15. Ambrose #4
When we reached the top, I trailed him through the main room and into the kitchen, where I heard a squawking animal.
Inside, a sizable bird flapped around the ceiling, trying to find a way out.
Hunching low, I entered the room and found a nest on the floor, along with parts of a cabinet that had fallen from the wall.
Before me, Zeth looked around to see how to get the bird out as it flew from one side of the room to the other.
“How’d it get in here?” I asked.
Zeth turned to me in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected me to follow. “There’s a hole in the window. I’m sure it got in that way.”
“It had a whole nest in the cabinet!”
“I know. Hold on, I’ll go get the broom.”
He made his way out, and I leaned out the door to call after him, “You’re going to leave me up here with it?”
Zeth shook his head and disappeared down the stairwell.
I looked back up at the bird flying from cabinet to cabinet, no doubt startled by its nest falling.
And now we were intruding on it. The poor thing.
I had an idea of how it felt, trying to take up in someone’s space but feeling forced to leave.
When Zeth came back into the room with the broom, I inched closer to him. He clapped my shoulder in encouragement and motioned the bristle end of his broom. “Help me get it.”
“What are you going to do, whack it?” Surely he wouldn’t.
He rolled his eyes. “No, I need you to raise the window while I shoo it out.”
Nodding, I kept the animal in my sight and slowly made my way over to the window. The bird gave a distressed call as it watched me, making me jump, but I reached the window and swiftly unlocked it.
When I tried to open it, the wooden frame wouldn’t budge. The thing was stuck, so I pulled on it forcefully until it moved with a sharp cracking noise that sent the animal flying off the cabinet. I flinched away from it and covered my head with my arms.
“Amby…” Zeth laughed from behind me. I turned to see him shaking his head, a soft smile on his stubbled face. “It’s just a little bird.”
“Well, I don’t want it attacking me!” I stooped over and moved out of the way of the window, my eyes glued on the animal now perched on another cabinet.
“It’s not going to attack you. Go over there and block the doorway.”
Huffing, I made my way over to the door to close it. But the bird flew right at me, its wings flapping around my head. I spun and crashed into Zeth, and we both staggered against the wall.
His hand grabbed my waist and steadied me.
Even in the chaos, his touch burned me wonderfully.
Our eyes locked for a brief moment, both of us letting out a breath, before Zeth let me go and moved slowly around as the bird landed on the floor with an angry flap of wings.
He used the broom carefully to encourage it away until it hopped up onto the windowsill.
We both paused with excitement while it perched on the ledge and peered outside for a moment before flying off.
Zeth looked delighted as he placed the broom aside and closed the window. I joined him there to see the bird soaring over the rooftops. Happiness glowed in me from knowing the little thing was where it belonged now. I met Zeth’s eyes, and we both broke into laughter.
“Goodness,” I said. “That was exciting. Reminds me of when the mouse got into Hattie’s room, and she squealed so loud, we thought she was dying.”
Zeth grinned from ear to ear and planted his hands on his hips. “Yeah, took us an hour to get the thing out. Hattie wanted us to kill it, but it had the cutest pink ears, so neither of us could. I’m still glad we took it to the field and released it instead.”
I bit my lip as I leaned my back against the windowsill. “Those were the days.”
When Zeth went quiet, I glanced up to find him staring at me. It was hard to look away from such perfect eyes. The way they observed me carefully, deeply…
“I should get a cat,” he suddenly said, dropping his gaze to the mess on the floor. “A cat would keep birds and mice out.”
“Fixing the hole in your window might solve that too,” I teased.
“Hm, maybe fix the window and get a fluffy kitty? But first, thank you for bravely assisting me in defeating the intruder.”
“Psh, more like cowering in the corner.”
“You leaped into my arms, and I wasn’t objecting,” Zeth said with husky humor. He shifted closer until all I could see was him towering over me in that soaked shirt, and I couldn’t help but notice the outline of his nipples through the cotton.
Ah, shit.
I crossed my arms but didn’t move. No, I didn’t dare move, because he had that tender expression on his face. If he inched any closer, I was in trouble. I needed a distraction, so I averted my gaze to refocus my thoughts.
