“You’re not your sister.Why are you acting like her?Pru, you must tell me.”He’d be on his knees if he thought it would help matters.
When her head slowly swiveled back to him and punctured him with a stare, he could see that things were about to go from bad to worse.
“I may not be Fidelia, but youarelike Bart.”
The words were a slap to his face and he recoiled.“I’m nothing like Bart.”
“He’s a rake.You’re a rake.”And then in the flattest tone imaginable, she added, “Thank you for teaching me what I needed to know.”
“Don’t say that, Pru.”
Without warning, the jostling carriage had her swaying in her seat, tumbling into his chest.Her hands flew to his abdomen.Her head bounced against his chest.Protectively, his hands wrapped around her body.
“Don’t say that, Pru,” he repeated in a murmur, this time closer to her ear.Nuzzling into her hair.“Don’t say that.Don’t say this is the end.”
She didn’t pull away.“I don’t have any more questions for you.”
“I don’t believe you, but fine.I have questions for you then.”
“That’s not how this works.I can’t teach you anything about pleasure.Besides, we had a deal.We both failed.Let’s release each other from this asinine agreement.”
“I’ll do nothing of the sort.And to be clear, you’ve taught me more about pleasure than I’ve taught you.Being a man full of pride, I need to fulfill my obligations.”
She pushed at his chest.“I’m just an obligation—”
“No.”He tightened his grip.“You’re anything but an obligation.You’re a delight.My delight.My little librarian.Your curiosity inspires me.Your loyalty awes me.And your kindness, even to your enemies, humbles me.Your beauty undoes me.You are everything to me, Pru.”
“How can you say that?How could you possibly even know that?You love to chase women.”
“Pru, I know with absolute certainty that you’re the one for me all the more so because I have been with other women.I have seen what women are like, and I love you.”
“Y-you what?”
“I love you, Pru.”
“H-how?”
“I can’t even explain to you how except that it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Soren?What are you saying?”But she already knew.Could feel it in her bones.He was nothing like Bart.What had she been thinking?Yes, he was a rake.But he wasn’t unconscionable.He wasn’t reckless.He wasn’t without morals.And hadn’t he proved his loyalty to her?That he didn’t live his life quid pro quo.That he could give and not take.That he had a good heart, despite the erroneously shallow labels people affixed to him.
“I can’t imagine my life without you.When I told your sister I wanted permission from Bart to court you, I was serious.”
“You were?”
“Yes.Although, now that I’ve seen his character I know that I don’t need his permission.”
“You don’t.”
“No,” he caressed her cheek softly, “I just need yours.”
“You have it.”
“Good.Then I have a question for you.”
“What is it?”
“May I kiss you?”
