“Aria Maine will be our guest at the palace for a little while,” Aaron explained, watching Bart’s face do things he’d never seen it do before. “She’s just recently become queen after her family got killed in a war-”

“Is she here yet?” Bart asked, an urgency to his voice.

He looked devastated, like Aaron had just told him a friend had died.

“Should be arriving soon,” Aaron answered.

Zoey looked at her brother worriedly.

“Are you okay, Bart?”

Bart started running, not hearing Zoey, not seeing CC on his way out.

“What the hell?” Aaron frowned, as he watched Bart go.

Aaron and CC followed Bart out to the front door, where King Henry was greeting the young queen.

“Ria,” Bart gasped.

Queen Aria smiled a small smile when she saw him.

“Lord Batholomew, how good to see you again.”

Queen Aria was not prepared to see him so soon. Their last meeting was still burned into her brain, one of few happy memories she had to cling to these days. She’d heard of his engagement. His wedding was to be in two months, so he didn’t make the list for potential King Consorts, but seeing him now, so distraught for her, his eyes shimmering as he was approaching her, the queen couldn’t help but put him back on the list and forget that any other names had ever made it on in the first place.

“I’m so sorry Ria,” said Bart, putting his arms around her right there and then, no regard for the king and whomever else might be watching. “So sorry about Ethan, about your parents.”

She stroked his neck, feeling the first tear she would shed as queen fall down her cheek. But she was standing in front of a king, in front of the king’s children. She could not afford to show weakness. So she wiped the tear away and pulled back.

“Thank you, My Lord,” she said, her voice hoarse.

She smiled at him brightly, just like he was used to, and that made his heart hurt more for her.

King Henry would have said something, done something, if he only knew what that something should be. Cassandra came up to them, seeing her husband struggling. She and Henry were friendly these days, or at least civil. Even after eight months of living at the palace, she wasn’t quite sure that she was ready to just overlook the last five years. Henry was only glad she hadn’t left.

“What the hell is happening?” CC asked, dumbfounded.

She’d never seen Bart’s eyes make tears before, never seen him so distraught.

“Who is this woman?”

“Aria Maine is now the sole surviving heir to the throne of Sartis Est, an ally of Terres Somnia’s. She’s asked for refuge in Terres Somnia while she looks for a King Consort to secure her rule. It’s really tragic, actually. She’s just lost everything, including her home. There are people who don’t think she’s fit to rule. If she doesn’t return to her country and claim her throne with a king consort in four months, she’ll forfeit the throne, to her uncle, Duke Maine. That’s if they don’t find her and kill her first. Her country’s very conservative. While she may rule, it may not be without a man by her side,” James answered.

There was silence.

“Well, looks like she’s found herself a potential king consort,” said CC, watching Bart with her.

It was like looking at another person altogether. She found she could not watch for long. This new Bart was confusing her, making her think that they really were too young for this after all. Not knowing what else to do, CC simply walked away.

“We’re coming home,” said James.

“It’s not necessary,” Aaron replied, taking her in.

She was more striking than beautiful, but he thought that that was by design, a trick in the way she wore her hair or her makeup or something. Her hair was shoulder length and she was shorter than her cousin. It was like looking at Emily, if Emily were a tomboy who cared a little less about her appearance.

“Aaron, don’t do anything stupid. This is not just some wounded girl who just lost her entire family. If you thought Emily Maine was a handful, this woman, this queen, is ten times worse. Her reputation precedes her. She’ll see you coming from a mile away.”

Aaron looked at CC, still walking down the corridor, listless. He thought about what she’d been through to finally get to a point where she was even ready to talk about a wedding.

“I’m the Casanova of Caines. Her being a challenge is half the fun. I’ll handle it.”

“Aaron-” Zoey began.

“I wore you down, didn’t I? This is what I’m good at, get the girl to like me. Queen or not, I don’t care how smart she is, I can get her to cave. They always cave.”

