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Somehow, Ryan was right there and she flung her arms around him in an attempt to break the fall. His arms came around her swiftly and caught her, saving her from a ghastly—and very unladylike—fall.
When she realized she was no longer falling, she looked up into his face only to discover it was merely inches away. The antagonism in his eyes had vanished and was now filled with a softness along with something else she had no idea how to explain but left her feeling an alarming awareness.
“Oh my,” Kathleen muttered from the front porch before promptly turning her back on them.
Evelina frowned at her sibling’s reaction until it dawned on her the awkward position she was in. Both her arms were flung around Ryan’s neck in a death-like grip while one foot was tangled up in the buggy’s little step and the other remained in the carriage. Essentially, she was sprawled across his torso, lying heavily against his chest.
She gazed at his neck, awestruck by how close he was and that she could actually inhale the scent of his person. Or maybe it was his soap. She wasn’t entirely sure. All she knew was that she liked being this close and having his arms wrapped around her as he did.
It was then, as she lay there contemplating the probability of ever having to leave the comfort of his arms, that she noticed his head slowly begin to descend. She was in awe of it as it came closer.
“You’re not going to kiss me, are you?”
He froze.
“I was thinking about it.” He uttered. “Why? Don’t you want me to?”
“A gentleman never steals a kiss.”
“Pardon?” He sounded slightly rattled.
“A gentleman always asks first, or at the very least warns the lady.”
“Warns?”
“Yes, warns, you just can’t go around kissing someone whenever the fancy catches you.”
“I see.”
“Unless, of course, it is your wife.”
His brow crinkled in bewilderment then tilted the corner of his mouth as he smirked down at her. “Would you do me the honor of allowing me to bequeath a kiss upon those delightful plump lips of yours?”
Immediately anger darkened her features. He was making fun of her.
“Most certainly not.” She firmly stated.
That took him by surprise. “Excuse me?”
“I said no.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“Kissing isn’t something to make light of or as the butt of a joke. It’s personal.”
The teasing glint in his eye vanished. “You’re quite right. I am sorry I even conceived the notion.”
She wasn’t certain if she was insulted or disappointed. All at once, she suddenly wished he had gone through with the kiss.
“Would you kindly let me go,” she snapped instead.
His scowl returned in a flash. “I’m not the one holding you.”
He then demonstrated by extending his arms out to the side and flapping them to prove they were not holding or touching her in any way. Evelina grimaced and turned beet red. Still grasping him tightly, she attempted to free her foot from the buggy.
“I’m stuck.”
He released an irritated sigh then placed both of his hands back on her hips and forcibly lifted her away from the carriage then placed her squarely on the ground. Reluctantly, Evelina allowed her arms to slide back down to her side.
