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Aaron did not answer right away. “Of course. I do not only want to steal books for you.”
“But you do that so well.”
“I do other things well too.”
Matilda laughed and wondered just exactly what he meant by it. Was he referring to his kissing abilities and bringing the conversation to that area, or was he just being plain with his words? She wasn’t sure but enjoyed the intrigue nonetheless.
After a quiet ride with Matilda soaking everything in by the second, Aaron brings the carriage to a halt atop a hill. From that hill, you could see a good portion of the town. With only a few lit-up windows in the small houses off in the distance, Hardon was peaceful—a sleeping town. Being with Aaron there made Matilda feel as though she had the world in her hands.
“You make me feel as though I am living in my own fairy tale.” She said as they spread a blanket out atop the hill.
“It is the hill, not I,” Aaron explained with a hint of humbleness. “Being atop hills always makes me feel as though I am a king, free to do whatever I want and go wherever I please.”
When Aaron finished his sentence, Matilda became suddenly aware of Ann’s presence. She stood in the phaeton with her arms folded. They briefly locked eyes, and when they did, Ann’s sent a hint that even though she was bored and helping Matilda break the rules, she was also being supportive. So, Matilda gave her a quick nod.
“You are very humble when you do not need to be,” Matilda said.
“A man always needs to be humble, especially when he does not need to be.”
Once the blanket was spread out neatly beneath the moonlight, Matilda and Aaron sat on it together with a lantern for reading. With him next to her and a book in her hands, the night just kept getting better. There was nothing else she could ask for.
But, for the first time, Matilda was distracted while reading. Having Aaron there was a party for her senses, pulling her focus every which way. If she didn’t want to look at and study him, she wanted to smell him. If she didn’t want to smell him, she wanted to kiss him. There was little focus on the words before her on the pages. But she was okay with that because the temptation made her happy.
“I must confess.” Matilda started. “I am quite distracted with you next to me. I want to read. I truly do. But at the present moment, our time together holds my attention captive.
Aaron looked back at Ann, who had fallen asleep in the carriage. He smiles, grabs Matilda’s hand and guides her around the clearing so that they would not wake Ann in the process.
They settled on a nearby rock,not saying anything at first. Instead, they stare off into the sky, letting their surroundings and the present moment bathe them. Matilda found the moonlit valley to be stunning. It barely looked real.
“I am scared, Matilda. And I am not used to be being scared. I actually have spent my entire life mastering andcontrolling that emotion.”
“Whatever could you, of all people, be afraid of? If I didn’t know any better, being around you for five minutes, I would think that you have the capabilities to fly. You are so in tune with being ahead of emotions.”
“I am scared that I am not going to want to leave after a year. But I am also afraid of getting hurt…over us.”
Matilda could not help but think of Charles while being flattered by the fact that Aaron had reservations about leaving. “If you have taught me anything, it’s to not fear the future. But I do not want to preach those words when I myself feel a great sense of fear. My family expects things of me when all I really think I want is moments like these and books. I am petrified of living a life that is not mine, someone else’s dream.”
Aaron remains quiet, but Matilda does not mistake that for him not listening. Instead, the way his eyes rested on the ground spoke the contrary. It was as though he felt sorry for her.
“You know, I was not always this way…carefree, embracing my freedoms. I was indirectly taught to be this way. And I’ve found that sometimes, you need an indirect lesson to learn about yourself.”
Matilda felt herself grow greatly interested. “How were you taught this lesson?”
“There was someone in the past. They felt the need to control me, or at least try to. In the beginning, I guess they did. But over time, I learned to break those chains and be my own person. They made me feel trapped. They never said what they meant. I learned that there are people in this world who are just as good at mental warfare as some are good at shooting guns in battle.”
Matilda thinks quickly to form the right question in her mind, but Aaron continues.
“You are the opposite of that person Matilda, in every way. You embrace me, downright get interested by my ways. And I see that, and it makes it hard for me to keep my distance from you.
Matilda hesitated. She wanted to say something to Aaron but did not know if it was too vulnerable. Romance and talking to boys had not been as easy as it was portrayed in her books. She could not help but feel that each and every one of her words had a potential repercussion to it.But, after a few seconds of back and forth with herself, she decided that the only way to bring Aaron closer was to be vulnerable and real.
“I do not want you to keep your distance.” Matilda finally said.
It was then that their lips met. The world melted away around Matilda as she brought a hand to his face. There was not a part of her that wanted to hold back. And so, she didn’t.
Their kisses led to both their hands dancing across each other’s bodies until Matilda and Aaron gave each other a look that she would never forget. It was one that explained to her that they were both thinking the same thing.
With Ann still asleep in the distance, Matilda and Aaron allowed themselves to go far beyond kissing. She could not help herself but watch Aaron’s face as she could feel him inside her. In and out, she put her hand on her mouth to not make noise. But she wanted to. She wanted to scream in bliss.