James and Zoey exchanged a look. She didn’t know if she wanted Aaron to manipulate her brother into a marriage. He could see it on her face. He didn’t want that either, but CC had had such a rough time of it lately.

“When you fuck this up, the minute you do, call me,” James said. “Your word, Aaron.”

But Aaron had already stopped listening. His eyes met with Aria’s. Maybe it was just because he had declared a war of sorts on her too, but he felt an electrical charge between them. Aria stared at the prince turned bastard’s dark eyes and winked at him. This little signal started Aaron on a dark road, one of deception, seduction, cunning, winners and losers. But once he took the first step, he found the next was easier to take and the next easier still until he was jogging to her, down the stairs. He went right up to her, brushing past Bart, took a knee, took her hand and kissed it.

“My condolences, Your Majesty,” he said, looking up at her, winking back.

Bart was about to chastise him for hitting on a grieving woman, when he saw CC standing in the doorway. There was an uncertainty in her eyes he had never seen before, not when she looked at him. He went to her without a second thought. Not for her but him, because it burned him. He didn’t know why, but it hurt him.

He pulled her to his chest and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She hugged him back and told her first lie to her fiance.

“Nothing.”

As Queen Aria watched the exchange, she looked back down at the man holding her hand and said, “Well, I suppose it’s not a list if there aren’t at least three names on it.”

December 3rd, 2019

(Caines, Terres Somnia)

CC's birthday was coming up. She had only recently started getting her dress ready for her birthday and planning for the next fashion show. Bart was glad to see it. The queen's absence finally seemed to be weighing on her less. CC even applied for fashion school next year.

Bart liked watching his fiancee. Shortly after they got engaged, he got himself a too comfortable bean bag chair that he placed in her office. When he dropped by and she complained that she didn't need a babysitter, he swore that he just needed somewhere to study. And he did study. He got through tons of material during his time at the fashion house. Did it take him twice as long as usual because he spent half of the time watching her work? Yes, but she didn't need to know that.

It might not seem sensible that it pleased him so much just to watch her, but then there was a time when he would have given anything just to lay eyes on her. A time when they were forbidden. Even now their families thought that they were moving too fast. “You’re too young,” his father had said. As long as she showed up two months from now to marry him, Bart didn't care. A 20 year old man had never been as sure that he wanted to marry someone as Bart was that he wanted to marry CC.

"Ouch," he heard her whisper under her breath.

As much as Bart liked watching her, he loved going to her even more. She already had the bandaid out by the time he got to her. He looked into her face as he took it from her and put it on her newly pricked finger.

"I can take care of my own needle pricks you know,” she complained, ghost of a smile on her face.

"I know Caroline," he said, bending over to pick her up.

Caroline.

Her name out of his mouth made her putty in his hands. He knew it and she knew he knew. It made her furious. His saying her name undoubtedly meant he was going to make her do something she didn't want to and she would allow it, because really there was nothing he wanted to do with her that she didn't want to do with him.

"Time for bed, you're exhausted. You can pick it back up tomorrow," he said, taking the unfinished dress from her.

"I'm not sleepy," she protested with a yawn, her arms wrapping around his neck as she snuggled up against his chest and her eyes fell closed.

"Right, of course not," he said, as he carried her out of the office.

Bart took CC to the room next to her office. He had turned it into a bedroom for her to take naps in when she had a show coming up and didn't have time to go home. It was one of many attempts at getting her to come back to work. He probably should have gotten her something bigger than a ¾ bed. CC ended up spending quite a lot of time at the fashion house after James and Zoey's coronation. Being at the palace all the time was still too hard for her back then and she didn't want to put Bart's parents out. Besides, she liked the effort he'd put into the place. It was cozy, she'd told him.

She clung to him as he tried to lay her down.

"Stay," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

Bart swallowed. She'd been especially clingy the last few nights, insisting he stay with her. There was this unspoken agreement between them that nothing beyond kissing would happen until they got married, so he didn’t usually stay the night. He loved her and wanted her to be happy and comfortable, but damn she was driving him crazy.

