Meranda concealed her giggle behind a more mannerly cough.
“And that tragic hairline.” Rían clicked his tongue. “His feet are small as well. You know what they say about men with small feet. They have small—”
I slammed my hand across Rían’s mouth, pasting on a smile to conceal the laugh swelling in my throat. “You must excuse Lady Marissa. She was raised in Vellana. You know their manners leave something to be desired.”
Before he could say anything else, I grabbed my box and hauled him out of the store. Afraid Robert would insist on following us, I tugged Rían into the alley behind the dress shop.
I fell back against the brick wall, clutching the box to my chest. The horror in Robert’s eyes had been worth it.Soworth it.“I cannot believe you said that to his face.”
Rían propped his elbow against the wall next to my shoulder. “Lady Marissa is a very outspoken young woman.”
Lady Marissa might be my new hero. To say such things aloud. What freedom.
“Lady Marissais a terrible influence and needs to return to Vellana.”
Cupping his chest, Rían sighed and whispered, “Until we meet again,” to his breasts. A split second later, he was back to being a fae prince.
Part of me wished I could stay in this alley forever, hiding away from my life and my duty. “What has gotten into you?”
“I’m in a good mood.”
Rían in a good mood seemed infinitely more dangerous than Rían in a bad one. “And why is that?”
“Why didn’t you let me undress you?” he countered with a smirk.
I wasn’t answering that. It was none of his bloody business. Besides, I’d tarried long enough. My sister was probably going mad in the carriage. “I need to go. Getting caught alone with you would ruin my reputation.”
He flicked his wrist and turned into the ambassador.“Better?”
“Not really, no.”
“Too bad.” He took the box, laced my arm through his, and tugged me toward the street. “I cannot help that we happened to both be in the market on the same day and ran into one another.”
People strolled arm-in-arm past us, not bothering to offer so much as a sideways glance. Perhaps I was overthinking this. There wasn’t a law against meeting a casual acquaintance. The only person who would be upset was Robert, and I didn’t give a toss what he thought.
“I am such a gentleman that I offered to see you safely to your carriage. There are terribly wicked creatures lurking about, you know,” Rían went on, nodding to folks as they passed. “And you’ll be so grateful that you’ll forget you’re engaged to that short, destined-to-be bald and rotund human that you give me another kiss. And you’ll enjoy it so much that you won’t want to stop. We may end up back in the shed yet.”
“You think far too highly of your kisses. I’ve had better.”
“I have a weakness for women who lie to me, you know. If you’re not careful, I may not let you go.” His eyes flicked to something behind me, and his smile faltered.
Robert’s flushed face and sweaty brow stepped into my line of sight, and I could feel my mood deflate.
“Ambassador, it is good to see you again,” he wheezed, out of breath. “While I appreciate you and your sister taking such good care of my fianceé, I’m afraid I must speak with her in private. I’m sure you don’t mind.”
“I do mind, actually.”
“Please don’t make a scene,” I begged, keeping my voice low.
Rían’s expression went blank. He handed me the box and walked away.
I should have been happy to see him go. Instead, I felt empty. As irritating as he was, he’d distracted me from the heaviness of what this weekend would bring.
“Have you lost your damn mind?” Robert took my shoulders, turning me away from Rían. “I will not settle for my fianceé traipsing around town on the arm of another man as though she has no regard for our relationship.”
Did men hear themselves when they said such foolish things? “We have no relationship. I feel nothing for you.”
He planted his hands on his hips, glaring down at me. “You weren’t my first choice either, Aveen. But if I do not marry you, my father will cut me off.”