The Scottish Princess

Nine

Mary's Point of View

My stomach dropped as I walked to dinner. I've been avoid Francis for days. I don't know what I would even say.  How do I tell him that I wanted to kiss him more than anything but also that him kissing me absolutely terrified me. Also how am I supposed to tell Francis, the man that has kissed at least 20 women, that i've never been kissed? My corset felt tighter and tighter due to my fast pace breathing. "Mary?" A voice said. I turned around, Daniel. "Daniel!" I smiled as I ran to him. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Italy." I said as I hugged him. "Are you not happy to have me?" He laughed "No I am so happy your back. Did Giovanni come with you?" I asked. His smile turned into a frown. "Oh no, Daniel i'm sorry." I said hugging him again. "He got married, what a joke." He said. Giovanni is, well I guess was, Daniel's lover. It wasn't just a physical relationship, they really love each other. But at one time or another both of them will be expected to get married, to women. "Mary, who is this?" Francis asked, looking at Daniel and I practically in each other's arms. "Francis, this is Daniel. He is a very good friend of mine, he has been traveling in Italy." I smiled. Oh God how can I explain this? "I'm going to go get settled in." He kissed my cheek. "Okay, I will come see you later." I smiled. As soon as Daniel was out of ear shot I spoke. "Its not what you think." I said "I don't care really, you can do whatever you want." He scoffed and walked away. "Francis stop!" I grabbed his arm and led him into a room. "Daniel isn't interested in me like that." I said "Really? Thats bullshit. Any man that looks at you is interested in you like that. And you're over there hugging and kissing him." He said "Francis I can't tell you, but he isn't interested in me." I said. "Whatever, I'm leaving." He said, I stood in front of the door blocking his exit. "Daniel isn't interested in women at all." I said "What? Like he doesn't want to get married?" He asked "No, like he doesn't want to have sex with women." I said. He stood there for a second, looking very confused. "So he has sex with men?" He asked. "Yes." I said. "Well that explains why he was in Italy." He laughed. "Francis! It's not funny!" I said. "It is funny, you should have just told me. I don't care about that." He said "Hmm well you are laughing quite a lot for being so angry with me less than a minute ago." I said "Because I saw another man hugging and kissing you." He said "What? Are you jealous?" I asked "I don't know am I?" He asked. "He wasn't kissing me. He kissed my cheek, that's it." I said "Doesn't matter, it still made me jealous." He said, so he was jealous. "Why were you coming to see me?" I asked "To come see why you've been avoiding me for days, almost a week I believe." He said "I didn't know what to say after what happened." I said "Technically nothing happened, we didn't kiss." He said "You're right, we didn't." I said. "Don't worry, we will. Hopefully some where your Father won't be to interrupt." He smiled "Hmm, I don't know about that." I said "What? Why not?" He asked "Well with the number of women you've kissed I may catch a disease." I laughed "Well madam that is quite the slanderous accusation." He smiled getting closer to me. I had no where to go but lean against the door. "You know, I do know my Father is about an hour away today at some nobles home." I smiled and bit my lip. "Really? Thats very interesting." He smiled and slid his hands onto my hips. I moved my hands and wrapped then around the back of his neck. "You know someone will figure out we're missing from dinner soon." I smiled "I suspect the only person that will have a problem with the two of us being missing is Conde. And quite frankly I don't give a fuck what he says or feels." He said. Our lips were so close, even closer than last time. "Do you promise this is real?" I asked "What do you mean love?" He said "Your feelings for me are real? You aren't just doing this to get me to marry you?" I asked "Mary my feelings for you are like nothing I've felt for any woman ever before." He said. "I want you to kiss me." I said "Are you sure? You might fall in love with me immediately after, it tends to happen a lot." He smiled "I'll take my chances." I subtly moved my hips to press against him. He leaned in and kissed me.