"Hana! Thank God!" I cried as I found Hana in the lodge later that evening. "Can you help me? I need to learn the Cordonian Waltz!" Ever the patient and loyal friend, Hana was more than willing to teach me the steps. What I didn't have was the natural talent, or the time needed to be actually good. But at least I knew I wouldn't completely embarrass myself. Hana gave me the best pep talk she could, and we rejoined the rest of the court in the lodge. Everyone was sipping hot cocoa and warming up by the fire. Maxwell saw us and waved us over. "Did you have fun today?" he asked me.

"Yeah, it was super fun!" I said.

"And now we have hot chocolate!" Hana chirped. "Look at how cute, the marshmallows are little hearts!"

"Just...just adorable," Drake said in a dead-pan tone.

Just then, Maxwell broke into a fit of coughing and managed to spit out "Incoming," just as Olivia approached our little group.

"Well, hello, dear guests," she said. "I hope you're enjoying my spectacular hosting."

"I always enjoy my time here with you, Olivia," Maxwell said sweetly.

"Yeah, it's...something," Drake managed. Olivia narrowed her eyes at him.

"Did you see we have eclairs, Drake? They always remind me of dear, darling little Savannah. She'd gobble them down like a sow at the trough."

At the name Savannah, Drake's posture stiffened, and I looked up to see his face drawn tight in anger. "Don't talk about my sister," he said, his words pointed and short.

"Why ever not?" Olivia asked in what everyone could tell was feigned innocence. "She was such a fixture at court, and then she just up and disappeared. You never told us what happened, and usually gossip is quick to spread."

Drake was balling his hands into fists, then letting them go, rhythmically, like a stress-release exercise or something. "She left because of people like you," he spat.

"She always was the sensitive sort." Olivia looked at me with a sharp-toothed smile. "Ladies like that don't last long here."

Drake shifted uneasily, then suddenly relaxed. "You know what?" he said, more to the group than to Olivia. "I just remembered, I've got somewhere I need to be. If you'll excuse me." He bowed like a proper gentleman to me, Hana, and even Olivia, then turned and strode off casually.

"Wait, Drake, dear!" Olivia called out after him, more than a hint of venom in her voice. "Come back! I wasn't finished with you!"

"Olivia," I growled. "Leave Drake alone before I slap that fake smile off your face."

Olivia's smile didn't even falter. "Ooh," she said instead, her tone one of mocking sentimentality. "Does Cinderella have a soft spot for the rough-around-the-edges commoner?"

I sneered at her. "Maybe I just don't like seeing anyone get treated like that."

Olivia rolled her eyes and pranced off to go spend more time with Liam, or, I don't know, maybe sharpen her fangs or something. As soon as she was gone, I made my excuses to the others and darted outside after Drake.

As I stepped into the dark, cold night air, I pulled my wool coat tighter around me. I spotted Drake a ways off, standing at the edge of a patch of forest. His back was to me as I approached, and he was staring into the woods, hands in his jean pockets.

"Hey," I said as I stepped up next to him.

He jumped a little. "Riley? What are you doing here?"

I looked at him like he had just asked a really stupid question, because as far as I was concerned, he had. "I wanted to make sure you were okay," I said.

He grimaced. "No offense, but you're the last person I need looking out for me."

I scoffed and grimaced right back at him. "Gee, thanks."

"That's not what I-" his face softened and he ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, hell," he said with a sigh. "I'm not trying to be a jerk, Harkness. I only meant that you shouldn't have to worry about me. You should only be looking out for yourself."

I shook my head. "That's not how I operate," I said. "I can't help but look out for my friends." I realized it was the first time I had acknowledged Drake as a friend. Given how hostile he had always been to me, it seemed funny. Rather than letting it hang awkwardly in the air, I hurried on with my train of thought. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"If you really want to know, you'll have to trust me." The faintest hint of a smile passed his lips, but it was gone so fast I thought maybe I had imagined it.

"Trust you? I'd trust you about as far as I can throw you. And you look pretty heavy to me."