Ever since the first time he saw it, the uncertainty in her eyes, it was like CC no longer wanted what he thought they agreed upon. She was finally getting back to basics and that pleased him, but now there was this. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Did they need to talk about it? But he didn't want to embarrass either of them.

He couldn't go there with her. Not while that persistent look of uncertainty left him so confused about what was going on in her head. Bart needed to find a way to make that look go away before they could consummate their love.

The moment she asked him to stay, he knew it was coming. Just like the previous two nights, she was straddling him and her warm touch alongside her eager mouth told the story of her intent. He restrained himself, giving her free reign as he fought to not to explore beyond her mouth. For all the good it did him. Tonight her fingers weren’t satisfied with feeling out the buff chest, broad shoulders and rock hard core that hid under his shirt all day. As evidenced by the way she locked eyes with him, bit the corner of her lip as her shirt accompanied her arms up above her head, tonight CC wanted more.

Bart gulped as he watched her shirt hit the floor. What was he supposed to do with her shirtless and on top of him, threatening to take off more as she kissed her way down his body? The last two nights he'd managed to get her to fizzle out while spooning her and she'd fallen asleep in his arms. He’d hoped he had deterred her. Instead having caught on, CC only became emboldened. She already had them both half naked. His fingers dancing to the tune of her melody up her back, heading for her bra.

Stop. Tell her they needed to talk. He wanted to, he really did, but all his willpower went into not flipping them over and tearing the rest of her clothes off.

"I love you," she said, innocent eyes staring down into his.

The hot air from her lips mixed with his as he felt the bra he didn't know he had unclasped give way under his fingers.

Fuck.

He was going to stop now, wasn't he?

Her lips pulled up into a smile as she pulled the zipper of her shorts down. He found himself helping her, caressing her shoulders as he dragged her bra straps down her arms. Bra joining the rapidly increasing pile on the floor, his hands went straight for her breasts, squeezing and massaging her chest as her head fell back and she let out the most alluring moan to escape her lips in their eight month engagement.

Carefree. Out of control. These just weren’t things Bart ordinarily associated with himself. She just sat up there, taking it all, enjoying herself, lust tainting the love in her eyes. If this was wrong somehow, he'd deal with it later. If she wanted him to stop at any point, he would, but he was done restraining himself.

"I love you too Caroline," he said before he cupped her neck and pulled her mouth down onto his, wrapping his arms around her to pick her up and lay her down on her back.

She had her shorts down before he'd managed to pull his shirt all the way off, her legs wrapping around him as she welcomed his tongue into her mouth.

CC had finally gotten Bart to respond the way she wanted him to. He wasn't gritting his teeth, finding excuses for them to stop. Not tonight. Tonight he was all over her, kissing her and touching her like a mad man. She felt his lips heat up every inch of her skin. Starting with her lips, he moved onto her cheeks, her ears, her neck, her breasts. Tugging on her rapidly hardening nipples with his teeth.

“Bart,” she moaned softly. “Don’t stop.”

He was everything. Gentle but passionate. Generous and considerate. He kept looking at her, as though to ask her if she was sure. And she was, she really was, but by the time Bart pulled his pants down she found she couldn't keep her eyes open, not even for his ridiculously ripped body.

.

He felt her body go limp against his and gave a short laugh. She was lying under him, nothing but panties on with her brief clad fiance hovering over her. His head cleared quickly. He was an idiot. It never should've gone this far. As he pulled the covers over her, he couldn't help getting in next to her. Frustration and pure lust rushed through him as he took her into his arms, but he stayed anyway. She’d be mortified in the morning and he didn't want it to be without him next to her. So he stayed to reassure her. This might have to be the last time he brought her to bed for a while thoughMeanwhile, back at the palace, Aaron and Aria had been making eyes at each other for three days straight. She flirted readily and responded to his little light touches with little touches of her own. Aaron didn't know what James was talking about. She may just be one of his easiest conquests yet. It gave him morbid pleasure to discover that Aaron Condor, The Casanova of Caines, still had it.

