Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Ah” was all he said, catching my attention. I watched him row onward quietly, and I could not help but feel as if he were rather miserable, considering the fact that he’d said he did not enjoy this activity. Yet here I was, rambling.
“If you would like to go back to shore, I would not mind.”
He frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Do you wish to go back?”
“No, but…you look rather uncomfortable.”
“More so out of practice…and out of shape.” He took a deep breath, pausing for a moment. “This is actually much harder than it looks.”
I giggled. “Would you like me to take over?”
“With those delicate arms of yours, how could you manage?”
“You have a poor sense of a woman’s capabilities,” I replied, snatching the oars from him. He leaned back and watched as I continued us on our way. “See? Easy.”
He looked me over for a moment. “The wind is doing most of the work. It is blowing in your favor now.”
“That sounds like the pitiful excuse of an out-of-shape man to me.” I huffed and continued rowing with ease. The wind really was helping me, though. He reached for the oars, but I held them to my chest and shook my head. “No, please, Your Most Gracious Highness. Allow me.”
“You will never pass on a chance to fight with me, will you?”
“Ladies never fight; we merely engage in witty banter. I read somewhere that the power of a woman is in her tongue.”
“That is a universal truth,” he said, reaching to place his hands over mine on the oars. His body leaned forward, his face closer to mine. Once more, there was that thumping in my chest. “But I promise: Banter is not the only thing that makes a woman’s tongue powerful.”
Without thought, my own tongue curled back in my mouth. He glanced down at my lips for a moment, and I swore by all the trees in the land that he was going to kiss me right there. Instead, he took the oars from my hands and sat back. I just sat there, dazed.
“Are you flustered, Lady Hathor?”
“Of course not,” I lied, adjusting my dress. “Why would I be? Be well assured, your villainous tricks have no effect on me.”
He smirked. “Is that why you think you might like me?”
My mouth dropped open. “I will push you into the lake!”
He laughed at me again.
“You laugh, but the truth is you have come to have some affection for me as well,” I snapped, not at all liking this topic of conversation.
“And you came to this conclusion how?”
“You did not leave. When I said what I said, you asked me for clarification. If you did not care, if you had no interest, you would have ignored me and left as you wished. So, do not pretend it is only me.” I did not realize my voice had gotten softer. I could not bring myself to look at him, so I watched the rest of the hunting party as they all walked back toward the castle.
Suddenly, I felt cold water splash across my face. Jumping, I turned to see that he had purposely wet his hand to flick it at me, an evil grin on his face.
“Forgive me. Your face was rather serious, and your cheeks were flushed. I thought some water—”
Reaching down into the water, I scooped as much as I could and flung it at his face, wetting the whole top half of him.
“You were saying?” I grinned.
He wiped his eyes. “This is significantly more water than I sprinkled on you.”
“Forgive me, I often do not know the strength of my delicate arms.”
He nodded and pulled the oar to his right up so he could also scoop water at me. I quickly rushed to the left to prepare my own ammunition. When he flung his hand, I did so as well, and just like that we were throwing water at each other without care for decorum or reputation or even common manners.
It was as if we were children…and all I could do was laugh.
This was never how I expected a boat ride with a man to be, but I dare say, it was altogether the greatest of fun.
That was, until we nearly tipped the boat. He rushed to grab on to me. My body pressed against his chest, and instantly my mind went blank and my heart truly went mad.
“Are you all right?” he asked gently down to me.
I nodded, quickly shifting from his arms back to my seat.
Yes, I thought I did like him, very much.
But he was so smug and irksome! How was this going to work?
Wilhelm
This did not happen to me.
Many had tried, many had come close, but no woman had ever made me enjoy rowing a damn boat. And it was not just that I enjoyed rowing it, it was that I now had no wish to stop. I’d carry her out to sea, to new continents, if she wanted. All for a chance to continue seeing her like this: the carefree way she laughed so hard that she snorted, the fierceness of her nature as she chastised me, the scent of her hair carried in the breeze.