“If I kiss you now, I need you to understand I’ve been trying very hard not to.”
Her breath caught.
She almost laughed from nerves.
“How hard?”
“Embarrassingly.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Why?”
Nathaniel stared as if the answer should be obvious.
“Because you’re living in my house.”
“You’re depending on me for shelter.”
“You’ve been hurt.”
“And I don’t want kindness to become something you think you owe me for.”
Evelyn’s throat tightened.
No man had ever explained restraint as respect.
She whispered:
“What if I want you to kiss me because I want you to?”
Nathaniel’s eyes darkened slightly.
He did not move.
“Then say it when you’re sure.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“I’m sure.”
Nathaniel leaned forward.
Slowly.
His mouth touched hers.
Nothing rushed.
No desperate grabbing.
A soft kiss.
Warm.
Careful.
Then he stopped.
Their foreheads remained close.
Evelyn whispered:
“That was very polite.”
Nathaniel smiled.
“I can do worse.”
She laughed.
“Is that a threat?”
“Possibly.”
Evelyn kissed him this time.
Longer.
Nathaniel’s hand came gently to her waist.
Then hesitated over the curve of her body.
Evelyn noticed.
“You can touch me.”
His gaze searched hers.
“Where?”
The question was so serious that she almost laughed again.
Instead, she placed his hand at her side.
“Here.”
He obeyed.
Evelyn felt beautiful.
Not because Nathaniel said she was.
Because he behaved as though her body belonged entirely to her and any closeness was a gift, not payment.
When they separated, Nathaniel whispered:
“I should go check the horses.”
Evelyn smiled.
“At nine at night?”
“They may have developed an emergency.”
“Of course.”
He backed toward the door.
Then stopped.
“You’re laughing at me.”
“Yes.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
He walked outside.
Evelyn waited until the door closed.
Then pressed both hands to her hot cheeks.
The baby kicked.
Evelyn looked down.
“Don’t start.”
The next morning, Nathaniel behaved as though nothing happened.
That annoyed her.
By lunch, she had enough.
“You’re avoiding me.”
Nathaniel nearly choked on coffee.
“No.”
“You checked the north fence twice.”
“Fence needs checking.”
“Twice before noon?”
“It’s an important fence.”
Evelyn folded her arms.
Nathaniel sighed.
“I don’t know what comes next.”
“That makes two of us.”
He looked toward her.
“I don’t want to make promises because we kissed.”
“I’m not asking.”
“I don’t want you thinking—”
“Nathaniel.”
He stopped.
“I’m thirty-nine.”
“I’m aware.”
“I’ve been abandoned pregnant at a railway station.”
His expression hardened immediately at the memory.
“I’m aware of that too.”
“I do not need you to protect me from a kiss.”
Nathaniel looked ashamed.
Evelyn continued more gently.
“I need honesty.”
“That I can give.”
“Good.”
She sat opposite him.
“Do you want me?”
His eyes widened.
Direct.
Adult.
He looked at her for a long time.
“Yes.”