Piers held out his hand and moved his fingers, as though trying to catch the heat circulating around them. He glanced back at the doorway, his eyes narrowing. If the revolving door were a dragon, he would draw his sword and slay it. Forthwith. She grinned at him.

He frowned. “Are you from the Ice Plains? Is that where we are?”

It was certainly cold enough to ice things over, but Sophie shook her head. “I’m from Connecticut.”

“Cunnetakit.” His frown deepened. “This place is new to me.”

“I’ll bet.” Her lips twitched. She didn’t want Piers to think she was mocking him, but it was hard not to get a kick out of his mistrust of a revolving door and obvious fascination with central heating. “Do you have any other clothes?” she asked again.

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t mind one of these puffy things everyone is wearing.” He glanced at her pink parka. Hesitantly, he reached out and poked the zipper with a really tanned finger for New York in December. “Do you have another one of these?”

“Uh…not on me. But I’m pretty sure we can find something here.”

“Do they accept coins?” he asked, glancing around the store.

She rolled her lips in to keep from smiling. “Well, you’d definitely need a lot of them.”

His color rose. “I’m a little lost here…Sophronia. I might not have the means to pay.” Piers started for the exit.

“Hold on.” Sophie grabbed his arm and steered him toward the jackets. “You just saved my life. Literally. I have money in the bank, and the least I can do is buy you some proper winter clothing.”

“You don’t need to buy me anything.” He looked as if she’d tried to call him Bob again.

“I know I don’t need to, but I want to. Don’t people repay debts in Sinta?” Wherever the hell that was.

A muscle ticked near his eye. “They don’t pay a prince back for helping a lady in distress.”

“Oh, you’re a prince now?” Sophie laughed. “That’s right—third in line for the throne.”

He glared.

“Sorry.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sure you can pay me back from the…eh…royal coffers. But let’s just get what you need for now.”

He finally agreed, but it was like pulling teeth from a rhinoceros. Sophie had never met a more stubborn man in her life.