Page 28 of The Scholar's Key
And, with Percy, it wasn’t just a game. All he had to do was speak the truth, even if she thought that he was only acting.
He shifted forward so that he was sitting on the edge of the chair, touching his knees against hers.
“We are alone.”
“We are.”
“I believe we need some entertainment.”
“Such as?”
“Entertainment that we can create ourselves,” he said, leaning forward and brushing a loose tendril of hair back behind her ear.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared with a swift intake of breath, but she sat straight up in front of him.
“I shall have you know, my lord, that I am paid very well by a generous man to be loyal to him and only him.”
“What will it hurt if he never finds out?”
“You are very sure of yourself.”
“I have no reason not to be,” he said with a smile, even though this was belying all his true insecurities. Despite feeling an imposter, he was encouraged by her reaction to him. “What your protector doesn’t know won’t hurt him. I shall be your secret, and you shall be mine.”
“With a proposal like that, how could I refuse?” she said, her lips widening slightly. “But do tell me, my lord… why are you worth the risk?”
Noah’s heart was beating hard and fast now, and as much as he continued to tell himself that this was all a game, practice for their true purpose, he was having difficulty remembering it. A large part of him wanted to believe that she felt the same. How could she not, with that flush in her cheeks, the rapid rise and fall of her chest as her aquamarine eyes stared into his?
“Because,” he said, licking his lips, “I will take you places that no other man has ever taken you before.”
Her eyes blinked rapidly at that, and her lips parted as she remained still before him. He leaned in, knowing that this was the time in the seduction when he would take action. This was just supposed to be practice, and yet when she looked at him like that…
She closed the gap between them, and his body moved before he could think. Her hands reached out, grabbing his shoulders while his arms wrapped around her back, pulling her in tight toward him. While their lips pressed against one another with an urgency he only ever could have imagined, the soft curves of her breasts squeezed against his chest. When the tip of her tongue flicked against his lips, he couldn’t deny opening them to her, inviting her in while his tongue moved against hers.
They were sitting somewhat awkwardly, and while Noah wanted to lift her and place her down on his lap, he was too scared to do so, for if he did, it might break this spell they were caught in. She would come to her senses, let him go—and then this wondrous occasion would end, and she would likely refuse to ever see him again, let alone engage in any further time spent alone.
She moaned slightly as her fingers slid through his hair, holding his head against her, and he realized that, shockingly, she wanted this just as much as he did.
His gasp of delight seemed to be enough to wake her, as she stilled and slowly drew away from him.
It was not the horror he had assumed would cover her face, but she did appear to be surprised, at the very least.
“Noah… I-I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” he blinked as he adjusted his spectacles, which had become rather askew. “Whatever for?”
Her fingertips were pressing against her lips, and he wished he was the one still upon them.
“For my forwardness.” She stood now, backing up slowly toward the door, and he reached out a hand when she slightly stumbled. “I am so sorry. I allowed that to go too far, believing… well. It doesn’t matter what I believe. Suffice it to say, you were correct. You do not appear to need any advice. Or practice.”
She backed up until she bumped into the door, and she jumped in surprise.
“Oh goodness,” she said, and Noah couldn’t help but smile that she was as flustered as he was. He waited, knowing that when she was flustered, she was likely to keep talking. And, given how much he enjoyed listening to her, he didn’t stop her. “I wonder what Mary must think. She is loyal, but I do know she loves to gossip, as she is always telling me the latest in the servants’ quarters. Which only leads me to wonder what she tells everyone about me. Although she has never provided any information to my mother that has returned to me. However, because of her, my mother will learn that I have come to visit you today. What business could have brought me to be with you in this library? I do not even know the family who lives here, for goodness’ sake. Perhaps… well…”
She tapped her finger against her lips.
“Perhaps you could tell her that you were inviting me and my aunt and uncle to dinner,” he said, the idea out of his mouth before he had time to fully consider it. For if that is what she told them, then they were sure to actually invite him to dinner. This would mean another engagement with Percy, except this would be one in which she would be sitting across from him, so close yet so out of reach, with no opportunity to touch her, to spend time alone with her.
Although that was likely done with as well.
