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“It is quite understandable. You have a heart, which allows you to empathize withthe many that aren’t as fortunate as you are. It is admirable to have that perspective, and I can sympathize with it. But I think that the main difference between you and I is that I decided to go out and take what I had wanted. Once you realize that, there is no stopping you; it is liberating.”
Matilda says she wishes she was that brave, giving him a look, he finds irresistible, and he responds by saying he was sure she could be.
“I wish I could be that brave. You are one of the first real-life people who mimic the characters in my stories. They are always putting caution second and going after their dreams in life. Until you, I guess I reserved that notion for the pages between cover and back. But I am not as brave as you are. I have not lived a life without caution. And when you have not done so, it is rather difficult to just pick up and start.”
Matilda then looked at Aaron, and her eyes gave him a sensation that no book, no journey, no tall hill could give him. It was as though the world had melted away around him.
“I believe that you can do anything that your heart desires. And I have only known you for an hour.” He gave her the same look right back because he meant every word.
His eyes drifted slowly to her lips and back up to her eyes. He caught hers doing the same.
“You believe in me?” She asked.
“Like a prince believes in a princess.”
Their lips slowly fell towards each other until they were kissing. If the world melted away around Aaron before, at that moment, everything outside that world had done the same.
Just as Aaron had predicted, her lips were soft. They moved the same way that Matilda carried herself, with elegance and purpose. They danced over his like they had always been meant to do so. And he soon realized that he cared about nothing but her in that moment. There was nothing that could compare to her lips, her kiss, her everything. A rush of heat washed over him.
“Matilda!” Someone cries out in the distance.
And just like that, their lips separated, and Aaron immediately missed them. He couldn’t imagine the rest of his life without kissing them once more. But something inside him knew that it would not be that easy. Something inside his gut told him that lips like those did not come without a fight.
And on her face, he could see that she couldn’t believe what she had just done. Aaron could not tell how she felt beyond that sentiment. But he truly hoped that she was not offended by what happened. The last thing that he wanted was to make her uncomfortable in anyway, especially after all they’ve shared with each other.
The very next thing that came to mind was wondering whether or not he had been caught kissing the Earl’s daughter. And the fact that she had probably been considered missing from the party did not bode well for his odds. It wasn’t an immense fear, but he certainly did not want to screw up his place in Hardon. Thus far, everything had been to his liking. And after kissing Matilda, things had seemed even more promising.
Matilda jumped to her feet and looked in the direction of where the voice had been coming from. That was almost as sad as the moment they stopped kissing for Aaron because he knew that she would have to take her leave.
It was the first time in a very long time that he enjoyed a conversation in a way where it felt like it was far more than just a conversation. There was a connection there. There was something more, and he did not want to lose that, whatever it was.
It was then that Matilda looked in his eyes. Despite the person calling her name and rattling Matilda’s nerves, her eyes still exhibited that unbridled sincerity and passion that they had from before. It was as though she had been acknowledging the kiss with a look alone.
When she seemed to confirm who the person was, she said, “I am sorry for being so forward.” Even under the night sky, Aaron could tell that her face was taking on a hue of red. She had clearly been embarrassed.”
“There is nothing to be sorry about. What happened took two people, not just one. I enjoyed our conversation very much.”
She looked as though she wanted to say something else but couldn’t. Again, it was her eyes that did the speaking for her. Aaron wished that he could take away her embarrassment, but that horse had left the stable. On her face, it appeared that the events of the night had just begun sinking in. And in return, he felt bad for putting her in that position. With how confident she carried herself, it was not easy to see her blush, despite how cute it was.
Matilda then rushed from the stables, and that was the last he saw of her for the night. He would never forget that moment, though. Even if he were to never see her again, which, he hoped was not the case, he would always carry the memory.
It made the memory of seeing her the first time, on the day where he took the job, all the more special. It was hard to believe that the very woman he could not take his eyes off that first day was the one he shared a kiss with. There was more to learn about the elusive and complex Matilda, but that excited him to no end.
With the quiet of the Hardon grounds, Aaron could hear the conversation between Matilda and the woman that had been calling her.
“Matilda, there you are. I was looking all over for you. The other maid said that she saw you in the kitchen. What are you doing out here by yourself?”
“Just getting some fresh air. I am coming in now.”
It was then Aaron realized no one had seen them kiss. That wasn’t what hit him most; it was the fact that he really kissed the Earl’s daughter. He had thought of it before but did not fully process it until that very moment. That could spell trouble.
