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. They re not, and I don t regret what I did with him. She stared right back at him, refusing toflinch. We weren t engaged yet.We didn t even know each other the first time it happened.Something twitched in his cheek. It happened more than once? Yes. She gripped her dress. It did. How many ? Never mind.It doesn t matter. He waved a hand. I can t say I liked hearing aboutit, or that the news made me happy, but it s not a deal breaker in my eyes.We can still make thiswork, as long as you refuse to see him again.She blinked. B-But I m here with him now. Then leave with me.Walk out right now, and this can still happen.Hesitating, she glanced at the door.Gordon wasn t there yet.She couldn t walk out on him like this.Couldn t leave him without an explanation. My people want me to marry him.Pretend we fell in love over here in America and spontaneouslygot eloped.Make it romantic, so the people will swoon, she said. What will that gain your country, besides a pauper king? He shook his head. Together, ourcountries will be formidable.Together, we could have a unified front.One that the whole worldeven the great mighty America will respect.Would you give all that up for a rough Americansecurity guard?Her heart twisted.He didn t have a right to talk down on Gordon, as if he didn t mean anything atall.As if he was dispensable. He s not  Just marry me, Princess Isabelle. George pulled a ring out of his coat pocket, and she choked ona laugh.She d been so sure Gordon was going to propose to her tonight& And now George wasdoing it. Will you marry me, and unite our people for the greater good?Oh holy mother of all things royal.This was happening.What should she say? Her brain told her to take him up on the offer and do right by her people.Buther heart wouldn t stop thinking about a certain brown-haired, brown-eyed man who made her smile,and run in the rain.Who made her happy.Princesses always do what s best for their people& not themselves. I I don t know.He leaned in and kissed her, his warm mouth fitting over hers.She started to lurch back, but hecupped the back of her head tenderly with one hand, his touch soft.With his other hand, he held herslightly.She froze.The kiss was pleasant and sweet, but he wasn t Gordon.It didn t feel right.Howwas she supposed to marry another man when it felt so& so& wrong?She broke off the kiss.It might be a mistake, but she needed to turn him down.If Gordon was going to propose to her, thenshe couldn t accept this man.It wouldn t be fair to anyone involved, no matter what the rest of theworld said. I  Am I interrupting something? Gordon asked, his voice hard.Isabelle leaped up, her stomach hollowing out. N-No.He was just  I m quite aware of what he was doing, Gordon said drily.He held two glasses of wine in eitherhand, and his jaw was tight.His gaze was locked on her, but he looked like a complete stranger. What s going on, Princess? I asked Princess Isabelle to marry me, George said, straightening to his full height.He held outthe gigantic ring like some sort of sick and twisted trophy. She said yes.Gordon s grip tightened on the cups. I& see.Isabelle struggled to speak, but she was in shock.This was all too much, too fast.She didn t knowwhat to say or do, so she just stood there, wringing her hands and feeling foolish. I&  Surely, we can all agree that it s what s best for Isabelle and her country.Why, that little jerk.She hadn t said yes.And she wasn t going to.That snapped her to attention andout of shock. Stop speaking for me, she retorted, anger making her almost speechless. I m so sickof people speaking for me.I m not  Aw, your first lovers quarrel.How cute. Gordon smirked. I ll leave you two lovebirds alone,then, to continue this in private.Good luck with everything.Really.He turned on his heel. Wait, Gordon  Don t. He glanced over his tense shoulder, the veins in his neck more pronounced than usual. You have nothing to say.You told me all along that you d do anything for the good of your country,and you did it.There s nothing to apologize for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]