He instantly felt like a jerk. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “I guess I went a little too far.”
“Yes, you did.”
She drew in a breath, then sank down on the blanket of grass by the trees. After drawing her legs to her chest she rested her forehead on her knees.
They were in a small grove of palms, protected from view by the foliage at the base of the trees. Except for a cat grooming in the sun a few feet away, they were alone.
“It’s not you,” she mumbled. “I’m angry at Byron.”
Rafe crouched next to her. He wasn’t concerned that Byron had tried anything—he hadn’t left them alone long enough for anything to happen. “What did he do?”
“Nothing. It’s what he said.” She raised her head and glared at him. “Do I look stupid to you?”
“Not at all.”
“I didn’t think so. Men worrying that I’m not smart enough has never been the problem. Usually they think I’m too smart.”
“So the duke thought you were an idiot?”
“Apparently.” She rubbed her temples. “I can’t even say it. It’s just too humiliating.”
Rafe rose to his feet. “If he insulted you—”
“He did, but not the way you’re thinking,” she said, interrupting. She looked away. “He said I was beautiful.”
“What?” Rafe frowned. That was hardly an insult. He ignored the tension in his chest that told him he didn’t like the duke complimenting Zara.
“You heard me.”
He sank next to her on the grass. She wore her hair down in a thick braid. As she spoke, she twisted the braid around her fingers.
“Why is that so horrible?” he asked. “Don’t you want him saying nice things?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want him lying to me and expecting me to believe him. I would have accepted pretty or even attractive. But beautiful? The man obviously thinks I’m a moron. Or he doesn’t think at all. Or he assumes that I’ll be so bowled over by his flattery that I won’t bother to question his sincerity.”
“I think you’re making too much of this.”
“Of course you’d say that. You’re a man. But it’s significant to me.”
Rafe sensed he was treading on dangerous territory. He decided to go slowly and carefully. “You’re an attractive woman, Zara. Beauty isn’t universal. Maybe Byron was telling the truth from his point of view, but you don’t feel comfortable admitting it.” He hated that he was defending the guy.
“Maybe camels fly here in the desert.” She glared at him. “I understand how all this works. When people meet there’s either an attraction or there isn’t. That attraction can color someone’s view but it’s not going to take it out of the realm of reality. I mean you have obviously had sexual feelings for me, at least that one time when we kissed, yet you’d never say I was beautiful.”
She paused just long enough to make Rafe sweat. There was a deep, dark conversation pit right in front of him and he didn’t know how to keep from falling in. Fortunately Zara kept talking.
“If Byron knew me and had spent time with me, I just might believe him. But right now he’s just playing some stupid game with me and it’s really annoying. Is it always going to be like this? I thought getting a date was bad before, but this is impossible.”
Another of the king’s cats strolled by. Rafe patted the creature before turning his attention back to Zara.
“Take a deep breath and slow down,” he told her. “First of all, you’re still getting used to a new situation. It won’t always be so confusing. Second, give yourself some credit. You act like you’re the female version of the elephant man. That’s not true.”
“I know the kind of woman I am, and I know what men say about me.” She tossed her braid back over her shoulder. “I’m smart and intimidating. Not beautiful, not sexy. Cleo’s the man magnet in this family.”
“You’re not giving yourself enough credit.” He found her damned sexy, although he couldn’t tell her. Not without creating a different kind of trouble.