Drake laughed at that. "Well, you're out here alone with me at night, so you must think I'm at least not some kind of murderer.

"You know, the thought did cross my mind..."

"Here, I'll make this easy for you," he said, stepping in front of me. He reached out with both hands, and shoved me by the shoulders so that I toppled backwards into the snow.

"Hey!" I shouted, then, "Oh." I was looking up at the most star-filled sky I had ever seen. Faint purple streaks of the Milky Way broke up the dark blues and blacks of the night, and shooting stars frequently passed through the sky. "Wow..." I breathed.

I jumped a little as Drake landed with a THUD in the snow next to me. "Pretty good, huh?" He said.

"It's gorgeous." My voice was a whisper. I don't know what it is about moments like that, but I always felt like I had to speak softly, or the spell would be broken.

Drake had no such fear, and his voice was solid in the air as he spoke. "Nothing beats a clear view of the sky during a meteor shower."

"I'm so glad I didn't miss this," I said.

"Really?" Drake said, turning just his head to look at me. I did the same, and our noses were inches apart. He continued, his voice lowering just slightly. "Would've figured you'd rather eat bon-bons and dress up tiny dogs, or whatever Olivia had planned for the night."

I scrunched up my face a little. "You have a lot to learn about me." He smiled, then looked back up at the sky. I followed suit, and we both lay in the cold snow for a few minutes, until clouds started creeping across the sky, blotting out the stars.

"Guess that's our cue to head in," I said. Drake stood first and helped me up, even dusting off the snow from my back.

"I used to do this with my younger sister, Savannah, every year," he explained as we walked back to the chateau. "We grew up around the royals. My dad used to do security for Liam and his brother, and my sister and I were allowed to hang out with them. Liam and I ended up getting close, even though I didn't have the lineage to merit it. Savannah, on the other hand, got along with everyone. And they were all friendly with her. She loved living at the palace when we were kids, being around all the pretty dresses and jewelry."

"It's like every little girl's fantasy," I said, nodding.

"But it got harder when she was older," he said sadly.

"How so?"

"She..." he stopped and reset himself. "It was hard on her. She couldn't take it, I guess. After what happened..." he stopped again. "I failed her. I couldn't protect her."

"Protect her? From what?"

"From this place...these people." He spat the last few words out and stopped walking. He put a hand over his face for a moment before continuing. "Sorry. It's...I guess I'm still not ready to talk about it." We kept walking. "This is more than I've talked about it with anyone in the last year, actually."

That surprised me. "Really?" I asked. "Does that mean you trust me?" I was grinning.

"I don't trust anyone, Harkness."

My grin faded.

"But if I did, I'd start with you."

My grin returned and grew to a full-fledged smile. "Drake," I said, "That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to...well, anyone."

He chuckled. "Maybe."

We were just outside the doors to the chateau now, but neither of us moved to go inside. We looked up at the sky one last time, but instead of shooting stars, we saw snowflakes beginning to fall. "Good thing we came back when we did," I said.

"Yeah," Drake agreed. "It'd be quite the scandal if I let one of the Prince's suitors freeze to death out here on my watch."

"I'd hate for my untimely demise to cause you any difficulty."

"Not to mention, Maxwell would never let me hear the end of it."

"I'm sure even Bertrand would be upset, in his own way."

"Bertrand?" Drake laughed. "He'd only be upset if he couldn't turn it into some kind of press event."

I shoved Drake on the shoulder as we both headed inside. Everyone else had dispersed from the parlor while we were gone, so I took it as my cue to head for bed. I fell asleep and dreamed about waltzing in the snow with Drake.

The next day, I shook off the weirdness of that dream, and met Hana at the boutique. She helped me pick out a beautiful ice-blue ball gown that she assured me would knock Liam off his feet.

"I feel like a real princess in this dress," I said, twirling in front of the mirror. The sparkling gems embroidered on the dress looked like snowflakes as I turned. Hana had to practically drag me away from my own reflection so that we wouldn't be late for the ball. She was just lucky I didn't start singing Let it Go.

