Free One Moonlit Night (Moonlight Square: A Prequel Novella) by Gaelen Foley Page B

nudging her with his elbow.
    She looked askance at him, then shook her head. Did he really think a bribe would sway her?
    “My dear Lord Roland, you really are a piece of work.”
    “I said call me Gable,” he insisted in a droll tone. “I don’t deem it too improper, since, after all, I am your future husband.”
    “No, you’re not,” she countered sweetly.
    “Yes, I am,” he assured her in a tone just as mild.
    “Go away!” she said, laughing despite her vexation when they reached the corner of Moonlight Square.
    He stopped and turned to study her for a moment.
    “What?” she asked, growing self-conscious. When he didn’t answer, she hesitated. “You’re angry at me,” she said.
    “No. Just surprised. When you chose to embrace spinsterhood, I guess I didn’t think you entirely meant it.”
    Trinny gazed at him, unsure, herself, all of a sudden—and cursing him for making her so. What was wrong with her?
    “I mean, you must be curious,” he murmured, leaning closer.
    “About what?”
    He flicked a smoky glance over her. “The marriage bed.”
    Her eyes widened, and a red-hot blush flamed into her cheeks. “You did not really just say that to me?”
    “You’re missing out,” he taunted softly. “Especially with me.”
    Her jaw dropped. “You coxcomb,” she uttered.
    He shrugged and sauntered away. “Ask anyone.”
    “That’s p-precisely the problem!” she sputtered.
    But the expert seducer merely sent her a smile. “Do let me know if you change your mind,” he said politely as he took his leave of her, ambling off in the direction of his own house as they reached Moonlight Square. “But don’t dawdle, my sweet. Father only gave me four weeks to secure a bride.”
    “You let me know if you change your mind!” she shot back, her face still hot.
    He furrowed his brow at her in question.
    “About your wicked ways!”
    “Ah, that.” But the frank look he gave her required no words to tell her, with unmistakable eloquence, that the other girls on his father’s list weren’t going to care about his peccadilloes.
    “Stop,” she ordered.
    He stopped. “You’re very stubborn,” he said. “You could be the next Countess of Sefton. With a castle and several fine estates. And a damned fine husband, if I say so myself.”
    “Gable,” she said softly, tentatively, trying out his Christian name. Not because he’d ever be her husband. But because she truly had come to consider him a particular friend after his advice had altered the course of her entire life. “I won’t be changing my mind.”
    He considered this, the mask of suave humor finally melting away. “Why not? Am I so bad?”
    “I don’t want to be the one who cages you. Not now that we’ve become friends. You told me the truth of your opinion on marriage the night we met. So it’s no use. And besides…” Her words trailed off.
    “Besides what?” he asked quietly.
    “I don’t want you to be the one who really breaks my heart. Because you could.”
    Her heart thundered at her own stark admission.
    He tilted his head and gazed at her for a long moment from where he stood a few feet away. Then he returned, lifted her hand gently from her side, and kissed her knuckles.
    “Then I retract my offer, sweet Katrina. Because I fear you’re probably right, and I would not hurt you for all the castles in the Realm. Farewell for now, my lovely friend,” he added softly, and, releasing her hand, he turned around and strolled away.
    And, Trinny feared, likely took her heart with him.

    # # #

    Gable walked away with the taste of ice cream on his tongue and the sting of rejection smarting worse than the pain in his arm.
    He could not believe the little quiz had turned him down. But so be it.
    Startled, confused, with his pride bruised, and yet intrigued, he could feel her gaze on his back as he cut through the park, heading for his side of Moonlight Square.
    Well, damn, he thought with a droll wince, maybe I’m not quite the