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He smiled softly. “Your face does not offend me. Nor do I find it displeasing.”
She blinked, stunned.
“But it is rather stunning when a bit of color stains your cheeks as it is doing so now.”
Horrified, she lifted her hands and touched her flushed cheeks. His words had caused an uncomfortable warmth to spread across them.
“Pale complexions are all the rage.” She told him.
“And I hardly think you are influenced by the going trend.”
He was right. She most definitely wasn’t. It caused a funny feeling in her gut to realize he already knew that much about her. There wasn’t anyone who tried to understand her. Not even her parents. They were more concerned about nurturing and babying her then willing to understand what it was she wanted. Or needed.
As if sensing her unease, he said, “Shall we continue reading?”
She nodded, and then abruptly thought to ask, “How are you enjoying your book?”
He shrugged. “It is really not to my liking.”
Evelina frowned. “What do you mean? You do not like it?”
“It is all right, however, the goings on of a young romantic woman is not my usual flare for reading material.”
“And what is your usual style?”
“Adventure, crusades, what not.”
Trying to sound nonchalant, she ventured to ask, “Perhaps you would be interested in trading books?”
His brow arched, intrigued. “And what have you got there?”
She held it up, certain a story of an angler out on the high seas would be of more interest to a sailor.
“Ah, Moby Dick, a fantastic book.”
Her heart sank. “You’ve already read it?”
He shook his head. “No, actually, it was read to me. As a child. I have never picked it up as an adult.”
Her spirits rose once again. “Then I highly recommend you reacquaint yourself with the story. I am certain you will enjoy it a great deal more as an adult.”
He studied her face for an uncomfortable moment then shook his head. “No, I think I will finish this one.”
Her face fell swiftly. “But you are taking so long.”
He smirked. “That is true. I am certain I am not as fast a reader as say yourself.”
“You may not finish it in time before you need to return it to the library.”
“Oh, I am certain I shall finish it before then.” He grinne
d. Then a thought struck him. “Or are you worried there won’t be enough time for you to read it as well?”
“Well, yes, I would dearly love to read it. It would be so kind of you to loan it to me before returning it to the library.”
He appeared to think about it then told her, “If I don’t finish it in time, you may take it out of the library on loan after me.”
“I don’t have a reading card.”