"Ladies," Maxwell said in his effulgent way, as he greeted us in the ballroom. "It's a pleasure to see you both tonight." He bowed respectfully. "And Lady Harkness, I must say, you look utterly becoming. Truly, a diamond of the first water."

I raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "Why so formal, Maxwell?" I asked.

He flashed a grin, then resumed his serious demeanor. "Tonight, I am representing the Duchy of Ramsford at this important social event."

"That sounds like something Bertrand would say."

Maxwell frowned. "He's been calling me all night to remind me."

Hana gave him a sympathetic look.

"Well," I said, "Try and have some fun at least."

"Yeah," Hana agreed. "We're here for you. Although..." she looked around. "For now, we should probably find our seats."

We looked around, trying to spy a namecard that belonged to us. "Eh," Maxwell groaned, seeing our faces. "About that." Hana and I both turned to look at him. "Turns out, I'm sitting at the head table with Olivia and the Prince. But you two are at the farthest table in the back. I guess Olivia put together the seating plan."

Hana frowned sadly, but I just rolled my eyes. "Olivia's making me sit in the back? What a shock. Why doesn't she just lock me in my room?"

"Don't give her any ideas!" Maxwell laughed, then sighed. "Well, sorry to leave you guys, but..." He glanced forlornly at the head table, where every other chair was already filled.

"Don't worry about us," Hana said with a smile. "Riley and I will make the best of it."

"That's right!" I said. We waved and parted ways, with Hana and I weaving our way across the dining area to a table right in the back near the kitchen doors. As we approached the table, we saw that there was only one other person sitting there, and I can't say I was surprised at who that person was.

"Welcome to the table of exiles," said Drake dryly as we sat.

"Now I know this is the worst table in the room," I joked, poking Drake in the ribs and smiling.

"We're all just pawns lined up on the board in Olivia's little game," he said, not sharing my light-hearted spirit.

"Well, even a pawn can become Queen," I said, which actually made Drake crack a smile.

"At least back here, out of the spotlight, we can relax," Drake said, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head for emphasis. He stayed that way for a while, as we all watched a parade of waiters carry out dish after dish of delicious smelling food. None of the staff stopped to serve our table, however, starting at the head table and working their way back towards the kitchen.

"The food looks amazing," Hana said. "I hope they serve us soon! I'm starving!"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up," Drake said, leaning in to put his arms on the table. "Where we're seated, we'll be the last to eat. If there's even any left by the time they get to us."

"But..." Hana sputtered. "The lobster bisque...do you really think we'll go hungry?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," I said fiercely. I don't even like lobster bisque, but I was going to be damned if Olivia would treat my friends like that. I stood up and grabbed the arm of a waiter as he passed by. "Excuse me," I said, trying to sound weak and pathetic. "I haven't eaten all day...I feel faint...I need something to eat, quickly!" I fluttered my eyes and fell forwards towards Drake.

"Hey!" he said, grabbing me before I pushed him off his own chair. He jumped into the game, looking angrily at the waiter, "What are you waiting for? Get her some food, now!"

Startled, the waiter set a bowl of bisque on the table and hurried off. As soon as he was gone, I jumped up and smoothed down my dress.

"I can't believe that actually worked, Harkness," Drake said, a huge smile on his face. "Just warn me next time before you take a dive. Next time I might not catch you." As he said it, he and I both knew it wasn't true.

"I like to keep you on your toes," I said as I sat back down. I pushed the bowl towards Drake and Hana, and they each grabbed a spoon and took a few bites. Drake offered me some, but I shook my head. "It's all yours," I said.

"I'm in lobster heaven!" Hana said, wiggling happily in her seat. "Thank you Riley! We'd be lost without you."

"Solid work, Harkness," Drake agreed.

My friends quickly drained the bowl, and after thirty minutes we still hadn't seen another morsel of food. By the time we did get our own sad, bottom-of-the-pot bowls of bisque, the musicians were already starting to play dancing music.

