Free Once Upon a Romance 01 - Before the Midnight Bells by Jessica Woodard Page B

easy to read on her face, and she knew it. Max felt mercy stirring. As lovely as the color was on her, he knew she must be cringing inside. Without thinking, he moved to distract her.
    “ So then, shall we go to a tea house and discuss it?”
    This could not be happening. It simply could not be happening. She was sitting here, face on fire, and this man, whom she barely knew, but had just seen practically naked, was asking her to tea.
    “ I don’t think I have the time…”
    Max saw her uncertainty, and knew that her instinct was to turn him down. He was sure, however, that he knew what card to play to get her to agree to tea.
    “ I see, I see.” He used his most somber tone. “My manly glory has frightened you away, as it would any bashful maiden. Quite right, quite right.”
    Ella’s head shot up, and her spine straightened immediately. She glared at Max, but the mischief lurking in his eyes betrayed his overly solemn demeanor and disarmed her temper. He thought he could regain the upper hand, did he? Well, she would show him.
    “ Not at all,” Ella used the sweetly simpering tone she heard other ladies use so often, “I just wasn’t sure if I had time to step out before my next appointment—I have several other gentlemen coming by for measurements today.”
    Max felt like he had been struck dumb. He knew she was jesting—he knew it—but somehow that didn’t keep him from imagining Ella measuring any number of men behind that curtain. Seeing them undress, touching them as she had him… he was speechless. He wouldn’t allow it . He would… he would…
    He checked himself. He would what? He wasn’t her father, or brother, or husband; he wasn’t even her fiancé. He had no claim on her, just because they had spent an evening together and then flirted, no matter how intimately, in the back of her shop. She didn’t even know who he really was, and he certainly couldn’t tell her. He was supposed to be madly in love with Vivienne. There was no way he could upset the princess’s plans, crush his father, and anger the king by giving the impression that he was having a fling with a dressmaker. She was right, this was no time for them to be going to tea.
    Ella was concerned—Max looked like he’d been hit in the head with a brick. She was about to ask if he was alright when he shook his head just a bit, and then gave her a polite, reserved smile, so different from the usual grin that adorned his face when he spoke to her.
    “ I would hate to be the cause of a missed appointment; perhaps you are correct, and tea isn’t possible.”
    Max gave a quick bow and began to move to the door. Ella was hurt and confused. Given all the good - humored teasing they had engaged in last night, she hardly thought a joke about measuring scores of men would cause such a shift. Why was Max suddenly acting distant? Still, the bells had reminded her once, and she wasn’t likely to forget again: this man was her client, and she had a job to do.
    “ Before you go,” Ella matched his cheerfully professional tone, “if you have no preferences I can decide on materials and tailoring, but really, you must give me a budget.”
    “ Hmmm… I don’t want to go overboard.” Max named a staggering sum. “Would that be enough?”
    Ella practically choked. She could make him ten costumes for that price. Out of gold. “I think that would suit admirably. Can you make a fitting in two days time?”
    “ A fitting.” Max imagined standing again in the back room, while Ella smoothed and pinned fabric to his body. The polite smile was wiped from his face, replaced by his more customary grin.
    “ I wouldn’t miss it.”
    ***
    After Max had gone, Ella felt swamped by unfamiliar emotions. Her whole body felt warm, her clothing seemed too tight, and when she thought over Max’s visit to the shop she felt… well, so many things she couldn’t even name them all. Mostly she was confused. She couldn’t understand her own reactions, let