Chapter Sixteen
Joslyn
Holy shit. He kissed me. He kissed me and I felt it down to my very core. It was unlike what I’d experienced with David. It was unlike what I’d experienced any time recently with any man. I thought butterflies and excitement was something I wouldn’t experience again until Aramis’s lips touched mine and showed me otherwise. He pulled away so suddenly that I had to remind myself to breathe again without his mouth on mine. We didn’t speak the remainder of the ride to the indoor rose garden. He didn’t even look at me as we got off the horse and walked over to where Oscar, Rose, and Monsieur Paul were. I hated the way my chest caved knowing that he regretted something that made me come alive. I watched as Oscar ran up to his father and bonded over horse riding, something that I definitely didn’t want to discuss. Obviously, I had no qualms about getting on one. I just didn’t want to talk about competing on one. Instead of pretending to listen to their conversation, I walked around the garden and busied myself that way.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“It smells lovely in here.” I smiled, turning to look at Rose. “It’s a nice flower to be named after.”
“I’ve always thought so.” She smiled wide, a blush on her cheeks. She met my eyes. “Are you feeling better?”
“I . . . ” I felt myself frown. “I guess I am. Thank you.”
“I helped Miss Cassandra with her bag as she was leaving this morning.”
“It was presumptuous of her to bring a bag.”
“I thought so as well.” Rose let out a soft laugh. “I guess she assumed she’d charm Prince Aramis.”
“I bet she’s used to charming everyone.”
“I’m sure you are as well.”
“Me?” I laughed. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“You’re charming,” Rose argued. “And pretty. And kind. Kinder than Miss Cassandra.”
“Was she not nice this morning?”
“She was short. Not mean, not nice. Mother always says the true mark of a person is how they act when nobody is looking.”
“Your mother is right.”
“I bet you’ve met a lot of people.”
“I have and very few have been genuinely charming.”
“Do you think the Prince is genuinely charming?”
I glanced away quickly to hide my blush, but felt myself nod in agreement and when I looked at her again, I smiled. “I think the entire royal family is genuinely charming.”
“That’s what Mother says as well.” Rose smiled.
That wasn’t entirely true. The Queen Mother was calculatedly charming. Her late husband, from what I remember, was the same. Some people use their charm as a weapon, to hypnotize and maintain control of people. Others can’t help their charm. Unlike their parents, Elias, Aramis, and Pilar were charming without trying to be. Maybe it was something they were taught from the time they were kids. Who knew with these families. Maybe it was something they were born with somehow, though one could argue that anything born from such controversy couldn’t be as good as they were. If I didn’t know them, I’d probably feel that way about them, but I knew them well and they were legitimately good people. It was a good thing too, now that the throne and future of The Crown was in their hands.
“Are you ready?” Aramis called out. Rose and I turned our heads in his direction and walked over. “I’m taking Oscar back. You can ride with Rose.”
I couldn’t find my voice to speak, so I merely nodded and followed Rose to the horse she’d ridden on. It wasn’t that I minded being bossed around by my boss; it was that even though he was my boss, I knew him as an ex-lover, a friend, a foe, and now a fake boyfriend. All of those things combined made for tricky emotions. I already knew that, but now, as I was dismounting the horse that carried me back to the stables, it was cemented. I had feelings for Aramis and I was playing with fire.
“Define dating.” Pilar’s eyes narrowed on me.
“Yes, please, define dating,” Adeline added beside her.
We were having tea in the library, surrounded by stockings Adeline wanted help putting on the fireplace mantle. Pilar thought it was cute. I’d decided she’d watched entirely too many Christmas movies. They were both giving me their full, undivided attention as they sipped their tea, which was comical considering I’d tried to sit down and talk to them about things we actually needed to be doing, like planning a wedding for the Princess and making sure everything was ready for the King and Queen’s first child, and they’d been avoiding all of those responsibilities.
“We thought we’d try it out.” I shrugged, lifting my own cup. “We spent time together last night and—”
“Was that the reason David was so upset?” Pilar asked.
I focused on my tea. I’d prepared for this question, knowing it would come, but still felt rather awful lying about it. Finally, I set the cup down and nodded.