Rhiane had stripped to her undergarments but elected not to undress to completely. While she certainly slept nude during the warmer seasons, she suspected this would only amplify the difficulties she was having with Luke. The princess elect had always divorced herself emotionally from the activities she engaged in with men during brief dalliances. Given the romantic passes that had been made at her within the last half hour, however, she was less than confident her fiance would interpret any intimacy as purely physical. She did not want to send mixed messages and so she decided to err on the side of modesty much her chagrin. It felt like a horrible waste to be in the company of a highly attractive individual of the opposite sex, someone who was presumably attracted to her, and to not take advantage of both a lavish bed and total privacy. Only the risk of Luke getting the wrong impression was enough to chill her desires and destroy the sheer thought of initiating mutually satisfying activities.

Just as she was about to step into the closet to fetch a nightgown, so that she wasn't accused of reciprocating his proposal for more than a work relationship, she heard the crown prince behind her. First he had chastised her for self-depreciation (something for his sake she hoped he acclimated to as she had no real incentive or reason to stop) and now he was referencing opinions he didn't agree with and would argue over. With her back still to the heir to the throne she rolled her eyes. Rhiane was not certain if she was pleased or disappointed the stubborn and contrary personality he had displayed throughout the day hadn't disappeared with his sudden flattery.

"What is for me?" she started to ask as she turned towards him. As her eyes fell onto the small box the witty commentary she had mentally prepared died on her lips. Although she knew that the roses were almost certainly not his idea, she had been glad for them, and had not expected any sincere gifts of his own preparation. In his vehicle returning from the island she had heard him reference something like this with his sister Cally but presumed it was for his own enjoyment. Luke had stolen a cannoli from her restaurant container, after all, and there was no reason to expect him to become selflessly generous. Her visage reflected equal parts joy, confusion, and surprise at the sweet offering.

"But when did you..." she began as she tried to rewind her memories. Either he ordered them on the way back from the pizza parlor or when she had been taking her nap. Regardless of the exact timing it had been well before his alleged change of heart and made his purchase twice as baffling. Rhiane stared on, tempted both to accept it gratefully and wolf down every last morsel as quickly as possible, lest his change his mind again, or reject it considering the circumstances they were now in. Luke could see the princess elect chewing the inside of her cheek as she waffled back and forth, palpably excited, but trying to weigh whether or not this indulgence was some sort of trap.

Fortunately her sweet tooth won over her apprehension and with a barely contained squeal she took the delicate box. Rhiane justified her ultimate acceptance by reasoning if he had ordered the treat before his insistence they have a romantic component to their marriage that meant there were no strings attached. It was terrible logic but the only way she could consume the sugary confection without a guilty conscience. "Thank you!" she exclaimed as she plucked it from his lap. After three presents in the last twelve hours, which had been almost as many as she had over the course of the rest of her life, one might expect she would be less enthusiastic, that there would be diminishing returns on the third compared to the first. If there were any they were well hidden. Still in only her underwear she grinned from ear to ear, childish glee on her countenance, as she bobbed lightly on the balls of her feet.

And then, without thinking, she leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. It was childish (though no more than her reaction to paltry gifts), it wasn't an intimate gesture, but it was affectionate and genuine. Rhiane was buoyed by the 'bribe' and, forgetting her pajamas entirely, plopped down next to him to eagerly partake in a second dessert. The nutritionists would scold her but it wasn't as if she was in any real danger of weight gain. Her ridiculous metabolism had always worked in her favor and played no small part in why she had both participated in and won the contest. "I know it's for me, but do you want one?" she asked with a sincere smile.