"Your Highness, that request of yours scares me a little."
The man clutched his chest as though a javelin had struck him, his face a mixture of adoration and fear. His exaggerated expression was amusing, but Alusair had long since grown used to it.
She knew Aaron had reason to be surprised. In public, she always wore a cold, unapproachable expression. Only when they were alone did Alusair reveal a little of her true nature and ease her burdens, showing a military woman's fierce passions and radiant smile. That was devastatingly appealing to a man.
People were always captivated by the satisfaction such contrasts brought, and the pleasure was difficult to describe. That was true for Aaron, but wasn't it equally true for Alusair?
"I'm only telling the truth. Besides, Aaron Salian, do you realize how much you're asking for a beating right now?" Alusair casually crooked a finger, beckoning Aaron closer. She caught his chin, her beautiful burgundy eyes imperious and fierce as she waited for his answer.
It was also a way to conceal her feelings. The more she acted like this, the better she could hide her unease and soothe her nerves, concealing her faintly flushed cheeks and the hopes buried deep within her heart.
There was no helping it. She was too proud to accept even the possibility of rejection. In matters of affection, every overture she made meant that a refusal from Aaron would be a devastating blow to her dignity. That was why she always created a situation in which refusal was impossible, offered him terms he could not reject, and only then cautiously asked what he thought.
She could not accept rejection. Even in love, the Princess was that domineering.
"It's hard to imagine you getting nervous, too."
Aaron crouched before the Princess,