Page 25 of Heir of Uncertain Magic

“How many of these rooms are being used?” he asked.

“Very few.” And a good thing, or she would have needed to say goodbye to him at the back door.

“I enjoyed this,” he murmured.

The bubble expanded, and she felt like a young girl again. “I did, too.”

Leaning close so their foreheads brushed, he said, “I miss you.”

Her pulse quickened. She couldn’t imagine any man, let alone this man, saying such words sincerely. Not to her. Yet here they were, and a silly sliver of herself wondered if this was all a strange ruse. Like Merritt might erupt with laughter at any moment, and someone—Mr.Portendorfer, perhaps—might burst from one of the quiet rooms and say,We got you good, MissLarkin!

Fortunately, neither incident happened.

“We’ve managed to see each other,” she tried.

“I suppose.” He tilted his head and pressed his lips to hers, sending her pulse galloping like a racing horse let through its starting gate. Hislips were soft and warm, or at least warmer than hers, and little spikes of excitement lanced up her jaw and down her neck. His hand came behind her head, cradling it, like he wanted to kiss more of her, and Hulda wasn’t precisely sure how to let him—or if they even should. That is, they’d only declared themselves to one another not quite two weeks ago. Was there a rule to such a thing? And thiswasa place of work, even if the offices were all on the top floor ...

She didn’t have long to fuss over it, for Merritt’s lips moved from hers to her jaw, and those spikes intensified. She felt as though she’d skated miles around that pond.

He kissed below her ear.

“Merritt.” She was alarmed at how breathy her voice sounded. At how titillating his administrations to her were becoming.

“Hm?” He pressed his lips to her neck, and her body jumped to life, sending her thoughts into very indecent places cloaked in shadow. That was the only reason she could fathom for why the next words slipped from her mouth.

“I’m not going to sleep with you.”

Merritt froze. The hand on the back of her head went lax. He raised his head to meet her eyes. “What?”

Heart hammering, she scrambled, “That is, I know you have ... I mean to say—”

“I never asked you to.” He pulled away, and regret painted the inside of Hulda’s everything. The light was so dim, but was that hurt or anger in his blue eyes? Perhaps it was both.

She swallowed. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

A single dry chuckle came up his throat. “How else could you have meant it, Hulda?”

Her mind scrambled for an answer.It’s just that I’m a virgin and I know you’re not, but I know I shouldn’t have brought it up and I’m digging into that hurt and why did I say that—

He ran his hand back through his hair. “I’m not some coital maniac. I didn’t take you out to get under your skirts.”

Her cheeks blazed. “I-I know that, but—”

“But what?” He took another step back, distancing himself from her.

Her bones seemed to shrink inside her body. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”

He looked away. “Even if you hadn’t said it, you would have thought it.”

A rush of cold cooled her skin. “No—”

“I should go.” He adjusted his coat.

She wrung her gloves over her hands. “A-All right.” Her thoughts struggled to order themselves. “P-Perhaps I could stop by this weekend, and—”

“Don’t bother.”

His voice was so soft, not sharp at all, but it sliced through her, nonetheless. Without looking at her, he added, “I need to go to New York, anyway. Might as well pack now.”

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