Olivia stood at the head table and announced that it was time for the Cordonian Waltz. Hana looked at me with apprehension. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I said, trying to sound confident. Hana and I strode towards the dance floor, leaving Drake behind to prop up the wall in the back.

Liam asked Olivia to dance, and I had to fight back a pout. I knew it wasn't personal. Even Hana whispered to me, "It would be unspeakably rude for Prince Liam to not dance this waltz with the hostess." I nodded. Just then, Maxwell came up to us and asked me to join him. I smiled and took his hand as we walked to the center of the dance floor.

"Oh god," Maxwell said, suddenly panicked. "Wait a second. Do you even know how to do the Cordonian Waltz?"

I shook my head with a smile. "I was wondering when you were going to ask that. Thankfully, Hana has you covered. She went over the steps with me yesterday. I think we'll manage."

"I'm so sorry," he said, frowning. "I knew I was forgetting something. I know Bertrand would never have neglected to mention it."

"Yes," I said, "But if he were here, I'd be stuck dancing with him, and we'd be having much less fun. And whatever happens, we'll get through it together."

"Right," Maxwell said, smiling again as he took my hand, leading us into the opening stance for the waltz. As the music started up, he guided me through the motions, and between his leading and Hana's training, I was able to make it through the first round of the waltz without incident.

"Spin, and..." Maxwell twirled me so that I was facing outwards, my back to him as he drew me close and put his arms around my waist.

"This seems a little scandalous for the ballroom," I said.

"The Cordonian Waltz is a romantic dance," he said, his voice close in my ear. "In the old days, it used to be that this waltz was the only way couples could flirt. Speaking of which..." he spun me back out, letting go of my hand so we could change partners.

The next thing I knew, I was in Liam's arms, repeating the waltz with him. I blushed and smiled as I looked up at him. "Liam," was all I managed to say.

"Why, hello there," he said with a flirtatious grin.

His smile put me at ease, and I was able to flirt back a little. "Fancy running into you here."

"You mean, on the dance floor of a private ball during a choreographed waltz?"

"Well, when you put it that way, it seems inevitable I'd run into you. But, to be fair, I haven't seen a lot of you lately."

Liam frowned, and I felt bad instantly for saying it.

"True," he agreed. "I've been a little preoccupied. Olivia is the hostess...and I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't spend time with all of the women here." I was about to protest, or rather, apologize, but at that moment, he spun me out, then back in so I was facing outwards, pressed against him like I had been before. Although, it felt so much more intimate now than it had with Maxwell just a few moments before. The intimacy was heightened by Liam whispering in my ear, "But Riley, you should know, you are special to me."

Before I could reply, or even catch my breath, I was back in the arms of Maxwell for the final section of the waltz. I glanced back towards Liam and Olivia dancing, and saw Liam's eyes still fixed on me. Maxwell followed my gaze. "Watching you two together," he said, "I can tell that Liam cares for you a lot."

I sighed. "Yeah. But, our relationship is so strange. It's not like he can just sweep me off my feet and carry me out of here."

"When you're royalty, the rules are different." I was about to answer, when I saw Maxwell's expression change. He was still facing Liam and Olivia, and his jaw dropped down. I turned to see what he was looking at, and saw Olivia kissing Liam. She had her arms wrapped around him, pulling him down to her for a way-too-long-to-be-appropriate-on-the-dance-floor kiss. Eventually, Liam pulled himself away, and led her off the dance floor and towards a quiet corner of the ballroom. The waltz had come to an end, so I...I don't want to say I stormed off the dance floor, but that's at least what it felt like. I hopefully managed to maintain an outward semblance of coolness.

Maxwell was hot on my heels, and we both joined a group of noble ladies chatting about the display. "Aren't you upset?" I asked Madeleine, who seemed nonplussed by the whole thing.

"Ostentatious displays are for those who are either unrefined or insecure," she said matter-of-factly. "I am neither."

"We always knew she and the Prince were close," said another woman, Penelope.

