Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Fifty Two

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He gazes at her. Her eyelashes brush across her cheeks as she looks down not quite brave enough to keep connection with his eyes.

"I cannot offer you much, you should know that already. It will be just me. I cannot even offer you a place within the Usani family as I may not be able to return there for a while. I am to be a traveller; a man without a home. I understand if it is not enough..." whatever he was going to say next is lost. Ari is braver than she thought possible as she melds her lips to his.

The kiss is slow and gentle. Warmth and little sparks are all they need as Hunter leads the kiss and grips her waist pulling her closer to him. She places a hand between them against his chest and feels his heart beating there. It speeds up a little as her hand rests there and they tease each other. Their lips break apart and she meets his eyes, her lips tweaked into a warm smile. Bright blue eyes stare at her in what appears to be wonder. There are no traces of darkness left within them.

"You will always be more than enough. Do not let anyone ever convince you otherwise." She taps his chest with each word to further emphasise her point. Hunter grins and kisses her for a few seconds. She laughs against his lips. That laugh covers up the noise of the balcony doors opening.

The gasp is what alerts them and pushes them apart. Hunter however does not remove his hand from her waist. They have already been caught; separating completely will not erase the last image from Ari's mother's mind.

"Young man, I hope you have proposed marriage to be taking such liberties with my daughter. If not I advise that you do so now."

Philippe appears behind her and raises an eyebrow at Ari, shaking his head disapprovingly at her. If she had something to throw at him she would. "Speak quickly, North, or I shall have to demand a duel on my sister's behalf."

"Sister? I thought you were her fiancé." Hunter admits.

Ari blinks and looks at him, forgetting her mother's presence for a moment. "Why on earth would you think that he is my fiancé? Do you truly think I would be getting engaged a month from your... his death!" Her slip does not go unnoticed and her relations share a pointed look.

"O...An interfering fool told me. I should have known that he was lying."

"Yes you should of!"

"Arisxandre, do be quiet. I am yet to hear a proposal to salvage your reputation." Her mother interjects.

"Mother. I am not getting engaged and if Hunter dares to ask me in this moment then I can guarantee my answer will be no." Hunter blinks and his fingers reflexively tense against her side tickling her. She fights down the smile and the giggle. This is a serious moment and she cannot afford to crumble. "I will not marry him."

"Arisxandre!"

"I may have affection for him..."

"Love him I should hope." Her mother changes her words. Ari inhales deeply, a muscle in her jaw ticking.

"A lot of affection for him..." at this she glances at the silent spectator beside her. "and he may have affection for me..."

"Love you, I should hope!" She again corrects sending a pointed look at her daughter's young man.

"However! You know how I view marriage. It is forever and I must trust the man I marry so that I can love him forever and never doubt him. He knows and agrees with me on this." Despite her words she does not dare look at him to see his reaction.

"Arisxandre Louise Tikva!"

"Mother!"

"She wishes to be courted, mother. I approve of that decision. He may change his mind; her heart may change its focus. Time will only tell. They have shared a kiss, nothing more. That can be forgiven for now. My little sister will marry when she is sure. We owe that to her with all the suitors we have thrown her way over the last few years." Philippe argues her corner.