“You’ve been working hard,” I told him. “The downstairs looks wonderful.”
“Aye, I’ve little else to do but think and clean. And I enjoy accomplishing things. Working hard, seeing the results. I’m sure you feel the same while making a chair.”
My body tingled with good feelings. Just being around him did that. “You should be proud of yourself. You’re doing a lot to help you and Millie.”
Zeth shrugged. “That’s what big brothers do.”
“That’s true,” I eyed him, hoping he didn’t take offense at my next words.
“Have you… Have you considered that you don’t need to marry into wealth to get by?
You’re remarkably smart, Zeth, you always have been.
You could work doing nearly anything. Appraising, warehouse work, or even the bank.
You have ambition. Drive. You work hard no matter what comes your way, and you don’t complain about it. ”
He studied me curiously. I knew it sounded like I was trying to stop him from courting Annabelle—and perhaps a part of me was—but I spoke the truth. He always had more initiative and motivation than I did, more than most people I knew. If anyone deserved to be successful, it was Zeth.
“I started asking around for work, but no luck,” he countered as he pulled my glasses off and held them up before trying them on.
He blinked through them at me, looking so cute.
“You know, Rosie, I think we may need to get your glasses checked. That’s probably why you see me differently than everyone else. ”
I tilted my head at him. “Even with those off, I can still see an incredibly smart and handsome man.”
Zeth’s eyes lit up from behind my gold frames. “You think I’m handsome?”
I looked at him as if he was crazy for asking. “No doubt about it.”
“Well…” He removed my glasses and gently secured them on my face again, letting his hands linger there. “I think you’re adorable. Creative, kind, hardworking too.”
My lips twitched, and I laughed softly. It was either hot in this room, or Zeth’s sweet words were getting to me. God, we were being so sappy with one another. Was this how all adults spoke when they found someone they wanted?
“Amby,” Zeth said softly. “About what happened in the barn, I want you to know I don’t regret it.”
“Neither do I,” I whispered.
Zeth stepped closer. His fingers smoothed over both of my temples and around the backs of my ears until his palms cupped each side of my face.
I held my breath, wondering what he was doing, what he wanted.
I knew what I wanted, and I also knew it would lead me into more trouble with him.
But the pain and loneliness I’d been carrying with me since our time in the barn suddenly disappeared.
I didn’t care one bit what heartache this may bring me later. I just wanted this moment.
I gazed fondly at Zeth, and he beheld me like I was the sun, moon, and stars.
A fervent heat built up inside me. I could see Zeth felt the same way, yet he didn’t move any closer.
Unable to take this tension between us anymore, I grabbed his shirt and yanked him to me, tilting my head up so that my lips crushed against his.
His lips parted for me immediately, encouraging my daring nature. Kissing him came so naturally. He tasted of rain and salt, of freedom, and something wild that I craved since laying eyes on him again at the picnic.
My hand cupped his rough cheek, my thumb smoothing against the bristled hairs growing there.
I had never seen him with hair on his face before.
The rugged look fit him. His soft moans of approval impelled me to kiss him rougher.
He returned my aggression by sucking my tongue, which was an excellent reminder of how good Zeth was with his mouth.
When I realized what we were doing, I pulled away. “Sorry… I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“Shouldn’t have, or didn’t want to?”
I closed my eyes in hopes of curbing my desire. “I want to, so badly. But with us both trying to court other people, we certainly shouldn’t.”
His breath tickled my cheek before he whispered, “I thought you like it when I’m not a gentleman.”
I bit my lip, unable to resist him. “You’re right, I do.”
Zeth groaned as he captured my chin with firm fingers and jerked my head back to face him.
My eyes opened to lock onto his lovely golden browns, and I licked my lips in invitation for him to kiss me again.
When his gaze dropped to my mouth with longing, I tugged on Zeth’s shirt until he dove back in hungrily.
Our lips met even harder this time, and my hands roved up to his shoulders and arms so I could squeeze them. I twisted my fingers into his damp shirt to keep him close.
Now there was no turning back. It seemed I was intent on hurting myself despite knowing that at the end of the day, he would never be mine. But we weren’t married men yet. There was nothing wrong in simply… indulging while we were both still free. Was there?