A third lady, Kiara, was less cool about the whole thing. "It was a power move, if you ask me," she said, and angrily stomped off towards the appetizers table.

"Excuse us," Maxwell said, and pulled me away from the group. "We have a chance to play a little politics here," he said quietly, once we were out of earshot from the others.

"Is it the kind of politics where I slap the smirk off Olivia's face?" I asked.

"Not quite, but attacking her alliances is the political equivalent of that." For once, I wasn't even annoyed by the mention of alliances. I just wanted Olivia to pay for kissing my Liam. "Look at Kiara," Maxwell continued. "She's clearly upset at Olivia's display. And she's alone right now. This is what we call an opportunity. You should get on her good side. If you can drive a wedge between her and Olivia, it might weaken Olivia's position. And if Kiara has good things to say about you, it'll help your reputation at court."

I nodded. It actually made a lot of sense. "Okay," I said at last, "I'll give it a shot." I slowly walked over to Kiara, thinking about what I was going to say. When I got near enough, I cleared my throat to get her attention. "Excuse me, Lady Kiara."

She turned to me, surprised. "Oh! Lady Riley. Comment ca va?" Kiara was from some diplomat's family, and was always speaking French. I thought back to that one semester of French I took in high school.

"Ca va bien," I said, and she smiled broadly. "I wanted to discuss Olivia. What did you think of her little...display?"

Kiara's smile disappeared, replaced by a scowl. "I can't believe her. She wouldn't have the guts to do that anywhere else. She's gone mad with power here."

I nodded in agreement. "I think Olivia clearly has the upper hand. She's the greatest threat here. It'll take more than one of us to beat her."

"Interesting," Kiara said, her scowl replaced by a thoughtful expression.

"We need to stick together," I continued, utilizing every we should be allies speech I could think of from my years of watching Survivor and The Amazing Race. "Otherwise, we don't stand a fighting chance against Olivia."

"Are you proposing an alliance?"

I grimaced a little at the word this time, but nodded.

"I wouldn't normally entertain the idea," Kiara admitted, "But you are fitting in remarkably well. You certainly look like you could be an important ally."

"Thank you. And you know, Olivia's friendship is a one-way street. But if you were my ally, I'd support you just as much as I'd expect you to support me. We all need someone to speak well of us. We can help each other out in that regard."

Kiara smiled again. "That's not a bad idea. I suppose we could both benefit from a little well-placed support here and there."

"I'm glad we see it the same way," I returned her smile, ignoring the knot in my stomach. Kiara excused herself, and I rejoined Maxwell to update him on my success.

I spent the next few minutes bouncing back and forth between the dance floor and talking with the other ladies of the court, trying to earn more support. Towards the end of the evening, just as I was on my out of the ballroom, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Liam. "Hello, Lady Riley," he said with a bow. "As usual, you are a vision. You look lovely." He took both my hands in his and pulled me in for a kiss on the cheek.

I stepped back a little, but still managed a smile. "I'm glad you found me," I said. "I was afraid I'd have to leave the ball without seeing you again."

"I know we haven't seen each other much this trip."

"It's been a hectic few days."

"A strange few days," he corrected. "I spend all of these events rushing from person to person, trying to say the right things and keep all the nobles happy." He lowered his voice a little. "But at night, I find myself lying awake for hours in the grand suite, unable to sleep."

I cocked my head to the side as I listened. "The grand suite, huh? Sounds fancy."

He smiled, shaking his head. "Oh, it's the best room. It's upstairs at the end of the quiet east wing. It comes with everything, even a hot tub under the stars, overlooking the mountains."

"Sounds...romantic," I said, wondering if Olivia had joined her guest in that hot tub during the trip.

Almost as if reading my thoughts, Liam answered me, saying, "It would be with the right person. Unfortunately, I've got no one to share it with."

The way he was looking at me, I suddenly wasn't thinking of Olivia anymore. "Maybe I can help you with that," I said cheekily.

"Oh?" It was his turn to cock his head and give me a side-long glance. "Are you sure you can manage it?"

