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of his mouth as though she was asking his permission to deepen the kiss, and he opened it to her. The slow, sensual dance set his body on fire.
    The goblet rattled against the wooden table when he placed it down. He reached for her shoulders, wanting to pull her closer to him and deepen the kiss. The silk of her gown rustled under his hands, and his desire for her grew with each spiraling slip of her tongue. If she didn’t stop, he would find himself buried within her by the end of the evening. He eased her away from him, ending the kiss before he slipped completely under her spell.
    She gulped in a sharp breath. Her dilated pupils left a thin rim of teal around them, and her flushed cheeks told him the kiss had affected her in nearly the same manner it had him. Her voice shook when she said, “Yes, the wine is quite good.”
    It was wrong of him to want this woman so much. She was an Alpirion, someone beneath his station. And yet, he felt more drawn to her than he ever had to his wife, although he was at a loss for why. Physical beauty usually didn’t hold this kind of power over him. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Finish eating, and maybe we can resume this later.”
    She chewed her bottom lip for a few seconds before nodding. “As you wish, Titus.”
    What I wish is to have your naked body under mine, my mouth sucking your hard nipples while I ram my cock into you over and over again . But the voice inside his mind remained there.
    She trembled when she reached for a piece of cheese, and guilt washed over him. Had his dismissal insulted her? Or was she terrified of him? His hand brushed against hers when he reached for his wine, and he thought he saw her jump from his touch.
    He tightened his jaw. Not a good start to the evening so far. “How are your quarters?”
    “Far nicer than I expected. Varro made sure I would have my every need attended to.” Her gaze settled on his papers, and after she finished the piece of cheese, she asked, “What are you writing?”
    He shoved them under the tray so she couldn’t read them. “Those are just some ideas I have for the empire.”
    She wrapped her fingers around his goblet and took a sip. “Such as?”
    His brow rose in response to her question. Most women didn’t care about political matters. Suspicion raked down his spine. Did Pontus send her here to spy on him? He decided to test her with something already commonly known. “I would like improve the aqueduct system.”
    “A good idea. Anything else?”
    He studied her reaction. Not over-eager, but engaged. How would she react if he told her something Pontus would want to hear? “Perhaps give some of the provincial governors more autonomy over certain local issues.”
    The corners of her mouth tilted down. “It would depend on how much you trust your governors.”
    Her reaction puzzled him. He decided to press her for more information. “What are your thoughts on Pontus?”
    Her frown deepened. “I would not trust him,” she blurted out. Her cheeks stained a deep red within a few seconds. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, Titus.”
    His pulse quickened when she said his name, and he almost forgot what she had said before it. His shoulders tightened. “Why?”
    “Why what?”
    “Why shouldn’t I trust him?”
    She stared at her hands and toyed with the bracelets that circled her wrists. “He is an ambitious man.”
    He laughed, and some of the tension eased from his muscles. “I already knew that. Tell me, did he think that by giving you to me, he would gain my favor?”
    Her body stiffened, and he knew the answer.
    “I’m not so naïve as to not know how politics work in the empire, Azurha. Although I’m grateful he brought you to the palace, I will not force you to do something against your will.”
    He tried to rise from the cushions, but she pushed him back. “No, it’s not that.” Pain flickered across her face, making him wish she would reveal more about the struggle that