Page 44 of The Scholar's Key
“You have a much more interesting mind than any other I have come across.”
“That is quite kind of you, although it is nothing compared to your own.”
She surprised him by stepping forward, causing him to catch his breath.
“Shall we go?” he asked.
“Yes,” she breathed, but instead of moving toward the door, she inched closer to him, until he had no option but to bring his hands up and around her waist.
“Percy?” he said as she tilted her head back and stared up at him, her blue eyes wide.
“Yes?”
“I—” But before he could say anything, could tell her that this was a terrible idea, her lips met his, pressing against them in question.
And the only answer he could give her was yes.
A thousand times yes.
CHAPTER16
Percy was known for being forward, but this—this was more than she had even expected of herself.
But she could no longer disregard the tension that had been growing between them all night – all week, if she was being honest. So she did what she always did and faced the situation head on. She needed this man, and she needed him now.
And no one was more surprised about it than she was.
She knew that this was everything she had been warned against – the reason why her mother would have forbidden the books she read with her friends. She wasn’t married to Noah, nor even betrothed or courting.
Percy enjoyed her time with Noah, of course she did, but she could hardly imagine marrying him. He was a scholar who was going to write history, for goodness’ sake. Her family had other plans for her, and as much as she tried to deny them, she knew that at some point she would have to agree to a man they chose for her.
That didn’t mean, however, that she couldn’t enjoy this with Noah – even as a niggling thought reminded her that he was not the man who would do this with a woman like her without considering what might come next.
That didn’t change the fact that she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms, in his bed, his body in hers.
She had a feeling he might not approve, nor take what she was ready to give – but she was willing to find out.
Knowing him for some time, Percy would have expected that Noah’s kiss would have been soft, hesitant, patient.
But it was none of that. Not at all.
Once her lips touched his, he paused for a moment, as though uncertain of whether or not he would return her touch. Once his decision was made, however, he answered her with complete abandon of the personality he had always presented to the world, overjoying her.
As abruptly as he kissed her, he pulled back, although he didn’t completely break off with her as he had in the past.
“I should take you home.”
Her eyes wandered over his face, her breath coming in short pants.
“You should.”
He didn’t move toward the door. Neither did she.
He reached up, his hands cupping her head, but instead of pulling her in toward him, he trailed his fingers over her face, the pads of his thumbs softly gliding down her cheeks. His gentle touch was causing as much turmoil within her as his passionate kisses had, and she closed her eyes for a moment to try to ease all of the resulting sensations.
He tilted his head then, lowering his lips toward hers once more, and she eagerly met him halfway, placing her hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart against her fingers. That’s what he was – steady. She could trust him, could count on him, could know that he would always be true to his word and support her in not only what he thought was right, but what she did as well. In all of their acquaintance, he had never let her down.
And she knew that he wouldn’t now.