I just shrugged. "I'm not making any promises, yet." Before he could respond, Lady Penelope interrupted us and pulled Liam's attention away. He winked at me before turning away, and I floated up to my room to figure out my plan for the night.

A few hours later, after everything outside my door was quiet, I crept into the hallway. The east wing must be all the way on the other end of this place, I thought to myself, hoping I didn't get turned around. I kept walking until I came to a hallway that dead-ended into a pair of double doors. I could see light coming from under the door frame, so I knocked and held my breath, hoping I had the right place. After a brief moment, Liam answered, his face glowing. "Welcome," he said, ushering me in quickly. "I take it nobody saw you."

"I was stealthier than a cat on the prowl," I said proudly. I took a moment to gaze at Liam. He was still in his formal attire, but his bow-tie and jacket had been discarded, so he looked far more relaxed and casual than I was used to seeing him. He offered me a hand and led me outside.

"I want to show you something," he explained as we glided through the french doors to the patio outside.

"Wow," I breathed, taking in the view. Sure enough, there was a hot tub on the patio, lighted up and bubbling invitingly. But beyond that, huge mountains loomed in the not-to-distant horizon. And all around us, snowflakes slowly drifted here and there, just barely enough to qualify as snowing, but enough to add an air of magic the the scene.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Liam said. "Now you see why I wanted to share it with someone."

"I'm surprised Olivia hasn't insisted on sharing this with you," I said, and put a hand over my mouth. I was trying very hard not to act jealous, but the comment just slipped out.

Liam frowned. "I'm sorry for the...display she made of us at the ball," he said, and looking into his eyes, I knew he meant it. "I talked to her afterwards and explained..." he shook his head, not wanting to share the details. "Riley," he took a step closer to me, taking both hands in his and staring at me intently. "You're the only one I want to share this with."

I glanced down and noticed there were candles flickering along the edge of the hot tub. "Did you light these candles for us?"

Liam blushed. "Oh, I...well, yes. I wanted this to be...magical." He looked embarrassed, which I found completely irresistable. I just smiled at him for a minute, but he looked like I was laughing at him. "Was it..." he frowned. "Do you like it?"

I softened my face, reaching up to place a hand on his cheek. "I think I'm going to have to show you how much I like it," I said softly. I stood on my tip-toes and leaned into Liam for a deep kiss. "Does that answer your question?" I asked when we broke apart.

"Yes ma'am," he said. His eyes were so earnest as he spoke next, "Riley, I've never really had someone that I wanted so badly to please. I feel like I'd do anything to see you smile and know that I was the cause."

I smiled then, and he smiled back, then cleared his throat. "Ahem. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get into the hot tub."

My eyes widened for a minute as I realized, I could have brought a swim suit with me. But, as Liam took off his shirt and hung it on the railing, I realized that was probably silly. I watched him as he moved, enjoying the shirtless Prince before me, until he cocked his head and looked at me. "Your turn," he said with a little half smile.

I took a breath to steady myself as I turned around. "Could you maybe help me out of this dress?" I asked.

"I would be a terrible gentleman if I didn't help a lady in need," he said, his voice husky as he stepped closer to me. He unzipped my dress, his hands slow and lingering, brushing my naked skin as much as he could manage, until I was able to let the dress fall to the ground. I took another steadying breath before turning around to face him in just my bra and panties.

"It is rather brisk," I said, trying not to blush as I saw him gaze at me appreciatively.

"Then we'd better get in," he agreed, and took off his pants, hanging them next to his shirt. With both of us down to our skivvies, we sunk into the hot tub quickly and gratefully.

"Oh, this feels nice," I sighed, sinking in and letting the bubbles massage my back. I closed my eyes and melted into the water.

"There are few things better than a hot tub in the snow," Liam said, following my lead. After a few minutes, he let out a huge sigh. "Riley," he said, his voice relaxed. "I feel like I've been waiting for this moment the entire trip."

