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“What are you thinking about?” Annabelle sent hih she could read his mind

He cleared his throat “I was just thinking some more about the note”

She nodded, but her eyes said she didn’t believe hi to be very busy tomorrow”

“I’d be better off here, working on deciphering the note”

“And I think you need to get out and experience a bit of Mirraccino After all, the contract isn’t signed yet I still need to give you a good impression of our nation”

His gaze strayed to her lips before returning to her eyes “I have a very good impression already”

“Why Grayson, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were flirting withsht” And with that she went into her room and closed the door

He stood there for astock of what just happened He’d been soundly turned down That had never happened to him In fact, he was normally the one who turned aomen

Annabelle wasto do with her noble birthright It was so deep within her that set her apart from the other women who’d crossed his life

“I can’t believe you talked me into this”

The next , Grayson stood in theline of the chariot race His hands wrapped around the handles of the wooden cart Why exactly had he agreed to this? And then he recalled Annabelle’s sunny smile and the twinkle of merriment in her eyes That had done in all of his common sense

And noas the horse and she was the driver Go figure What part of not being athletic didn’t Annabelle get? And worst of all, the king was in attendance Grayson could feel thehim

“What did you say?” Annabelle asked “I can’t hear you from back here”

Before he could answer a horn was blown

“Hold on!” Grayson yelled and then he lifted the front of the wooden chariot and set off