It was a good thing that Alexei was holding on to Ingrid when he set her down, because as he had anticipated, she was definitely weak in the knees.<br/><br/>Holding tightly to him for a few moments to regain her equilibrium. As her own senses started to return to her, she felt her cheeks burst into flame again at the thought of just how brazen and wanton she had been. And yet...she couldn't bring herself to regret it. There was really nothing immoral about it, after all this man was to be her husband, to have every right to do these things to her.<br/><br/>She looked up at him, smiling shyly.<br/><br/>"Dinner...ah...yes...dinner," she managed to get out, then reluctantly backed out of Alexei's arms. She tried to smooth down her hair and her skirts, but there was no time to fix the slight disarray of her careful coiffure.<br/><br/>Every nerve in her body was on fire and begging for more of his touch, but there was no chance of it now. They had to play nice for the court and assert the Romanov presence.<br/><br/>She smiled ruefully at Alexei.<br/><br/>"Time to face the firing squad, my lord?" she said quaintly, quirking an eyebrow and indicating she was ready to go.