She shook her head, her eyes bright, her mouth a firm line, a million miles from the kiss he’d imagined giving her at this moment. “Whatever I said, whatever I feel for you, it’s totally overshadowed by behavior such as this!”
“Me asking you to marry you is bad behavior?”
“I repeat,” she said in a dangerously low tone. “Youdidn’task me. Do you really imagine that the public announcement of our engagement would result in marriage?”
“Yes.” It was the only answer he could think of. Because he hadn’t, in a million years, imagined any other outcome.
“And just in that answer I know that we could never marry.”
“What are you talking about?” He was getting angry now. “We talked about the future, you said you needed to know I loved you, and I told you I did. What’s the problem?”
She clamped her hand to her chest, where her heart rested beneath. “The problem is that I don’t believe you love me. All I know is that you said the words to me.”
“But you trust my word, surely?”
Her hesitation said it all. “I know that you believe what you say, but, Zavian, I’m not sure that your definition of love is the same as mine. I can’t believe in it.”
“Then what, Gabrielle, do I have to do to make you believe that I love you.”
“You have to do more than tell me like it’s something you’ve signed off on. You have to show me that you have feelings for me.”
“YouknowI have feelings for you.”
The folded her arms defensively across her chest. “I know you want me in your bed.”
He raked his fingers through his hair and twisted away. “It’s more than that.”
“It’s not what I’m seeing.”
He flung his arms open, full of anger and frustration. He was floored. “Words? You want words?”
“Yes. I want more than a box ticked. I want more than the word regurgitated and spat back at me as if I were a chick needing it to survive.” She shook her head. “But that small morsel isn’t enough to move forward on, isn’t enough to believe in, isn’t enough to sustain our relationship with.”
He suddenly realized. “You don’t believe me. You think I’m lying.”
“No, there you’re wrong. I think you believe in what you’re saying, but to me, they are words without emotion. It’s not in the words.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s in what lies behind them. It’s in your manner, in your heart, showing through your words.”
He withdrew his hand from her and placed his hands on his hips. “So now I have to work out how to get my heart to show through? You ask too much, Gabrielle. Too much.” With that, he turned and stalked away. Too quickly to hear her reply.
“I ask too little.”
Chapter 12
His vizier was waiting for Zavian’s return.
“Where are you going?” asked Naseer. Zavian stopped in his tracks and shook his head.
“Back to the reception, of course.”
“There’s no of course about it,” said Naseer in a tone most unlike his usual respectful one. “You and I need to talk.”
“Naseer!” Zavian said. “The last thing I wish to do now is to talk to you.”
“Zavian!” said Naseer, using the same tone. “This is something I should have done years ago. And would have, if I’d listened to the girl’s grandfather, rather than your father! Now, come with me.”