Free King's Man and Thief by Christie Golden

often garish cosmetics that wealthy women used to color their lips, eyes, and mouth. Her skin was tanned, another departure from the current, milk-white fashion, and she seemed to like to laugh a great deal.
    "I knew she'd been gone and had finally come home. Everybody knew that. But—" Pedric, for perhaps the first time in his life, was at a loss for words.
    "She's been gone twelve years," Deveren explained. "Lorinda was sent at the age of eight to be one of the Tenders at Love's temple in Kasselton. When the former Blesser stepped down, she selected someone else to follow her as Blesser, so Lorinda returned home. This is the first time I've seen her make an appearance in public. Perhaps I should ask after her, see if she wants anything." He dead-panned this last line, and took a step toward the beautiful woman.
    "Ah, no, Dev, I think I'll go convey your greetings for you." Pedric was moving before he had finished the sentence, and Deveren watched him go, worry in his hazel eyes.
     
    So, thought Pedric as he stepped smoothly beside Lorinda, she's fresh out of the temple, eh? Shouldn't be too hard ...
    "Good evening, milady Lorinda. Welcome back to Braedon. I understand that you've just recently returned." He smiled charmingly. "Love's loss. I can tell just by looking at your fair face that you would have made a superb Blesser of Love."
    He reached for her hand to kiss it, but somehow Lorinda managed to gracefully evade him. The look she shot him was decidedly cool. "Thank you for your welcome, milord ... ?"
    "Pedric Dunsan, Lord Asakinn. But I'd like it if you'd call me Pedric." Again he tried for her hand, snared it this time, and brought it to his lips. It was surprisingly callused, but not unattractive. He attempted to turn it over, to place a feathery kiss on the sensitive wrist, when suddenly the workrough hand of the beauty of the hour wasn't there. He almost kissed his own hand, but recovered quickly.
    "I'd prefer to keep things formal, Lord Asakinn."
    Her voice was icy. If she was playing with him, she was doing it well. Mockingly, Pedric shivered. 'Trifle cold in here for early summer, don't you think? The winds usually blow," and he paused for effect, "warm and soft."
    The brilliant dark eyes narrowed. "Excuse me."
She wasn't playing. She was serious. The realization unsettled him.
"No, wait!" The plea held none of the false calculation of his earlier chat, and Lorinda hesitated. Pedric swallowed. Her fragrance, a mixture of rose and honeysuckle, was devastating.
    "I'm afraid I've made a bit of a fool of myself," he stammered. Her full lips twitched. She did not contradict him.
    He took a deep breath. All or nothing, then.
Out it came. "All right: I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, despite the fact that you're not wearing any of those horrible cosmetics, or, I don't know, maybe because you're not wearing them, and I mean that, and I'm fascinated by the fact that you spent twelve years in Love's temple, and I think I'd truly like to get to know you better." He finished, and looked at her pleadingly.
    "You look like a puppy," she said, but not unkindly.
    His heart lifted, just a little, and the old playfulness returned in some small measure. "If I had a tail, I'd be thumping it on the floor, but I don't. I must content myself with looking pathetic and hoping my mistress will toss me a crumb of her affection."
    Mirth played about her face, and finally she surrendered to it. She laughed easily, like a child, and Pedric felt his heart speed up at what merriment did to her already lovely visage.
    "I'm afraid I owe you an apology," she said. Her voice, when warmed with friendliness, was music. "Ever since I've been back, I've been . .. well... almost attacked by young men who think that simply because I served the goddess Love I'm ready to sexually oblige anyone who asks."
    Pedric blushed at her frank language. Never had he heard a woman —well, at least a woman of quality—speak so bluntly before.