Aria had gone out to get a haircut that morning, just when Aaron was getting used to the hair too. He decided it was in fact the hair that he didn't like. When he saw her again the day after meeting her, he went right up to her and pulled her hair out of the rigid ponytail she had it in and let it fall down onto her shoulders. As her hair spilled down, Aaron had to admit she was more than striking. She was gorgeous/ This was no small thing. He almost never changed his mind about these things.

Aria didn't strike him as shy, so Aaron figured an aggressive approach would be good. Hell, she'd all but invited him into her bed last night when she got into a hot tub with him with nothing but a tshirt and black thong on. There was no touching allowed this time, but damn the way she was looking at him before she opened that book and started reading, then completely ignored him for two hours. It did things to him. Aaron was usually the hunter, but somehow even as he got between her sheets buck naked, he felt a little like her prey.

"Get out," she said, taking one look at his greek god-like body and apparently deciding she was going to pass.

She sat down at her dresser and took in her new hairdo. And as she did, so did he. His mouth went dry, jaw dropped to the floor. She was wearing a knee length, violet dress. On her feet she wore classical black high heels. Aaron had always had a thing for black heels. Everything came together with a charming diamond necklace to subtly draw attention to her rack, which ladies and gentlemen, was also fantastic. And then of course there was the new haircut. Gone was the girl next door. There was no ponytail today and probably wouldn't be for a while. The way the chin length haircut framed her face made it look like red hair was invented for her.

Wait, did she just tell him to get out?

Aaron promptly slipped out of the bed and went to stand behind her, making sure she got a good look in the mirror. She looked, of course she did, she ran her eyes all the way down his body, surveying him like she was considering buying a slave and then went back to looking at herself and touching up her makeup.

"Impressive," she said apathetically. "Five stars."

What the hell was happening? This was not a response Aaron Condor was used to. Stay calm Aaron, she's just playing with you. On the inside, she's a wreck. A complete mess. They always are.

"Usually this goes a little differently," said Aaron, turning on the charm. "Usually I show up in someone's bed and I get a 'how do you want me?' not a 'get out.'"

As he approached, Aria felt her pulse quicken. Of course his body was doing things to her. She didn't think he would go this far this quickly. Hell just last night he was a being a fucking gentleman, as much as Aaron Condor could be asked to be a gentleman at any rate. He had looked, boy had he ever, but he didn't try anything. Now here he was ambushing her in her bedroom!

He was standing right behind her now, bending his head down to her neck, staring down her dress as he watched her in the mirror.

"Sounds like your usually is screwing a bunch of airheads," she answered, turning around, just as his lips grazed her neck.

She stared straight at his package, put a finger just above it and dragged it up his six pack before putting her finger in her mouth and sucking it.

"Like I said, impressive," she said, her eyes darkening.

She got up, grabbed his head by his hair and pulled his face down to hers so that she was looking him straight in the eye.

"Still not impressed though."

He snaked an arm around her waist, his head dipping down to her chest. She inhaled sharply as she felt the skin of his face, his hot breath, make contact with her breasts, her chest, shoulders and neck, felt his hands go down her arms, down her sides before he slid them down and grabbed her ass. He looked into her eyes. They were dark with lust, but there was no emotion in them.

She was attracted to him, wanted him, but not like this. He was wrong about her after all. This victory, even if he did get her into bed somehow, would be short lived. He was sure he would blow her mind and she his, but then where would they be? She wasn't some airhead, as she'd put it. She wouldn't be begging him to come back. If anything, sleeping with her now would probably only get him out of her system faster.

Aria saw it in his eyes. She'd won this one. She hadn't the foggiest why. He probably could've taken her right there and then and she would no doubt have let him, but he had found a reason to fall on his sword and she wasn't about to question it. She needed to get Adonis the hell out of her room.

"Next time, try harder. At least make some effort," she said, licking his cheek before sitting back down.

He stepped back, gave her a naughty crooked grin as if to say challenge accepted and turned around. He pulled up his pants and walked right out the door.

