wagons,” she tossed out as she headed for the door.
“Alex!”
