His voice was incentive enough to look away from the beloved sculpture, but she didn't go to him. His assessment of the artwork, both human and marble, earned a chuckle as her eyes warmed. It wasn't the first time he'd said something so bold about her appearance and she was not shy about the observation, but the burst of butterflies was a bit much. She was enjoying his flirtation too much and she knew it. When this ended, she would miss his praise and his open admiration. She would miss the devil-may-care smirk and smokey tone his voice and laugh took on when he was on the prowl. She would miss him, and the idea, the inevitability of it all, tightened around the borders of her heart. It was a frightening thing and a vulnerable place she avoided when she could, but she couldn't silence her mind any more than she could silence her mouth when provoked.
There was still a rebel camp in her musings that held out for something ridiculous. What if he enjoyed their attachment as she did or if he meant as many of the things in her letters as she did? What if he saw in her a destination instead of a distraction? What if, just perhaps, he thought of her as fondly as she did him? There were so many possibilities in if.
Shaking the sentimental hindrance away, she slid quickly back into the familiar pattern of wordplay "Only the ones he can't marry off." She teased with some authority in the matter. "My father and I are of the same mind on point at least, few things are more frustrating than wasting genius on those ill-equipped to appreciate it." Angel perched on the fountain's rim and let her hand trail through the water before adding, "I have a vivid memory of my sister Ksenia's debut ball. After one of her more promising suitors groped a statue of Venus, we have been more selective about allowing outsiders near our favorites." Her smile was all mischief, her memories from so long ago still crystal clear. She was only nine at the time but watching the ensuing mayhem had made sneaking out of bed to watch the party worth the effort.
Fixing her gaze on him again, not bothering to hide her appreciation, Angel managed with this with a straight face, "If the sight of bare marble is too much of a challenge to your restraint, please alert me now. I wouldn't want to intrude."
There was still a rebel camp in her musings that held out for something ridiculous. What if he enjoyed their attachment as she did or if he meant as many of the things in her letters as she did? What if he saw in her a destination instead of a distraction? What if, just perhaps, he thought of her as fondly as she did him? There were so many possibilities in if.
Shaking the sentimental hindrance away, she slid quickly back into the familiar pattern of wordplay "Only the ones he can't marry off." She teased with some authority in the matter. "My father and I are of the same mind on point at least, few things are more frustrating than wasting genius on those ill-equipped to appreciate it." Angel perched on the fountain's rim and let her hand trail through the water before adding, "I have a vivid memory of my sister Ksenia's debut ball. After one of her more promising suitors groped a statue of Venus, we have been more selective about allowing outsiders near our favorites." Her smile was all mischief, her memories from so long ago still crystal clear. She was only nine at the time but watching the ensuing mayhem had made sneaking out of bed to watch the party worth the effort.
Fixing her gaze on him again, not bothering to hide her appreciation, Angel managed with this with a straight face, "If the sight of bare marble is too much of a challenge to your restraint, please alert me now. I wouldn't want to intrude."
![[Image: NpMgQU7.png]](https://i.imgur.com/NpMgQU7.png)