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He looked over his shoulder at the golden beam, then back at Sofia. “We’ll shut the curtains tonight.” He leaned over and kissed her bare shoulder, then moved back a little.
“Tonight?”
A slight frown on his face. “We can use the stables, while you’re here.”
She pretended to consider that. “Can I get back to you?”
It was clear that he didn’t buy it. He laughed. “Sure thing. It’s your call.”
She reached out and flicked his bicep. “You think you’ve got me eating out of the palm of your hand, don’t you?”
“I think we’re eating out of each other’s,” he corrected, moving closer and throwing one of his strong, muscled legs over her body, so they were intimately close. She loved the way he smelled in the morning; she loved the way his skin was so warm and his manner so relaxed.
“Well, in that case, I suppose I’ll come back to your love nest again.” She looked around as if seeing the place for the first time. “Does anyone else use this?”
“The stable manager lives here.”
She turned back to Ares. “Where is he or she?”
“She,” he said. “Is currently in Australia, with two of our horses, preparing for their racing season.”
“Ah. Are there other horses here?”
“Yes.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “And staff?”
“Yes. But no one will come up here.”
“But there’s a risk they could see us leaving?”
“I’m not concerned about that.”
She frowned.
“But if they were to see, and tell the press…”
“Firstly, we’ll leave separately. Secondly, my staff would not sell stories about me.”
Her lips pulled to the side. “That’s pretty trusting. What does a stable hand earn, Your Highness?”
“I don’t know,” he said, frowning, as though this was something he should have at his fingertips.
“Not much, I’ll bet. And the chance of flushing out their pay packet with some tabloid money would be pretty appealing.”
“For some characters, but not my staff.”
She laughed softly. “You’re delightfully trusting.”
“I’m really not. But not once has a palace leak been the source of a story about me.”
“Not that you know of.”
Silence fell, but she didn’t like the look on his face. He was contemplative, as if going back over all of the stories that had been written about him and reevaluating them through that lens. “I’m sure you’re right,” she said, trying to backpedal. “I just really would prefer this not to become public.”
His eyes scanned her face. “Naturally.” He stroked her arm. “I wouldn’t have suggested the stables if I didn’t think it was suitable.”
She nodded slowly. “Have you used them for this before?”
