Page 17 of Lost Starlight
Present Day
She was so lovely, there, on the blue settee. Her hair was tumbling down in blond waves, and she had a blue ribbon pulling back most of the hair from her face. She usually wore her hair like that when her maid did not do her hair. Was she in a hurry to see me? A pain stabbed me in the gut. I’d avoided her because I couldn’t tell her about the deal I had made with the pixies.
Do I even deserve this angelic and kind woman?
Curses,she did not deserve such treatment. But every moment I was with her, I wanted to tell her of the pixies and the deal I had made—one that they would collect. I’d even tried writing it down, but that was to no avail. I wished things could be as easy as they were before I had rescued her from Pixie Isle. I was determined that they would be, someday–I would fight for that. I looked at Gwen, and my heart swelled with love for her. How deeply I adored that woman asleep on the settee, there, in my library.
I crept closer to her, peering over her shoulder to see that she had been reading a book we’d already finished. A devious thought came into my mind, and I smiled. Gwen did not like surprises. But I couldn’t resist right then. This opportunity was too good to pass up. Whenever she was startled, she was so adorable. She permitted me to surprise her only every once in a while.
“I believe you’ve read this one, my darling.”
With a jump, she moved and looked at me over her shoulder. She was about to fall from the settee, but I pulled her onto my knee as I took a seat next to her.
“Peter!” she said, looking deep into my eyes.
It always felt like a victory when she used my name. I’d worked hard to break down those walls of hers and have her call me by my name.
Instead of the scowl she used to give me at my impropriety, she smiled. “I was waiting for you.”
“I am sorry I wasn’t here. There are some things—”
“It’s all right. I am just happy you are here, now,” she said, her soft, beautiful eyes looking into mine with love.
I need to kiss this woman.
“Is Martha hiding somewhere?” I asked, looking about the room. Since our engagement, Martha chaperoned us less often. But that did not mean we were necessarily alone most of the time. I never knew when Martha would pop in and scold me for my behavior toward Gwen.
“No, we are alone—”
Before she could continue what she was about to say, I pulled her lips to mine.
Gwendolyn Darling always smelled and tasted like the sweetest strawberries fresh from the vine. My favorite. My heart thudded in my chest and longed for nothing else but to be with her—always and forever.
She kissed me back with such sweetness and passion. It was all I needed in life: her. I pulled her in closer, my hands making their way into her hair, tangling her bow, and she sighed into me as I deepened the kiss. That small noise only made me want to kiss her more. She was a timid little thing, but she was not shy when she kissed me—as long as we were in private. Others might have only viewed her timidity as a weakness or an oddity, but it was her, and I loved her for it, not despite it.
I pulled her closer, trying to set her fully upon my lap, but she pulled away, moving off of me.
“Peter!”
“Ancients, I know,” I said, lowering my head to her shoulder. “I cannot pull you onto my lap. Want back onto my knee?” I turned my face and started kissing her neck.
She giggled.
I learned quickly that she was awfully ticklish there.
“Peter!” she said, laughing and pushing me away as I attempted to set her back upon my knee–we were never close enough. She set herself beside me, her dress against my pant leg. I would have to be all right with that.
“When can I see you again?” I hated that she had to go back to her vile mother.
“You are not leaving right now, are you?”
“No, I’m only in a rush to see you again once we are parted,” I said.
“Tomorrow morning, if you have time.”
“For a bride-to-be, you have a lot of free time,” I said, playing with her hair.
“My mother has it all planned.”
