Rhiane's determination to leave the room withered and died the moment he grabbed her wrist. She ought to get away, she chastised herself, but it was impossible to leave Luke now that he was so open, vulnerable, and wanting of her presence. For the past week the princess elect had been trying to get her betrothed to be more forthcoming instead of being swept away by his pride and social bias. Admittedly she was just as guilty for keeping secrets, being unyielding, and refusing to compromise. Their heated arguments had stymied chances to be honest about their relationship, platonic or not, as well as their future. It felt like cheating, however, to have Luke finally reaching out to her emotionally and physically because he had been medically compromised.

Turning with the intention to tell her injured fiance he ought to lay back down, her eyes widened at the sight of him without a shirt. She had seen him in a state of undress before but it was this situation, with him looking at her so desperately, the two of them sharing a bed, that made her heart thunder in her chest. Rhiane had to look away from the tousled hair, the sharp angles of his silhouette, the curvature of his musculature, and the way the soft light made the linens glow. Hopefully he did not interpret this as a dismissal. She was determined not to take advantage no matter how tempting the circumstances might be. Ordinarily men did not evoke this response from her. In the past she would flirt if she felt attraction, get out her urges, and then part ways- but the heir to the throne was nothing if not different.

"You didn't pick me," she corrected gently, genuinely confused by his statement. Her face had flushed as he leaned his head on her shoulder. Rhiane decided to stare at a speck on the distant wall with intense scrutiny in order to center her thoughts and feelings. It wasn't distracting enough to make her forget she was only wearing a nightgown and a handsome man to whom she would be one day wed was giving his version of sweet nothings, but it was better than gazing upon the source of her internal conflict directly. "I won a contest; if anyone chose me it was your mother because I passed her tests with the highest scores." The unbidden image of the reigning monarch filled her mind briefly. Most women dreaded having a mother-in-law, but she doubted any had anyone quite so formidable as hers. Hopefully no other future bride had a relative waiting with great anticipation for reproductive duties to be fulfilled they could dispose of and replace the 'breeder.'

She had always assumed that the late king had a tragic love story. Hearing it explained put everything into more perspective. The uncontested best role model in Luke's life had been selfless, caring, and strong, enduring everything for someone who did not reciprocate the love he gave so freely. No one would blame Luke if was afraid to fall prey to the same tale. All his life he had not seen a healthy marriage flourishing under reciprocation and sharing. Rhiane knew it could exist, had seen it happen, but was instead terrified she'd suffer the same sort of loss that her father had when her mother was ripped from his side by disease.

"Tobias?" she squeaked as he embraced her from behind. Hopefully he was still drugged enough he wouldn't feel the pounding organ in her chest moments from explosion. Rhiane didn't know how to push him away to save herself from doing something foolish and not hurt his tender feelings. Obviously he was oblivious to how this intimacy affected her. The way his arms encircled and hugged her waist, how he was tall enough to rest his head upon hers, how he squeezed tightly made her feel like a precious person both treasured and desired. Her head was spinning. She ought to have taken a sedative to last the entire evening. "Tobias is a friend I can talk to," she remarked. "The rest of the staff are uncomfortable with me, but he will listen- really listen to me without any judgment. I think of him as my best friend at the palace but... I don't... harbor anything for him," she added with embarrassment.

"Luke," she began slowly, "I promise I won't leave but you should lay back down. You can take a nap until it's time for dinner," she suggested, "and I'll watch another another movie but keep it muted so you can rest." Her hands fell to where his were resting, clasping one another and keeping her a willing captive. "We shouldn't do anything you will regret once you're more yourself," Rhiane said more for her own benefit than for his. Already she had a suspicion that the crown prince would be denying this conversation ever took place and that what he had 'allegedly' professed was utter nonsense.