Erik grinned at her declaration. Somewhere, he wondered if leaving her like this was the worst thing he'd ever done to someone. And yet… the prospect excited him.
In the end, he decided not to think about it too much. Yes, it wasn't the most honourable thing to do, but Leia made this choice herself, and his bond with her told him there wasn't any repressed unwillingness either.
If he actually loved Leia and wanted her as his wife, he would have wanted her to work on herself, but as it stood, he refused to feel bad about something she wanted herself.
So, to show his appreciation, he removed the hand around her throat, which Leia had used to underscore her point, and instead gently cupped her cheek. Leia continued clutching his hand and now pressed it harder against her cheek with a small, subservient smile.
