Scarlet regretted telling Ian the dream. All she wanted to do now was cover his mouth or better yet, sew it shut so she didn’t have to be questioned about the dream. If only there was a hot needle and thread close by. This was the perfect ti for her to do it.
"Careful Scarlet," Ian said, keeping his hands on her waist so she couldn’t make a second escape. "If you stare at my lips so much, I can’t help but think that you want to kiss them. You are free to do as you want."
"And if I wanted to bite them?" Scarlet asked, wanting to see how far he would let her abuse him. She could step on his shoe and he might enjoy it.
"If that is what you are into, then yes. I would love to show off the marks you make on my lips," Ian answered.
"You, how can you be this way?" Scarlet wondered. He needed to be studied as soone couldn’t be this way all the ti.
"Because I like you," Ian confessed once more. "You still don’t trust ."
Ian could see from her expression that there was still so doubt. "I have not asked you for money. Only your ti and presence."
"Many have approached with all kinds of tricks to get close to . It is not easy for to trust when I have been betrayed many tis. So show their hands early. They can’t hide wanting my wealth while others make quite good snakes. Only after I ward up to their presence and like them did I realise the truth. I have no ti for others betraying now," said Scarlet.
There was rarely anyone new in her life at the mont because she couldn’t add having to beware of their motives on top of everything else she faced. Ian was the one person who managed to slip his way into her life.
Ian disliked hearing this. He could imagine how many must have betrayed her for her to be this way even now. "I have no plans of using you," he promised. "Ti will show it. There will be so lies spread around about . There are only a handful of people in town who know where I have been or what I have been up to."
"What if Owen was to tell of your plans? Should I believe him?" Scarlet asked. Owen had told her that Ian had no plans for her so she shouldn’t be concerned.
Ian’s hold on her waist beca tighter as he thought about what Owen could have said.
Feeling this, Scarlet was reminded that she was sitting on Ian’s lap. She was surprised that she hadn’t tried more to push him away. He might be stronger but she still knew how to put up a good fight.
"You can trust what he says. He speaks too much so you have to ignore so of what he babblers about, but Owen knows what I have done in recent years," Ian answered.
Ian couldn’t see Owen betraying him since Owen wouldn’t be around if not for him showing up when he did. "He told that he almost ruined our relationship and you scared him."
Scarlet smiled as she couldn’t forget how scared Owen was. She liked people who were scared easily because it was fun to test how far it would take for her to have them running for a door.
"I think he is more scared of your estate than my ho which he believes has ghosts. If Owen runs out of town to get away from you, what are you going to do to repay for making lose such a loyal person?" Ian asked.
He tested the water by moving his hand up, careful to let his fingers slip under her shirt as he moved his hand. Getting her used to sitting on him as she was now was sothing he had slowly worked her up to from all the tis they touched in the past, but Ian knew she wouldn’t be comfortable with him touching her skin.
"I believe I have done you a favour for not hurting you for lifting without my permission. Anyone else would have beco quite acquainted with the sword on the wall. You should say thank you," said Scarlet.
There weren’t many to be so bold to just lift her. Yet Ian did it, fully accepting that she might harm him.
"I don’t think so, Scarlet. After all, I only lifted you to put you in a better mood. Didn’t I do a good job of distracting you from what bothered you? What did I say to upset you? Tell ," Ian said, not wanting to make the sa mistake twice.
He didn’t want to ruin how close they were slowly becoming. Scarlet should have kicked him long ago. She had the perfect path to where might hurt him if she were to use her knee but she was sitting still. A little too still which made him worry that she was thinking of a way to hurt him.
"It is what you said about being cruel. You must have heard by now that I am a cold woman. Of course, Jack could not put up with her," Scarlet repeated sothing she had overheard.
One of the reasons they gave was that it was fine for Jack to have another woman instead of pointing out that he had cheated on his wife. Was she to be kind to him after his betrayal? Smile and treat him well as she sent him off?
"I told you that I don’t care for rumours, Scarlet. I’ll make my own judgent based on what you show . You are guarded, not cold. Those babbling fools haven’t spent a day with you to know what you are," Ian replied.
Many would be surprised if they were to spend a day with Scarlet and find how amusing she was. What kind of cold-hearted person would take in Princess Alana so easily?
Ian learned a thing or two about Alana and the king being half-siblings. She was not exactly the sibling many would try pleasing in order to get close to the king. Scarlet had taken Alana in because she wanted to help. There could be more to why Alana was here, but Ian went with what he saw and knew so far.
"Don’t make the mistake of placing the sa as that man," Ian said, referring to Jack. "It was a letdown to be visited by Jake Humphrey."
Scarlet laughed, hoping Ian made this mistake before Jack. She imagined that Jack would have been fuming with anger. "I apologise for his visit. He is yet to understand what it ans to be divorced."
"Rather than apologise, how about a treat? Are you not curious about how much your attraction for is? How much you want ? Why don’t we test why I showed in your dreams?" Ian proposed, trying to use this as an opportunity to kiss her again. "If you feel nothing for , I won’t be up that dream ever again."
Ian couldn’t help but take in her appearance. Her comfortable look which was far different from when he saw her in town. He didn’t have a favourite. He equally enjoyed both sides of her.
Like always, his hand found it’s way to her hair. "Would it be wrong if I want those who know nothing about you to stay clueless so they wouldn’t want to get close after finding out how wonderful you are? I might end up selfish by the end of this. Would you be so kind to give that chance, Scarlet?"
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