never compare with the reality.”
Juliana ached. She’d never ached so much in her entire life. She wanted him to soothe it. She wanted him to lower his hands and—
“See, Princess? Everything shows in your face.” Ian stepped away from her chair, grinning. “If someone can read your face, they can tap into your fears. Or your desires. They can twist you any which way they choose.
The air slowly escaped her lungs.
He hadn’t meant any of it. She’d nearly offered up her breasts for his sampling and he’d never meant a word. What had she been thinking? Even if he had meant what he said, she couldn’t give herself to anyone but her future husband. All the royal families she would potentially marry into would expect it. Some even would demand it be verified.
Ian was simply a pleasant aberration. She’d learn from him, treasure the respite, but nothing more.
“I’m glad you have decided to keep your distance. I have far too many women to keep track of already, and I suspect princesses are difficult to maintain.”
Her eyes flew to his.
“All on your face.”
That did it. “Teach me how to hide it.”
I t felt a bit like Juliana was asking him to break a stained glass window. This had always been his reason behind that little demonstration.
Or at least had been his intention at first.
But watching her desire for him play across her face was the most arousing thing he’d ever been cursed enough to witness.
Thankfully, he’d also witnessed her decision to relegate him back to the rubbish heap where he belonged.
Wise woman.
“The first step is to slow your breathing.”
She sucked in a long breath.
“Not so much that it is noticeable. Just a fraction slower. Fear, anger, passion. All of those will change your breathing. By controlling your breathing, you can fool your body.”
Her next inhale was smoother.
“Now look back in the mirror. Only a fool would be as awkward as you appear to be.”
Hurt flashed across her face.
“Freeze. Do not move a muscle.” He pointed to where her brows had drawn together in her forehead. “Emotion first comes out through the eyes and eyebrows. Keep them still.” He tapped the groove that had formed between them. “Relax this.”
And do it quickly .
The hurt on her face was making him feel rather unsettled.
The change in her breathing was subtle this time. Only someone trained to look for it would notice. The tension left her forehead.
Why did he care so much that it left her mind as well? “For the record, you’re rather quick at picking up all of this.”
Her eyebrows started to lift in pleased surprise, but then they smoothed and lowered back into a neutral position.
“Very nice. I might make a proper spy out of you after all.”
This time, her eyes gave nothing away at all.
Robbed. It was if he’d just discovered his purse had been lifted.
And he knew the response well. He’d stolen many a purse.
But he’d been schooled by a much harsher master, so he knew his face showed none of that, either. “You will want to keep as much of your face relaxed as possible. And whatever you do, don’t try to smile. A false smile is one of the easiest things to spot.”
“I think I’ve got it.”
“Shall we test it?”
She nodded.
“When I was seven years old, my father died.”
No response from her. Good.
“He was a barrister with cases all over England. Or at least that is how he explained why he was so often absent. When we received word that he was dead, it tore my mother apart. But she consoled herself that at least we’d be taken care of. My father hadn’t lacked funds.”
Her hands tightened on the table in front of her. He’d have to work on that tomorrow.
“But then she found out the truth. She wasn’t truly his wife. Or at least not his legal one. He had another family tucked away.”
She bit the inside of her cheek.
Hell, why was he telling her this? No one knew this but that damned butler. He could have invented a story
Juliana ached. She’d never ached so much in her entire life. She wanted him to soothe it. She wanted him to lower his hands and—
“See, Princess? Everything shows in your face.” Ian stepped away from her chair, grinning. “If someone can read your face, they can tap into your fears. Or your desires. They can twist you any which way they choose.
The air slowly escaped her lungs.
He hadn’t meant any of it. She’d nearly offered up her breasts for his sampling and he’d never meant a word. What had she been thinking? Even if he had meant what he said, she couldn’t give herself to anyone but her future husband. All the royal families she would potentially marry into would expect it. Some even would demand it be verified.
Ian was simply a pleasant aberration. She’d learn from him, treasure the respite, but nothing more.
“I’m glad you have decided to keep your distance. I have far too many women to keep track of already, and I suspect princesses are difficult to maintain.”
Her eyes flew to his.
“All on your face.”
That did it. “Teach me how to hide it.”
I t felt a bit like Juliana was asking him to break a stained glass window. This had always been his reason behind that little demonstration.
Or at least had been his intention at first.
But watching her desire for him play across her face was the most arousing thing he’d ever been cursed enough to witness.
Thankfully, he’d also witnessed her decision to relegate him back to the rubbish heap where he belonged.
Wise woman.
“The first step is to slow your breathing.”
She sucked in a long breath.
“Not so much that it is noticeable. Just a fraction slower. Fear, anger, passion. All of those will change your breathing. By controlling your breathing, you can fool your body.”
Her next inhale was smoother.
“Now look back in the mirror. Only a fool would be as awkward as you appear to be.”
Hurt flashed across her face.
“Freeze. Do not move a muscle.” He pointed to where her brows had drawn together in her forehead. “Emotion first comes out through the eyes and eyebrows. Keep them still.” He tapped the groove that had formed between them. “Relax this.”
And do it quickly .
The hurt on her face was making him feel rather unsettled.
The change in her breathing was subtle this time. Only someone trained to look for it would notice. The tension left her forehead.
Why did he care so much that it left her mind as well? “For the record, you’re rather quick at picking up all of this.”
Her eyebrows started to lift in pleased surprise, but then they smoothed and lowered back into a neutral position.
“Very nice. I might make a proper spy out of you after all.”
This time, her eyes gave nothing away at all.
Robbed. It was if he’d just discovered his purse had been lifted.
And he knew the response well. He’d stolen many a purse.
But he’d been schooled by a much harsher master, so he knew his face showed none of that, either. “You will want to keep as much of your face relaxed as possible. And whatever you do, don’t try to smile. A false smile is one of the easiest things to spot.”
“I think I’ve got it.”
“Shall we test it?”
She nodded.
“When I was seven years old, my father died.”
No response from her. Good.
“He was a barrister with cases all over England. Or at least that is how he explained why he was so often absent. When we received word that he was dead, it tore my mother apart. But she consoled herself that at least we’d be taken care of. My father hadn’t lacked funds.”
Her hands tightened on the table in front of her. He’d have to work on that tomorrow.
“But then she found out the truth. She wasn’t truly his wife. Or at least not his legal one. He had another family tucked away.”
She bit the inside of her cheek.
Hell, why was he telling her this? No one knew this but that damned butler. He could have invented a story
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