Aria let out the breath that she'd been holding. She was here to find a King Consort, not play hot and cold with Aaron Condor. What the hell had she been doing the last three days, acting like a child, making him think she'd spread her legs just because he came calling? She needed sanity. Something concrete. Reliable. Someone who would help her keep order. Aria needed someone that hadn't been at the palace lately. She needed Barry.

2017, June 5th

The drive from the airport to the castle took Bart's breath away. True to its name, Sartis Est was exceptionally beautiful. He took in the hills, mountains, pebble roads, streams, old ruins and knew that coming had been the right choice.

"Father, allow me to introduce Lord Bartholomew Arden," said Ethan as they entered the drawing room.

The king and queen were just sitting down to tea.

"I never met a straighter arrow. I'm sure by the end of his stay you'll wish he was your son instead of me," said Ethan, chipper as ever.

Aria gave Bart a concerned look as she went to sit next to her mother, holding onto her shoulders as both women watched the situation unfold with bated breath.

Undeterred, Bart stuck his hand out to the king and said, "Thank you for having me, Your Majesty."

The king looked at Bart's hand, sizing him up from every angle as he walked circles around Bart, staring him down.

"Are you truly the son of a nobleman? You should know better than to offer a king your hand. Show some respect!" King Victor boomed sternly.

Bart shrugged.

"Born and bred to be a crown prince, I'm afraid the etiquette of bowing was never one I was raised to adopt. I have offered many kings a good old fashioned handshake though and it usually goes okay."

Duke Arden had been taking Bart with him to meet with kings and world leaders alike for the last five years. King Victor was not the first king to protest against his lack of decorum. It didn't bother Bart anymore. They eventually got over it.

But because this king was Ethan's father, Bart added, "Forgive me for having offended you, Your Majesty, but Ardens bow to no one."

Bart didn't flinch as he gave King Victor this frank response, even as the king's eyes continued to bore into his. The room went silent as Bart withdrew his hand.

"You bowed your head to me," Aria argued with shining eyes.

Only she would say that in the face of danger like it was nothing. Bart's gaze shifted to her.

"No, I bent my head briefly to kiss a beautiful woman's hand. It's hardly the same thing," Bart argued back.

Only he could flirt with a woman in front of her angry father and somehow make it seem noble.

The family exchanged mysterious glances as Bart went back to folding his arms. He took a seat like absolutely nothing had happened, the deadpan poker face perfectly in place.

"Alright, that's time!" Ethan exclaimed with a grin, sticking out his palm. "Cough it up! Five bucks each!"

Bart looked around the room as everyone burst into laughter and the atmosphere turned merry. King Victor and Ethan dropped on either side of Bart. Ethan grinned at his father.

"I told you he wouldn't budge. Now give it!" Ethan insisted, sticking his hand out under King Victor's nose.

"Alright, alright," King Victor conceded, slapping the fiver into Ethan's hand as he put an arm around Bart's shoulders. "Where did you get this kid? He's got nerves of steel!"

"Wait until you see him do literally anything else," said Ethan.

He jumped up and dropped next to his mother and kissed her on the cheek.

Queen Elaine smiled warmly at Bart, apologizing for her family as she handed her son a note. Bart allowed himself a smile of his own while he watched Ethan chase Aria around the room as she held out the note for him to claim.

Soon Bart found his attention soley taken up by Aria. Listening to the sound of her musical child-like laugh, watching her ponytail swish back and forth as she tried to outrun Ethan. Aria must have felt Bart's eyes on her because she looked at him and it was her undoing. Ethan soon caught up with her. She was so busy watching Bart watch her that she didn't even feel the money slip out of her hand. Yes, coming had definitely been the right choice.

"So how about it? Want to be a prince after all?" King Victor asked, squeezing Bart's shoulder as he looked between him and his daughter.

Bart was spared the pain of having to answer this very uncomfortable question by the appearance of a woman.

"Welcome home," she said cautiously.

