Читать книгу Christmas with the Prince: Christmas with the Prince - Michelle Celmer - Страница 14

“You’re engaged?” Aaron backed away from Liv, wondering why this was the first time he’d heard this. Especially when he considered all of the blatant flirting that had been going both ways between them the past couple of days. Well, some of it went both ways, but in all fairness he was always the one to initiate it.

“Um…sort of,” she said, looking uneasy.

Sort of? “Wait, how can a person be sort of engaged? And if you are engaged, why aren’t you wearing a ring?”

“We kinda didn’t get to that part yet.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “What part did you get to exactly?”

“He asked me, and I told him I would think about it.”

There was this feeling, low in his gut. A surge of sensation that he didn’t recognize. The he realized he was jealous. He envied a complete stranger. “Who is he?”

“His name is William. We work together.”

“Another scientist?”

She nodded. “He’s my mentor.”

“Are you in love with him?” he asked.

She hesitated a moment, then said, “He’s a good friend. I have an immense amount of respect for him.”

Was that relief he’d just felt? “That isn’t what I asked you.”

She chewed her lip, as though she was giving it deep consideration, then she said, “Love is highly overrated.”

Normally he would have agreed, but this was different. She was different. He couldn’t imagine Liv being happy with a man she only respected. She deserved better. She’d fought all of her life to get exactly what she wanted. Why quit now?

And how did he know what she wanted when he barely knew her?

Somehow, he just did. And she was special. He couldn’t even vocalize exactly why. It was just something he knew deep down.

“He must be a damned good shag, then,” Aaron said, aware of how peevish he sounded.

He expected a snappy response, a firm, Butt out, buster, or Mind your own business. Instead Liv bit her lip and lowered her eyes. It didn’t take him long to figure out what that meant.

He folded his arms across his chest and said, “You haven’t slept with him, have you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

But she didn’t deny it, either. “Out of curiosity, how long have you been dating this William fellow?”

Her gaze dropped to her feet again and in went the lip between her teeth. She didn’t say a word. But her silence said it all.

“Are you telling me that you two have never even dated? Let me guess, you’ve never kissed him, either?”

She leveled her eyes on him. “I have so!”

He took a step toward her. “I’ll bet he doesn’t make you half as hot as I do.”

He could tell by her expression, from the sudden rush of color to her cheeks, that he was right.

“I wasn’t that hot,” she said, but he knew it was a lie.

“You won’t be happy,” he said. “You’re too passionate.”

She looked at him like he was nuts. “I’ve been accused of a lot of things, but being passionate is not one of them.”

He sighed. “There you go, selling yourself short again.”

She shook her head in frustration. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. I hardly even know you.”

“I know. And that’s the bizarre part, because for some reason I feel as though I’ve known you forever.” He could see by her expression that she didn’t know how to respond to that, and she wasn’t sure what to make of him. And oddly enough, neither did he. This wasn’t at all like him.

She grabbed the knob and opened her door. “I should get to sleep.”

He nodded. “Promise me you’ll think about what I said.”

“Good night, Aaron.” She slipped inside her room and closed the door behind her.

He turned and walked in the direction of his own room. What he’d told her wasn’t a lie. He’d never met anyone quite like her. She sincerely had no idea how unique, how gifted she was.

At first he’d planned only to seduce Liv and show her a good time while she was here, but something had happened since then. Something he hadn’t expected. He really liked her. And the idea of her marrying this William person—a man she obviously didn’t love—disturbed him far more than it should have.

Liv closed the door and leaned against it, expelling a long, deep breath.

What the heck had just happened out there? What did he want from her? Was he just trying to seduce her? To soften her up with his sweet words? Or did he really mean what he said? Did he really think she was interesting and fun? And beautiful. And if she really was, why had no one told her until now?

Just because no man had said the words, it didn’t mean it wasn’t true. And although she would never admit it to his face, he was right about one thing, no man had ever made her even close to as hot as he just had. With barely more than a kiss. Had it gone any further, she may have become the first scientifically genuine victim of spontaneous human combustion.

And oh how she had wanted it to go further. But to what end? A brief, torrid affair? Yeah, so what if it was? What was so wrong with that? They were consenting adults.

Yeah, but what about William?

So what if William wasn’t an above-average kisser, and who cared that he didn’t get her all hot and bothered the way Aaron did. William was stable and secure, and he respected her, and she was sure that he thought she was beautiful, too. He just wasn’t the type of man to express his feelings. She was sure that once they were married he would open up.

But what if he didn’t? Was that enough for her?

She heard a muffled jingle coming from her backpack and realized her phone was ringing. She pulled it out and saw that it was, speak of the devil, William. She hadn’t spoken to him since she left the States. No doubt he was anxious for an answer.