"I know what you mean," I said, opening one eye to look at him. "We're finally seeing each other half-naked."

He let out a short, clipped laugh, staring at me. "I'd say more than half. Eighty-five percent, at least."

I scooted a little closer as I opened my eyes fully to look back at him. "Good point."

He had his arms up on the side of the hot tub, and let the one closest to me drop down to caress my arm. We were both staring hard at each other, and I held my breath, unsure of what I should do next.

Liam broke the silence, though he kept his voice low, heavy with the strain of his self-control. "You make me want so many things, Riley. Things I shouldn't have. That's why I've got to be careful with you."

"Careful?" I said, a little surprised.

"I would never forgive myself if I hurt you."

"I know what I'm getting myself into." I was inching closer to him. The arm closest to me could now reach all the way around my shoulder. "Besides," I said, "You're the model of a good person. You're always thinking of others and putting them first, whether it's Olivia, your people, or your friends." With one hand, I pulled his hand down so his arm was touching my shoulder. "You're loyal, caring, and sweet. I feel lucky to know you."

"You're far too kind, Riley."

"I'm just calling it like I see it."

He smiled softly. "I thoroughly believe that if you thought I was a pompous ass, you wouldn't hesitate to tell me. I trust you, Riley. Everything you say." He leaned closer to me, our lips inches apart. "Maybe that's why I'm drawn to you."

I'm the type of girl who takes things slow and doesn't make the first move. But I felt like I had been doing nothing but waiting since the first night I met Liam, and I knew that if I wanted something more with him, I was going to have to speed things along myself. So instead of closing the gap to kiss him, I pulled myself onto his lap, straddling him and looking him right in the eye to see his reaction.

He smiled lasciviously. "You seem to have put me in a compromising position." He stroked the side of my face with one hand, still staring intently into my eyes.

"What is it?" I asked. I could see thoughts forming behind those dark almond eyes.

"I was just thinking...what does love mean to you, Riley?"

I raised my eyebrows a little, surprised to hear the L-word thrown so casually around. "Love is...loyalty. Sacrifice, dedication, commitment." He nodded. "What about you," I asked.

"I don't know that I've ever thought about it in the past. I certainly wasn't raised to have any expectation of romance in my life. It was only when I saw my brother fall completely in love that I realized how important...how life-changing love can be."

"That's why he abdicated?" I asked, and Liam nodded again. "What are you saying?" I asked after another moment.

"I'm saying..." he dropped his hand and let his head fall backwards for a second, looking up at the sky – or maybe just looking anywhere but at me. "Oh, Riley, I shouldn't be saying anything to you at this point." He looked back at me with a stony expression. "Part of me is furious with myself that I'm not treating everyone fairly like a good prince should." I started to move back, feeling silly for still sitting on his lap, but his hands gripped my hips and kept me in place. "But the other part of me," he said, "Wants to damn all these princely responsibilities and throw myself into you."

"Liam..." I said, not wanting to finish my sentence, but forcing myself to anyway. "Should I leave?" I wasn't quite sure if I was just talking about the hot tub or not. "I don't want you to feel torn because of me."

Liam's face softened, but he was still frowning. "No," he said. "Don't go yet." He reached a hand up and touched my arm, gently rubbing a thumb up and down my skin. "In this moment, let's just enjoy this little time together while it lasts."

I felt myself relax a little as he said this, and he pulled my closer to him, wrapping his arms around me. I rested my head on his shoulder. "I treasure all of our moments together, Riley," he said, running a hand through my hair.

I sat back. "Me too." I leaned in to kiss him. We kissed for a long time, until the moon was high over the mountains and the candles were nearly burned out.

Finally, Liam sat back with a sigh. "It's getting late. We should head in."

I nodded. "You're right. But, I enjoyed it while it lasted. Thank you for sharing this with me."

We quickly left the hot tub and redressed ourselves. As Liam led me back through his room to his door, we stopped and he kissed me on the cheek before I left. "I'll see you soon?" I asked him.

"You know I can only stay away from you for so long."