The uneasy atmosphere returned to the room, this time without a hint of pretense. Ethan went to her and kissed her forehead, pasting a smile on his face. She tried to smile back, but it was a strained exchange.

"This is Princess Diane, Ethan's fiancee,"said Queen Elaine.

The queen's voice was as kind as when she'd apologized for her family's silliness, but it was troubled too. The king and queen were both somewhat uneasy, watching Aria's temper flare up. Before Bart or Diane could acknowledge each other, Aria snapped.

"Why is she still here?"

Bart had never heard Aria sound angry before. The hurt behind the anger however, was familiar.

"Aria, don't start," King Victor warned witb a sigh.

Aria brushed past the engaged couple and stomped right out the room.

"Ria!" Ethan called after her.

Diane looked at Ethan guiltily and pulled away. She curtsied to everyone in the room and tried to smile again. Ethan put a hand on her back and gave Bart an uneasy look.

"She's just having a bit of a hard time with the idea of me getting married, that's all," Ethan explained.

There was obviously more to the story. The woman next to Ethan looked uncomfortable, like she didn't want to be here any more than Aria wanted her here. Was it an arranged marriage? But that didn't explain Aria's lashing out like that at the sight of her.

"I'll go and get her," Bart offered, watching Aria's retreating back.

"Sure. Thanks Barry," Ethan said with a defeated nod, leading Diane towards his parents.

After excusing himself, Bart took off after Aria without much thought about where she might be leading him. When Bart finally caught up with Aria, he found himself in front of an indoor pool. She was floating in the middle of it, in nothing but the shirt she had been wearing and a pair of panties.

His eyes fell first on the little puddle that was her shorts, shoes and bra at his feet and then onto her hardened nipples imprinting on the shirt.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, immediately looking away.

Aria smirked despite her concerns. Ethan was too trusting and her father couldn't see past this damn treaty. It made her blood boil. But there Bart stood, ever the gentleman. Somehow that fact made her feel better. She couldn't take her eyes off of his embarrassed face, now covered by his big hands. Cute was probably the wrong word for Bart, but she could think of no other word to describe him just then. She let her feet hit the surface of the pool.

"You can look now," she said.

He pulled his hands away from his face cautiously. Her playful eyes and curled up lips came into view.

"You really have to stop apologizing for things that are out of your control," she teased.

The water covered every inch of her except her head and yet he still felt like he was doing something wrong as he looked at her.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, his question followed by a gulp as he tried to figure out where to look.

"Want to come in?" she countered, her flirtatious eyes daring him to refuse. "I could always come out if you prefer."

Saw that coming. Bart's brain flashed back to the state he'd found her in and he turned his back on her.

"Are you going to tell me about Diane if I do?"

A light giggle fell from Aria's lips. She couldn't see the man who kept turning away from her coming in after her unless he intended to do it fully clothed.

"Okay, but you have to strip down to your undies. No tricks," she said, calling his bluff.

His jacket hit the floor and it was her turn to gulp. He undid one button and then another until his shirt was on the floor too. Aria inhaled sharply. She knew he was completely ripped under his tailored suits, but damn if seeing it wasn't something else. Aria was not a stranger to shirtless men. She had sparred with her fair share of them. Bart didn't sparr without a shirt though, so this was all new to her.

When Bart stood before her in nothing but briefs, she found herself unconsciously taking a step back. He hadn't moved yet. He just looked at her with that arrogant, stern gaze. Aria found she was suddenly extremely hot. Wasn't the water ice cold a moment ago?

Bart dove into the pool head first and swam a lap before popping his head back up in front of her. She watched his perfect form as he glided through the water.

"That's just not fair," she muttered, watching the water he'd brought up with him pour down his burly body.

He grinned at her stunned face, enjoyed the fact that he'd finally one upped her.

"So? A deal's a deal."

She smiled back at him, reaching out to touch his chest. Aria wasn't thinking about Ethan or Diane or their messed up situation. All she wanted was to be wrapped around him.

