Snow White by Jenni James

stop being wonderful, so halt this nonsense now.” She pulled back and dashed at her tears. Her gaze would not meet his. “Tell me the truth. Tell me how she has won your heart like all the other hearts she has claimed so I can go back to what I know is best. Tell me you are smitten with my sister. ” She stepped away from him. “I was up all night, dreading sleep, because I know that one of these days I will wake up and it will happen. So let us get ourselves over this misery now and allow me to wish you both my felicitations and exceeding hap—happiness.” Her shoulders began to shake again.
    “Oh, my word.” Corlan laughed. “And woman say men are the lesser sex. Have they not a brain in those heads of theirs?”
    Raven opened her mouth to say something, but Terrance interceded. “No. She has had enough wrestling with her fears at this time. You will not be goading her on.” He nodded toward the door. “Go start removing the mirrors—we will join you shortly.”
    Corlan stared at him a moment. “Are you ordering me about in the castle that very well could be mine one day?”
    “Just so. Now get, you!” He waved his hand and glanced at Raven. “I have some things I wish to say to your sister, and I do not need prying ears around.”
    Corlan took a deep breath. “Be quick about it. We simply cannot stop every time one of these women begins to act like—well, a woman.”
    “Again, one day you will truly understand that it is always about the women.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    ONCE CORLAN LEFT, RAVEN took a deep breath and glanced at Terrance.
    He grinned ruefully and held out a hand. “Do you still despise me?”
    She looked at that hand and bit her lip, worrying it. Should she trust him? His gaze met hers and she saw such gentleness in his eyes, tugging at her from within their depths. Cautiously she stepped forward and placed her hand in his.
    He walked them to the settee near the largest of the bookshelves and sat down with her. “May I say something?” he asked as their fingers interlocked.
    Why did she dread this conversation so much? Why did she have such anticipation for it? It thrilled her, yet terrified her at the same time. “Yes.”
    “I have spoken to Snow about you. We were very frank with each other, and she was more than eager to step aside to allow you and me time to decide if we could possibly get along with each other.” He brought her knuckles up and kissed them. “Since then, I have observed the way she watches Corlan and the manner in which he cannot help but gaze at her. They are very much in love.”
    “Oh.” Raven met his eyes. “So, now you are turning toward me?”
    He chuckled. “It is simply baffling the way your treacherous mind creates these situations within it.” Leaning near her, he said, “Raven, I was turned toward you before I met Snow. And though I feel a pull for her, it is not nearly as much as the interest I feel in you.”
    Her heart seemed to stop altogether. “What exactly are you saying?”
    “I am saying, my dear, that I would like very much to continue as we are. I would like you not to worry about my intentions toward anyone other than you, for I have none for any woman but you.”
    “Truly?” She could not believe her ears. Was there not another princess who had captured him?
    “Yes. I would ask that you learned to trust me. I will not harm you.” His eyes trailed over her features. “I know it has been a hard road for you until now, so it shall take some time to see that I am really all that I profess to be. I apprehend this. And that is fine—I need time as well.”
    Time was probably a very good thing. “I can understand that.”
    “I would like to get to know you more—what I have already found has enticed me greatly. But I want to guarantee that this could work for both of us. I am not here to select a wife—I came to Olivian to find a partner, someone equally willing to love me as well. I do not believe in these old-fashioned practices