246: Remember, I Like Honeysuckles

Remember, I Like Honeysuckles

"Can't get enough of that handsome prince?" Arlan sneered. "And now you can't wait to use whatever excuse to get closer to him? What, so you can stare at him all you want?"2

Jealousy reared its ugly head. He could not help it. Just because he could not keep her by his side due to his current instability, that didn't mean he would allow Oriana to fraternize with another man, especially if that man was a handsome bachelor like Cian. 

Oriana was his! 

That accusation made Oriana raise her head, her eyes wide with disbelief and incredulity. 

'What is wrong with him? Does he think everyone is a pervert like him? That any interaction with another person has impure meanings?'

As the subject of his glare, her rationality snapped.

"Yes! You are right! I want to stare at him! Is something wrong with that? I am not like you who can ogle at others so shamelessly, where one stare is enough to draw the person so perfectly to not even miss a simple tiny mole at their collarbone!"

Arlan was taken back by her reaction. Her insolent words and her lack of courtesy—raising her voice at her own master, not to mention calling him 'you'—ought to have caused him to flip out in anger, but…he found himself smirking.

Because he had a realization. 

Seeing the prince stand up, walking around his desk, seemingly charging in her direction, Oriana felt her blood go cold.

'Spirits be damned, what possessed me to say all those—ahhhh! Did I say too much? Did I? Why did I even say those words? Even if he ogles at someone, it's none of my business. My foul mouth, why did I even—"

With him swiftly approaching, she inevitably took steps to back away from him. Due to her fluster, she did not even realize Arlan had already cornered her against his desk. 

She could not move further back! 

Oriana panicked. "Y-Your Highness, I…I didn't mean to offend you…I don't know why I even said that…"

However, her voice faltered at the sight of him so close to her, merely a step away. His tall figure towering over her, that smug smile hanging on his handsome face, those ocean blue eyes narrowed slightly, his expression filled with a sense of superiority and amusement…

Ba-dump!

Her heart skipped a beat.

His movements assertive and purposeful, he leaned forward towards her, his hands resting on the table on her sides, his strong arms effectively caging her in. 

His eyes held the playfulness she had missed for quite some time. 

"Is someone jealous?"

Her heart raced, and she could feel heat erupt on her cheeks. "What! No!" 

He simply raised his brows, waiting for her answer. 

She squirmed under his gaze. "J-Jealous, why would I be?"

"Did I say it was you?"

Oriana wanted to slap that smirk away from his face.

Arlan chuckled. "You admire that Rosetta woman so much, yet now you are jealous that I looked at her and drew her portrait?"

"Admire? I…" she stopped as she realized something. 'In his eyes, I am a man. It makes perfect sense that he thinks I am interested in her as well.'

She got back to her senses. 

"I am a man as well. Is it wrong to fancy a beautiful woman just like Your Highness does?"

'Fancy a beautiful woman?' Arlan could not help but stare at her beautiful face. Those bright hazel eyes, the perfect arch of her brows, the delicate shape of her nose, those plump lips.  "Sure there is nothing wrong with fancying a beautiful woman." 

Each of his words was meant for her. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful woman. It was more than just physical. Be it her character, her speech, her stubbornness and her kindness, Oriana was beautiful the way she was. 

His gaze landed on those plump lips once again. He had the strongest urge to push her back against the desk and—

He threw those thoughts at the back of his head. 

'I should not…not yet.'

Arlan raised his gaze, meeting hers instead to distract himself. His words referred to Oriana, but she didn't know that. That was why at this moment, there was a crease in between her brows. The prince found her misunderstanding adorable. 

"You liked that woman so much that you even prepared a gift for her." 

Though he wanted to simply tease her, there was jealousy hidden in his words.

"I was told to prepare something…"

"You could have bought some small insignificant trinkets outside, but you went through great lengths to personally prepare a handmade brooch. You even added lavender, that scent you like so much. Is she that special to you?"

His words were starting to make her feel uneasy. He didn't look like he was simply teasing her. 

"You even promised that elf a customized gift," he told her, "but I, your master, have never received anything from you."

'Oh, so he wants a gift as well?' Oriana concluded. "I will prepare one for Your Highness."

The prince stared at her wordlessly, his silence making Oriana confused and nervous at the same time. She had already given him her word. Was he waiting for her to say more? 

Unknown to her, Arlan was amidst an internal battle. Though he appeared normal on the outside, he was reaching his limit. He needed to move away from her, but it was proving to be difficult.

His only intention was to make fun of her for being jealous…but he had dug his own grave.

His heart was beating like a drum, their sounds making him go deaf. At this point, he could see nothing but her. 

He leaned closer, his gaze fixed on her lovely pair of pink lips.

Oriana was rooted in the spot. His face was so close and she knew what he wanted to do. Unknown to her, it was what she wanted too. 

As his breath caressed her lips, her eyes fluttered to a close.

Seconds passed by, yet the warmth she expected against her lips never came. Only words. 

"Remember, I like honeysuckles," he whispered in her ears, his lips gently brushing against her earlobes. 

Though he didn't kiss her, it caused her entire body to heat up, as if he had intimately held her and she dared not open her eyes until the heat in her cheeks faded. When there was no further movement from his side, she slowly opened her eyes, only to see there was no one in front of her and the door of the study was left open. 

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