Chapter 198: Was This A Kiss?
Aveline waited.
For a moment, she almost pushed him away and told him he did not have to kiss her if he did not want to. The words rose to the tip of her tongue, sharp with wounded pride... but her heart would not let her say them.
She wanted the kiss. She needed it, more than she cared to admit. She wanted the reassurance of it, the proof that he was still here, still with her, still the Theron who made her feel seen even when he did not seem to know what he was doing.
Her fingers curled tighter in the collar of his shirt, and she closed her eyes.
That was all she could manage. Anything more would be begging.
And she was not going to beg for a kiss, of all things, from Theron. Theron, of all people, who had already kissed her before without hesitation, who had been brazen enough to tease and embarrass her and then leave her wanting more.
What was he waiting for now?
Had he grown fond of his betrothed? Had he decided some proper future now stood between them?
Was he trying to distance himself from her?
A hundred thoughts rushed through her all at once, each one chipping away at her confidence and stoking her temper in equal measure.
She was on the verge of opening her eyes and pushing him away before he could make a fool of her, when his warmth finally returned to her, soft and sudden, and then his lips met hers.
Just once.
Just enough.
A quiet, pleased sound slipped from her before she could stop it.
"Mmm..."
The sensation spread through her face like a shiver of light. Her fingers tightened around his collar, and even with her eyes shut, she found herself leaning toward him, waiting for him to deepen the kiss, waiting for him to answer the silent invitation she was trying so hard to give him.
When he still did not move, she tried to guide him by shifting her hand from his collar to the back of his neck.
But then he withdrew.
The rustle of his clothes reached her first. Then the loss of his warmth.
He sat up straight.
And still, she waited.
Surely, that was not all.
Surely, he was not finished.
For a few seconds more, she remained where she was, her back against the meadow, eyes still closed, her heart beating far too quickly for the kind of restraint he was showing her.
When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself staring up at the sky. Bright. Endless. Still.
Aveline blinked.
What was that?
Was that the kiss?
That could not have been the kiss.
That was just... touching lips. There was a difference. A very important difference. Touching lips was not a kiss. A kiss was supposed to feel like something else entirely, something warmer, deeper, more complete.
She turned her head slowly and looked at him.
Theron was sitting with his knees drawn up, arms resting across them, his back turned to her. The sight of him there, suddenly distant, made something small and confused twist in her chest.
What is going on?
"That was my father," he said, his voice suddenly tight. "That hand... it was my father."
The seriousness in his tone made Aveline sit up at once. The softness of the meadow seemed to thin around them, replaced by the uneasy weight of what he had just said.
"He came to meet me this morning," she said slowly. "He called himself Just Kev..."
Theron whipped his head toward her so fast she nearly thought he might wrench his neck. His hands closed around her shoulders before he even seemed aware of how hard he was gripping her.
"What did he do?" he asked urgently. "What did he say?"
Aveline blinked at him, startled by the intensity of his reaction. "Well, goodness..." she murmured. "Calm down. What could he possibly do to me?"
But even as she said it, she felt the tremor in his hands.
He was shaking.
Her expression softened a little, the teasing edge in her voice fading. Whatever had happened in the dream, whatever his father had done, it had rattled Theron more deeply than she had understood. His voice lowered, rough with warning.
"Do not talk to him anymore," he said. "I insist. He does not want us together."
Aveline almost answered with something sharp, something instinctive and offended, but the sight of him stopped her. He looked frightened. Truly frightened. Not of her, but for her. That kind of fear was impossible to mistake.
So instead of snapping back, she asked quietly, "What are you afraid of?"
Theron’s eyes glistened faintly.
"I will not forget you," Aveline said, more certain than she had ever been. "I cannot."
The tension in his shoulders eased only slightly, but enough for her to feel it. Then, as if the words had gone straight through his defenses, he pulled her into his arms.
"Be careful, Aveline," he murmured against her hair. "I cannot lose you."
Her heart tightened at the quiet honesty of it. She leaned into his shoulder, letting herself believe him now, letting the last of her doubts settle. He did care. He had his heart set on her. That much was no longer in question.
After a moment, Theron drew back just enough to speak. "I will be busy for the next few days," he said. "There is a cotton shortage, and those damned nobles are hoarding it."
Aveline’s ears perked immediately. She stepped back from him, all trace of worry gone at once, replaced by sharp curiosity.
"Cotton, you say?" she asked, lifting a brow.
Theron watched her carefully. "What is it?"
She looked as though she knew something. More than something. Her expression had shifted into that thoughtful, mischievous sort of focus that always meant she was already several steps ahead of everyone else.
A small smile curved her lips. "I might be able to help you."
He frowned slightly. "How?"
Aveline leaned in and gently brushed the crease between his brows with her fingertips, as if smoothing away even the beginning of his worry. "You will get your cotton," she said. "And the people will get their cotton too."
Then she stood, stretched her arms above her head, and looked positively delighted with herself.
"Oh, I love this," she said.
At last, she could help him.
At last, she could show him that even if she did not come from some grand and respectable house, she could still be useful to him. She could still stand beside him and do something that mattered.
"I will catch you later, Theron," she said, already backing away.
Then, with one bright grin, she ran off and blew him a kiss over her shoulder.
Theron stared after her, still looking stunned.
"Do not get into trouble!" he shouted after her.
Whether she heard him or not, he could not tell.
