Page 19 of Tutoring a Lady into Sin
Christianna shook her head. “I like playing games very much. It was only that I was waiting for….” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I feel like such a fool.”
“What?” Phineas prompted. “I assure you that you are no fool. So, tell me, what has made you feel as such?”
“I thought that perhaps today, if I made it clear to the duke that I wanted to be part of his party, he might invite me to join him.”
“So, you wished for Percy to—”
“Did it not look like great fun to chase each other about the lawn?” Christianna interrupted.
“I…I don’t know.”
She dropped her hand away from him and sighed despondently. “I only wanted a bit of attention… a chance to be the one Percy was chasing after…if only for the day.”
Phineas stared at her, feeling bewildered, then an idea came to him. “I could run about with you.”
Christianna laughed wearily. “You do not have to do that, Phineas. I am only pouting a little. I shall be well again in no time.”
“But you wish to have a race, and I am willing to oblige,” he replied as he lifted a hand and pointed to the shoreline. “If it will suit, I will race you to the water’s edge…just over there.”
“Phineas, really. This is completely unnecessary.”
He shook his head. “Shall I count to three, or do you want to…?” But he didn’t have to say anymore. Most unexpectantly, Christianna hitched up her skirts and took off. She ran away so quickly that Phineas barely had time to register that she was, in fact, accepting his challenge. “Wait up!” he called as he dashed after her.
Her delighted giggles floated back to him as he was unable to catch her right away.
She is as good as her word. Christianna is exceptionally fast.
Phineas pushed himself harder, aiming to overtake her, but just as he was about to reach out and grab hold of her shoulder, her foot slipped, and she slid straight to the ground. He opened his mouth to shout, but then, he lost his footing too.
Phineas flopped right on his rear end and coasted all the way down the embankment, stopping just short of gliding into the water. “Christianna,” he panted as he looked about in search of her. Since she had gone before him, there was every chance that she might have slid right into the lake.
“Over here,” she croaked, and he turned to see her sprawled on the grass, just a few feet away.
“How did you get all the way over here?” Phineas asked as he rolled over toward her.
She laughed. “Why are you log rolling?”
“How else was I supposed to get here quickly?” He stopped when he got right next to her. “Are you all right?” Phineas asked as he stared at her face.
“I think I will be fine,” she said as she tipped her chin back and breathed deeply. “I think, when I fell, I was just taken by surprise. I am usually very sure-footed and…oh….”
She let out a small groan, and Phineas propped himself up on his elbows so he could examine her more closely. “Did you hurt yourself when you fell? Did you bump…something? Tell me where it hurts.”
Christianna shook her head. “I do not know.”
Phineas leaned closer to her and lifted one of his hands so he could use the tips of his fingers to wipe the stray tendrils of hair away from her eyes. “Christianna,” he whispered, “I need you to try and think calmly, rationally. If you are injured, I must assess….”
“I am fine, Phineas,” Christianna whispered. “I think I am more embarrassed than anything else.”
“But it is just me,” he said quietly as he pushed a lock of her wispy blonde hair behind her ear. “There is no need to be flustered.”
“You are right,” Christianna replied. “I feel perfectly at ease when I am with you.” Then she inhaled deeply, and as her lovely violet eyes fixed on him, Phineas had the strong sense that he knew what she was going to say next. He repositioned himself so that he was no longer hovering over her, but as he meant to roll away, she reached out and grabbed hold of his lapels.
“Christianna.” He only had time to breathe her name before she pulled him to her and pressed her lips to his. In that split second, Phineas felt his senses ignite. He could taste the fruit punch that lingered on her lips and could smell the muddy grass that made up the embankment around them.
He thought, for just the briefest of moments, how nice it would be to tangle his hands in her hair, but then, his wits returned. He planted both palms beside her shoulders, and using all the force he could muster, he pushed off the ground, tearing himself away from her at the same time. “I am sorry, Christianna,” he murmured as he moved into a sitting position, leaving plenty of space between them. “That was highly inappropriate, and I should not have—”
“But you did nothing,” she protested. “It was I who kissed you, Phineas.”
