Stared into each other's eyes

Both of them silently drank their tea. Charlotte felt Édouard's gaze all the time, so she avoided looking at him all the time. He had sent Zoe out of the room as he wanted to be alone with his wife.

Charlotte looked at the time on the wall clock by raising her head and saw it was already past nine-thirty. "Do you not want to go to work?" She asked and put the cup on the saucer as she had finished the tea.

"I took a day off," Édouard replied and leaned forward to place the cup on the table.

"Why?" Charlotte suspiciously asked.

"I thought to spend time with my wife," Édouard stated with an amused expression on his face.

"Isn't your work more important to you? Zoe has told me how you always prioritize your work," Charlotte said.

"That was before I did not get married. Now, it is different. I have to give as much time as I can to my wife," Édouard stated.

"You do not have to give time to me. You already know a lot of things about me," Charlotte asserted as she recalled his late-night conversation with Reinard. He rose to his feet and walked across the sofa table to reach her. He sat next to her and, to his surprise, he found out that she did not move away.

"Do you want to go to the place which is a secret to everyone?" Édouard questioned her. Charlotte tilted her head to peer at him. "I had promised myself when I would marry, then I would take my wife there," he added.

"Before that, I would like to request you to give my elder brother his job. The market is down and he needs to feed the family too," Charlotte put forward a condition. "I believe that you can do this much for me."

"I will return him his job when I leave for the neighboring kingdom," Édouard finally acknowledged her request. She was too happy that finally, the stubborn Duke agreed to her. She looked at her hand which Édouard had held gently. She wanted to pull it back, but that touch was full of warmth.

"You look beautiful today. Thank you for dressing up like a fairy."

That compliment made her blush and her cheeks turned like a ripened tomato. Mathieu had admired her, but not this way. This was different and unexplainable. Their eyes met momentarily and she stopped blinking. Her toes curled inside her shoes and she wanted to hide somewhere.

His face leaned closer to hers and their breaths mingled. She got the scent of the perfume that he had used and it intoxicated her mind. She was unable to think of anything except how would it feel to be in his embrace. It was a sudden change in her, not entirely because of the conversation that she heard the previous night, but his compassionate self for her.

She shut her eyes tightly, not knowing the fact that why she did that when he was too close to her. She was unable to understand if she wanted a kiss from him or if she was nervous because of this closeness.

Édouard wondered if she wanted him to kiss her or if she was scared as those expressions were unreadable to her. One thing that he was sure that she was no longer pushing him away. How could she change overnight?

"Do you want me to kiss you?" He finally asked. Instantly, she opened her eyes and her eyelids fluttered. She was too flustered by his question that she looked away and shook her head.

"So-something fell in-in my eyes," she stuttered.

"Let me check then," he demanded. He continued to smile because he knew she lied to him. It was either she was nervous or she wanted a kiss.

"I shall go now," Charlotte said and stood on her feet. She wanted to run away as far as she could from him when he grasped her wrist and pulled her down. She was startled by his sudden action and fell onto his lap.

Her breath hitched as her face came too close to him. Her lips prevented her from touching his and her eyes went wide in shock.

"Stay here. We have to do breakfast together," he softly said against her lips. His fingers brushed her already burning skin as he tucked those hair strands behind her ear. Now, the view of her face was perfect for him.

Rainard had walked into the living room without permission and saw their intimate position. He quietly stepped back to leave as he did not want to ruin their private moment when his foot hit the table behind and the vase on it almost fell. Rainard had caught it, but they saw him.

She immediately moved away from Édouard's lap and buried her face behind him in embarrassment.

"What are you doing here, Rainard? I ordered that no one should come inside," Édouard said with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

Rainard stood straight while lowering his head and apologized to him. "There was no one outside and I thought His Grace was alone," he stated. "Please continue," Rainard said, and he left, without listening to Édouard.

Édouard looked over his shoulder and saw Charlotte had her head low. Her small hands had gripped his waistcoat from the arm firmly.

"He has gone. You can relax," he whispered and she looked at him.

She let go of his arm and moved back. "Why did the Duke do that? Rainard must be thinking wrong about us," she mumbled in embarrassment.

"But we did not do anything. We merely stared into each other's eyes," he proclaimed.

"You must tell Rainard not to spread anything inappropriate about us. How will I face the people in the palace then?" She got worried and it made Édouard chuckle.

He turned to her and pinned her down on the couch.

"Édouard!" She placed her hands on his chest while her heart wildly raced against her chest.

"If you do not accept me as your husband, then that will turn into some inappropriate rumors. I do not want anyone to say anything bad about our relationship, especially about you." He caressed her hair gently while his grip remained firm on her other arm.

"I understand," Charlotte answered and lowered her eyes.

Édouard's mind screamed at him to kiss his woman, but he again stopped himself. He slowly moved back and asked her if they should take their breakfast.