The King's Wife

14

Ismay flipped through the sheets of parchment, attempting to form a variety of counter offers. The sound of the door broke her concentration and Ismay held up a hand. "I'll not break for midday, Elena. You can have it yourself or return it to the kitchen."

"That's very kind of you, but only you are going to eat this meal," Gabriel said. Ismay sucked in a breath, her heart racing simply by the sound of his voice. "Elena told me you didn't have anything this morning so I must insist you leave your work for now. Come to sit with me and enjoy this food."

Swallowing, Ismay set down the papers and turned to face the king who'd already sat down at the table. "I am very busy, Gabriel...and not hungry. I can wait until this evening and join you in the main hall." Also, part of her was worried he'd suggest they continue their negotiations simply to request another kiss.

"Ismay, I want to talk to you and if I have to take the parchment away from you like I did in the carriage to do that I will."

Ismay frowned at him, her grip on the sheets of parchment tightening. "Talk? Can't it be tonight?"

Worry slipped into his expression. "Are you trying to avoid me? Did I upset you again?"

She considered saying yes, but that wouldn't be right. Instead, she sighed. "No." Ismay set down the sheets of parchment and smoothed the wrinkles she'd put in them. She stood and walked over, taking a seat next to the king. "I'm simply busy."

"You're never too busy to eat, and I hope to spend some time out of your day with me," Gabriel replied.

Her stomach rumbled at the smells of roast pork. It clearly didn't think she was too busy. Gabriel, grinning placed a plate in front of her. "So what did you want to talk about?" Ismay tore off a piece of the meat and eating it.

"Our kiss."

She almost choked on her food and took a drink of wine to help it along its way. "What about it?"

Gabriel grinned, obviously not missing her incident. He turned to face her. "How did it make you feel?"

Ismay swallowed. "Make me feel? Well, I suppose the same as you."

He laughed, taking her hand and kissing the back of her palm, sending her heart racing up her throat. "I would hope so."

"What do you mean?" Ismay asked, removing her hand from his to pick up the goblet of wine, took a sip, and kept the goblet in her hands. Hopefully, that way he wouldn't try to grab it again.

"I enjoyed our kiss very much," Gabriel admitted without a trace of shame. "You enchant me like a siren to the sailor. It would be wondrous if I could someday make you feel the same."

Her brow furrowed. "You can't be serious. I am no such thing. The one time I tried to charm you, you found me so amusing you decided to warn me against such attempts. You have nothing to gain by saying these things, Gabriel."

"Ask me a question."

She frowned at him. "What?"

"I want to make a request, ask me a question."

Ismay swallowed, her stomach tightening. "I won't agree to another kiss."

He grinned. "I wasn't going to request a kiss."

What game was he playing? There was only one way she could find out. "How did your family perish?"

A muscle in Gabriel's cheek twitched. "My request is this I want you to believe every word I say to you right now is nothing, but the truth."

Ismay stared at him for a moment, surprised and uncertain by this request. She licked her lips then nodded. "All right, I accept."

"My family was hunted down and murdered, one by one. I only survived because I was taken and hidden away for many years," Gabriel said. He closed his eyes and swallowed, taking several breaths before looking up at her again. "You have charmed and bewitched me, Ismay. No other woman has captivated all my thoughts as you have. No one has challenged me like you have."