She let it go to voice mail. She would call him back tomorrow once she’d had a night to think things through. When she’d had time to forget how Aaron’s lips felt against hers, and the taste of his mouth, and what it had been like to have his arms around her, his fingers tangling in her hair.

What if she never forgot? Could she go through life always wondering what if? Would it really be so awful, for once in her life, to do something just because she wanted to. Because it felt good. It wasn’t as if he would want a relationship, and frankly, neither would she. Just one quick roll in the hay. Or maybe two. Then she could go home to William, who would never be the wiser…and live the rest of her life in guilt for betraying him.

Ugh.

But if they weren’t technically engaged yet, could it really be counted as cheating?

As she was changing into her pajamas, her cell phone rang again. It was William. She considered letting it go to voice mail again, then decided she at least owed him a few words.

When she answered, his voice was filled with relief.

“I thought maybe you were avoiding me.” He sounded so apprehensive and vulnerable. So unlike the confident, steadfast man she was used to, and the truth was, hearing him that way was just the slightest bit…off-putting. It knocked the pedestal she’d always kept him up on down a notch or two.

“Of course not,” she said. “I’ve just been very busy.”

“Is this a bad time? I could call back later.”

“No, this is fine. I was just getting ready for bed. How have you been?”

“Swamped.” He gave her a rundown on everything that had been going on in the lab since she left.

When he’d finished his dissertation, she asked him again. “How are you, William?”

“Me?” He sounded confused, probably because they never really talked about their personal lives.

“Yes, you.”

Finally he said, “Good. I’m good.”

She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Instead he asked, “How are you?”

Exhausted, but excited, and having more fun than I’ve ever had in my life, not to mention nursing a pretty serious crush, and considering an affair with, of all people, a prince.

But she couldn’t tell him that. “I’m…good.”

“The reason for my call,” he said, getting right to the point—because William always had a point. “I was just wondering if you’d given any thought to my proposal.”

He said it so drily, as though he were referring to a work proposal and not a lifetime commitment.

“I have,” she said. “It’s just…well, I’ve been so busy. I’d like a little more time to think it over. It’s a huge decision.”

“Of course. I don’t mean to rush you. I realize that it probably came as something of a surprise.”

“A little, yes. I never realized you had those kinds of feelings for me.”

“You know that I deeply respect you. Both personally and professionally. We make a good team.”

Yes, but a good professional relationship and a good marriage were two entirely different animals. Again she had to wonder, did she want to marry a man who respected her, or one who loved her? A man whom she worked well with, or one who found her so sexually appealing he couldn’t keep his eyes, or hands, off her? One who made her feel all warm and breathless and squishy inside, the way Aaron did.

Don’t even go there, she warned herself. Aaron had no place in this particular equation. Besides, for all she knew William would be fantastic in bed. She’d always considered good sex more of a perk than a necessity.

If that was true, why wasn’t she jumping at his offer?

“Can I ask you a question, William?”

“Of course.”

“Why now? What’s changed from, say, two months ago?”

“Well, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve always imagined that one day I would get married and have a family. And as you know, I’m not getting any younger. It seemed like a good time.”

It sounded so logical, but that hadn’t exactly been what she was hoping for.

“I guess what I want to know is, why me?”

“Why you?” he said, sounding puzzled. “Why not you?”

“What I mean is, was there a particular reason you asked me?”

“Who else would I ask?”

She was seriously fishing here, and he just didn’t seem to get it. She wasn’t desperate enough to beg for a kind word or two. Like, You’re beautiful or I love you. That would come with time.

Then why, deep down, was a little voice telling her that this was all wrong?

“Things are just so crazy right now,” she told him. “Can you give me a few weeks to think about it?”

“Of course,” he said, his tone so patient and reasonable that it filled her with shame. “Take your time.”

They made random and slightly awkward small talk for several minutes, and William seemed almost relieved when she said she had to go.

She hung up wondering what kind of marriage would they have if the only thing they ever talked about was work? And even worse, he didn’t seem all that interested in getting to know her on a personal level. Would that just take time? Or should the years she had already known him have been time enough?

She thought of Aaron, who asked her questions and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. Why couldn’t William be more like that?

Thoughts like that wouldn’t get her anywhere. William would never be like Aaron—a rich, charming prince. Which was a good thing, because as she’d reminded herself so many times now, Aaron, and men like him, were out of her league. Granted, she had never actually had a relationship with a man like Aaron, but she wasn’t so naive that she didn’t know the way these things worked. Even if Aaron did find her interesting at first, see her as a novelty, it wouldn’t take him long to grow bored with her, for him to realize that she wasn’t as special as he thought. Then he would be back to pursuing a proper mate. A woman with the right family and the proper breeding. Yet she couldn’t help but think of all the fun they could have in the meantime.