Free Borderland Beauty by Samantha Holt Page A

a sublime state of euphoria -
How then can I win him
With sweet wine or gold?

He is not bound by the senses -
How then can I win him
With all the riches of China?

He is an angel,
Though he appears in the form of a man.
Even angels cannot fly in his presence -
How then can I win him
By assuming a heavenly form?

He flies on the wings of God,
His food is pure light -
How then can I win him
With a loaf of baked bread?

He is neither a merchant, nor a tradesman -
How then can I win him
With a plan of great profit?

He is not blind, nor easily fooled -
How then can I win him
By lying in bed as if gravely ill?

I will go mad, pull out my hair,
Grind my face in the dirt -
How will this win him?

He sees everything -
how can I ever fool him?”
    Dominic paused as he shot her a meaningful look and Lucy pressed a hand to her chest as the pressure built until her breaths quickened. She glanced around to see if anyone had noticed her reaction but the rest of the guests were as entranced as she.
    He continued,
    “He is not a seeker of fame,
A prince addicted to the praise of poets -
How then can I win him
With flowing rhymes and poetic verses?

The glory of his unseen form
Fills the whole universe
How then can I win him
With a mere promise of paradise?

I may cover the earth with roses,
I may fill the ocean with tears,
I may shake the heavens with praises -
none of this will win him.

There is only one way to win him,
this Beloved of mine -

Become his. ”
    He fell silent, latching his gaze onto Lucy’s and she shivered. Become his? Oh, how easy it would be just to fall into those arms. A ripple of applause broke the moment and Lucy clapped her hands mechanically.
    His words echoed through her mind as she sank into bed that night, her mind fuzzy with wine and confusion. Every rational thought bade her to take caution, but her body and every irrational thought said otherwise. Just a few more days , she thought, as the wine-induced sleep encroached on her. Just stay strong for a few more days. How hard could that be?
    ~* * *~
    Curled up in a chair by the fire, Lucy squinted as she attempted to focus on her book. Her skin tingled as she observed Dominic out of the corner of her eye. Her senses had been on alert since he entered the hall, his hair pulled away from his face and his heavy cloak enhancing the breadth of his shoulders. In spite of herself, she had traced every inch of his profile, sucking in a breath as his eyes flicked over to her.
    Burying her head back into her book, she rubbed at her forehead with a sigh. The love story in her hand held little sway over Lord Dominic. No matter how hard she tried, her gaze kept drifting back to him, even though she recognised she was only adding to his belief that she would fall for him.
    Several of the guests gathered near the door and Lucy ascertained that they were going ice-skating. She'd heard mention of it this morning and had been deliberately vague. She'd never skated before and had little intention of doing so. With her clumsy manners, she'd probably give them all a good laugh. Forcing herself to turn her back on them, she hunched over her book and forced herself to focus on the words.
    “Will you not join us, Luce?”
    Tearing herself from her book, she followed the line of his tunic until she reached his face. His eyes flashed as he noted her perusal of him. Silly fool, why could she not behave normally around him? She darted a hesitant glance at her father as something resembling a growl resounded from him. Her mother jabbed her elbow into his side and with an indignant look, he buried his head back into his book.
    “Well, I…I’ve not skated before.”
    “Go on, Lucy,” her mother urged. “‘Twill do you some good to get some fresh air.”
    “I can show you how,” Dominic volunteered.
    Lucy looked him over with a frown. Why was he so determined to spend time with her? She snorted inwardly. No doubt he thought she would be the