"You should probably talk to him about it yourself."

Bart had been getting looks like that for years. He didn't know it of course, because he didn't usually get close enough to women to see it. He'd certainly never stripped down to his underwear for one. The more her hands explored his torso, the less he wanted to talk about Ethan and Diane. Aria had tied her hair up into a bun, presumably for the swim. Having last seen her hair down at his birthday ball, it suddenly seemed very important to him that she had it down and not up.

His hand went to her hair and he undid the bun, pulling the scrunchie onto his wrist as he brought her hair down.

"You should wear it down more," he whispered.

She looked up at him and found his deep blue eyes staring down into her amber eyes. Unguarded tenderness greeted her. Okay fine, so maybe he was the one making her all hot and bothered. So, so hot and so damn close.

"It looks better down," he added, running his fingers through her knotted hair carefully so as not to hurt her.

What was she thinking inviting him in? She was a total fake, a complete flirt and nothing more. Aria didn't do stuff like this. Why hadn't she been as on edge as he was when he got here? She might have been laughing then, but she certainly wasn't now.

"Diane doesn't love Ethan, certainly not like he loves her," she caved.

Aria wasn't sure why she was telling Bart their personal family drama, but it seemed to distract him enough that he didn't mind her arms going around his neck.

"Then why—"

"Remember the prince from the ball? The one who was dancing with your girlfriend?"

Having CC brought up stung. Suddenly Bart realized that he hadn't thought about CC since his arrival. It had been a whole day. Bart's thoughts had been all Aria and Ethan until now. And while the idea hurt, Bart knew that he would be thinking of CC even less in the future.

Seeing Bart frown, Aria pulled away. This Bart was surprised to find, stung too.

"Looks like you do. Well Princess Diane is his older sister. Ethan and Diane's engagement, it's purely political. A way to unite nations or whatever," Aria said with an eye roll, splashing at the water in frustration.

"I see," Bart answered, waiting for her to carry on.

"I just don't want Ethan to be unhappy. There are rumors about Diane having a thing with someone from her home country. That's probably why she freaks out every time Ethan goes near her. Stupid idiot fell for her the moment he laid eyes on her."

Bart was smiling at her again, resulting in her directly her frustrated splashes at him.

"I'd put those pearly whites away if I was you."

"Was I smiling?" Bart chuckled, mesmerized by her pouting lips.

"Yes, you've been doing that a lot lately," she answered, laughing too, splashing him again.

Bart needed to stop smiling at Aria so much, it was unfair. His body, his laugh. The way he'd already won over her entire family. Just a few seconds ago he was depressed again about the princess from Caines. His princess. Aria's heart couldn't take the back and forth. He made getting hurt look so good though.

Taking action for the first time since he'd come to stand before her, Bart slipped hos arms around her waist and lifted her up. She gasped as her legs naturally wrapped around his waist, her hands cupping his neck as her thighs tightened around his hard core. He'd made the move, but now his eyes seemed to be wavering.

"It's just cute how worried you are about your brother," Bart said, his gaze dropping to her lips. "But he's a grown ass man. He can take care of himself."

As their lips neared each other's, she let out a sigh. He wasn't going to kiss her. This just wasn't their moment.

"Guess I'm being a hypocrite. I'm always in the boat he's in with Diane, even now."

"Ria—"

When he started pulling away, she tightened her hold on him.

"Get me out of here, won't you handsome?"

Bart pressed his forehead against Aria's. She was beautiful, fun, smart and packed a mean punch. Bart had never smiled or laughed so much in his life. Why couldn't it just be enough that he wanted to kiss her? Why did he have to go thinking about bloody consequences?

She saw the internal conflict on his face and kissed his cheek.

"Just walk Barry."

As Aria clung to Bart, he laid his hands on her back, holding her in place as he crossed the pool. His feet and mind were at war, debating whether to get to the end quickly or drag it out. She laid her head down on his chest like she had the first time. His arms tightened around her as he endeavored not to say anything and just do what she asked.