For the first time, Erden felt a strange thrilling fear touch his heart.
She was making him lose control of his actions and that was a scary thing to happen in the middle of a chaotic war that he had to wage against his own troops.
It was never a good time to suddenly have warm feelings for a person, especially if that person was already married. Add to that the chaos of wartime and it had to be the absolute worst timing.
The Grand Duke Erden closed his eyes hoping that perhaps he was just a little tired, maybe a bit disturbed or confused.
He would probably be back to normal in no time flat if he didn't meet up with her ever again. Maybe he would be able to regain his normal balanced steadfast life.
"Is everything okay?" Gwendolyn asked.
Erden opened his eyes and saw her concerned face with those amazing blue eyes and those soft luscious pink lips. His world once again devolved into helter-skelter confusion and topsy-turvy turmoil.
"Listen, Gwen." He cleared his throat. "Maybe this is not a good time to do any design or remodeling of the ship."
Gwendolyn looked at him with her bright blue eyes, not saying a word.
"It's not that I don't appreciate your work, it's just—"
"You don't want me around." Gwendolyn interrupted.
He sighed. It wasn't because he didn't want her around. It was because he wanted her too much. But of course, he could not say that.
"Gwen. What would your husband think if he knew you were flying around in deep space with an unmarried man?"
Gwendolyn waved a dismissive hand.
"I left him. I'm not going back to Erenveil."
Erden sighed. He picked up his wine glass and took a sip, wishing it was a bit stronger.
"You may have physically left, but you are still married to him."
"All it would take for me to be completely detached from him is to have another lover. At that point, it would be clear to everyone that I'm no longer part of his harem and he would no longer want me."
"Gwen," Erden leaned in towards her. "What kind of a man would have the balls to take one of the wives of the Emperor of the galaxy?"
"A man with enough military power to stand up to the Emperor." Gwen put down her spoon. The split pea soup was bland and barely edible.
"The Emperor is the most powerful man in the galaxy. Who is going to be able to go up against him?" Erden grimaced.
Gwen shrugged. "My son is the Prime Warrior of Erenveil. He would never lift a finger against me, even if his father insisted. It wouldn't take much of a force to dispel Rex, especially if I state my steadfast decision to be completely separated from him."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Erden raised an eyebrow.
Gwendolyn nodded.
"Pretend to be my man. Pretend until my husband releases me from my marriage to him so I can be free of him."
Erden felt like laughing. He could hardly believe it.
Here he was, trying to…what was it that he was trying to do? Was he trying to woo her or to send her away?
He couldn't tell any more. His confusion and turmoil were slamming him in the guts and he could barely think rationally.
But suddenly it didn't look as if he needed to think or to do anything at all because the lady was asking him to pretend to have interest in her!
His heart began to beat like a bongo drum. Her dazzling blue eyes were making him weak in the guts.
"And if I—pretend to be your man—"
"What would you get in return?" Gwendolyn retorted.
No! That was not what he was going to say! Erden was about to protest when Gwendolyn gave her response.
"You would receive my gratitude."
Something must have shown in his eyes because Gwendolyn sighed with resignation.
"I understand my gratitude is not much of a return for something this serious. I left all my worldly possessions back at Erenveil and have nothing to offer you, but I would like to remind you that my father is the king of the wolves."
Her face was nervous.
"Perhaps there is something he could offer you as just compensation for your assistance."
Erden took a deep breath. It wasn't that her gratitude was not wanted. Heavens knew, he would take what he could get from this woman.
But damn it! He wanted far more than that.
Much much more!
"Three months." Unaware of his internal turmoil, Gwen held up three fingers.
"Give me three months of your time and you will have my deep gratitude.
"And what happens after three months?"
Regardless of whether I have successfully separated from my husband or not, after three months, I will not be a bother to you and you will not see me again."
Erden narrowed his eyes. This was completely unacceptable!
She was going to gift him three months of her time and then afterwards, she was going to dump him like some piece of used up male trash?
Totally unacceptable.
"I refuse." He shook his head.
Gwendolyn opened her mouth to say something, but he raised his hand in protest.
"The only way that I could possibly entertain such thoughts would be if it was a permanent state."
He leaned in and gave her a sharp, intense gaze.
"I am not 'pretend-boyfriend' material."
Gwendolyn blinked in confusion. "I don't understand. Are you saying you would only think about doing this if you were a—a permanent boyfriend?"
Gwen scratched her head. What in hell was a permanent boyfriend? They were hardly teenagers who didn't know the ways of a man and a woman. If this was not temporary, he would want more than just a platonic relationship.
"No, Gwendolyn. You are mistaken again. My honor is at stake here. I will accept nothing less than marriage." He raised both eyebrows, looking miffed that she would consider anything less honorable for a dragon like him.
In truth, his heart was beating so hard, he could barely hear anything. Was she actually going to accept such a bizarre proposal?
"Ma—marriage?" Gwendolyn had just left one marriage. Did she want to jump into another one so quickly? Her thoughts were in chaos.
Erden raised his head with a haughty lift.
"You want me to defend you with my life? I will only do so if you were my wife, not some…permanent girlfriend."
He sniffed. "What in the world is a permanent girlfriend anyway?"
Gwendolyn stared at him for a moment. Suddenly she burst out laughing.
This was such an Erden moment. He was so straight-laced and straight-forward that to ask him to be a fake anything was ludicrous.
She must be crazy. Or desperate.
Or both.
"I'm so sorry Duke Erden." Gwendolyn took a deep breath to calm her laughter. "I don't know what came over me. Please just—disregard what I asked of you."
But Erden was already shaking his head.
"Too late. I cannot un-hear what you have said."
He placed a hand over his heart.
"I gladly accept your marriage proposal. In return, I will do everything in my power to protect you from anything and anyone out there who seek to do you harm, including your ex-husband, the Emperor of Erenveil."
"But—but but—" Gwendolyn sputtered.
"Do not worry." He reached out and patted her head. "I will take good care of you."
"Now," he pointed to her split pea soup. "If you are done with dinner, I will escort you back to the Wyvern Fae for the night."
He smiled a bit ruefully. "I'm afraid my living standards aren't quite up to snuff for my new bride so you will have to fix up my place a bit so I can bring her home in style."
Gwendolyn nodded with some confusion and stood up alongside the Duke.
"I will expect you to be back here tomorrow." He reached for her arm and led her towards the hangar. "You need to decorate and design this place so that it will be comfortable for you."
"The design team will draw up some plans for your approval—" Gwendolyn's brain was in a whirl as she refocused on the whole reason they were there.
"No need. You approve them. Once we are married, you will be living here with me, at least until things have calmed down a bit."
She was about to respond to all of this when she realized that they had already reached the hangar and the ten designers were already standing at by the transport pod waiting for her arrival.
The Duke turned back to Gwendolyn, resting his hands gently on her upper arms.
"I will send a message to the Emperor informing him of our plans. Have the teams do the work as quickly as possible. I want you moved here as soon as the remodeling and redesign are done."
"But—"
He quickly shushed her by dropping a quick kiss onto her mouth.
"Consider our deal sealed—with a kiss."