Ash choked out a laugh. “I assure you he is not.”
“He is!” Sofia clenched her fists. “And the ladies said he was brave, he could protect me, and he’s titled!”
“Is that all that matters to you?” Ash spat. “A title?”
Sofia looked down at her hands, guilt slamming into her. “It is all that mattered to my father, so it must matter to me.”
Ash cursed. “Apologies, I don’t know what came over me.”
“So you’ll introduce us?”
“Sofia, you’ve met lots of gentlemen. I imagine he’s already been introduced to you.”
“No. I would remember.”
“Why’s that?” He smiled. “Is your memory as perfect as your smile?”
“Yes,” Sofia snapped, taking the compliment in stride, unwilling to let it distract her, even though warmth spread throughout her body. “Besides, he is rumored to be devilishly handsome, and I’ve met no one of the sort.”
Ash bit down on his lip, his eyebrows shooting up to his forehead.
“You don’t count.” Sofia waved him off.
“Are you calling me handsome?”
“You do own a mirror, soldier. If you need more confirmation of your good looks, simply gaze upon it for a while, and you’ll gain your answer.”
“She thinks me handsome.” Ash winked. “Whatever shall I do with all this flattery you throw my way?”
“Enjoy it while it lasts.” Sofia grinned. “For I will most likely be cross with you by the end of the evening.”
“I do so love it when you’re cross,” Ash whispered. “It makes your passion so much more…. tempting.”
“May we dance now?” Sofia ignored the pang in her chest when Ash looked at her in that way. A way that showed how much he desired her, how much his desire matched her own.
“Whatever the princess desires…” He bowed over her hand. “I am at your service.”
“In that case, I want to dance all evening with you and only you, and then I want you to take me to bed and make wild and passionate love to me.”
“Red makes you bold.” Ash coughed into his hand and looked away. “Yes to the first… we’ll see to the second.”
“We’ll see?”
“First—” He twirled her twice. “—we dance.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
It is always easy to pretend when you forget the consequences of the fabrication. —The Grimm Reaper
ASH DANCED TWO DANCES with Sofia then escorted her from the floor; too many bodies crowded the space, making it impossibly difficult to breathe. He was just about to lead her toward the lemonade when Benedict stepped in the way.
“Do my eyes deceive me?” he said with an amused grin. “Lovely to see you both took my invitation to heart.”
Ash grunted in response.
“My dear…” Benedict turned his gaze upon Sofia. “…have you had a chance to take a look at the lovers’ fall?”
She turned to Ash for help.
“Tsk, tsk!” Benedict slapped Ash on the shoulder. “You haven’t shown her the falls yet?”
“We’ve been busy dancing,” Ash said through clenched teeth.
“Why dance when you could—”
“The falls,” Ash interrupted. “I’ll remedy my lapse in judgment immediately.”
“Do.” Benedict grinned. “Have a lovely time.” The bastard kept his eyes trained on Ash, most likely making sure that Ash followed through with his promise. Damn him.
“What are the falls?” Sofia asked in a loud voice, gaining the attention of a few people standing nearby.
Knowing smiles appeared on all their faces then quickly disappeared.
He was going to strangle Benedict with his bare hands.
Was it not bad enough that Ash could barely restrain himself from taking the girl’s virginity? Now he was to take her to the falls? Truly, God had it out for him. Already he could feel his blood heating at the thought of having her alone — completely alone.
“Follow me.” Ash gripped her hand and led her outside.
In silence, they walked into the large garden overlooking Benedict’s estate until they came to the water. Several manmade statues — naked statues, mind — were in the middle of the water, and then at the end, the water cascaded off into a separate pool. The curtain of water was so wide one could fit at least four carriages side by side. But that wasn’t the appeal of the falls. No, the appeal lay in what was behind them.
“Well, come along,” he said gruffly, tugging a gaping Sofia toward the entrance.
Hands shaking, he led her down the narrow walkway that wound behind the sheet of water leading into the cave-like rooms that lingered behind the falls.
There were six caves total, each of them made to look like a bedroom, complete with a bearskin rug thrown across the rock and a bed in the corner. No lights, save for the moon and two candles lit in the small room.
“It’s beautiful!” Sofia gushed, releasing Ash’s hand and doing a twirl in the middle of the cave. “I cannot believe you would keep this from me!”
“Yes, well…” Ash scratched his head and tried to think of anything but the way her hair kissed her shoulders. “…I had my reasons.”
Sofia stopped twirling. “Are you going to kiss me now?”
“No.” Ash said it quickly, sternly, then corrected himself when her face fell. “Did you talk to two gentlemen?”
“Yes.”
“I saw no such conversations take place. Tell me… were they in your head, Princess?”
“You and the duke.”
“Bloody hell! We do not count!”
“You never specified.” She grinned. “So, my kiss.”
“Manipulative little wench.”
“Flattery…” Sofia said in a husky voice. “Careful or I’ll swoon directly into your arms.”
Ash backed away from her tempting form. “Women do not swoon into my arms. They simply run into them. It’s as simple as that, no swooning necessary, I assure you.”
“I believe it.” Sofia grinned, her dimple winking at him. “Shall I run into your arms, soldier?”
“Who’s to say I’m willing to catch you?”
“You’d never let me fall.”
Truth. It was the truth, damn her. He’d no sooner let her fall than cut out his own heart. She was his to protect, not his to desire or want, but want and desire he did, more than he could ever remember. The flare in his soul went beyond a mere want; it was a need, damn-near necessary in order to keep him from going mad.