Chapter 27 #3
A few ladies offered her warm greetings, to which her brow pinched every time.
She moved past them, lingering by a shelf of ribbons.
Different widths and colours slipped through her fingers as she viewed each one with concentration.
I noticed how she stalled longer on a pale pink ribbon than the others.
I moved to the counter, catching the attention of an assistant. “Could I please have a length of that pink silk ribbon over there?” I asked, gesturing in Sapphire’s direction.
She grinned at me. “Of course, sir.”
“If you could do it discreetly too, I’d appreciate it,” I murmured as she started to walk away.
She spun on her heel and offered me a wink before scurrying off. It wasn’t long before she returned, handing the brown paper bag over the counter. I thanked her and tucked it into my trouser pocket just as Sapphire appeared beside me.
“Just these, thank you,” she said, holding out her hand to the assistant.
After handing over the coins, we stepped out of the haberdashery, the little bell over the door chiming behind us. “Light guide you!” The assistant called after us.
“And keep you!” I threw over my shoulder.
Sapphire looked up at me, her brow pinched, but she didn’t say anything, just carried the small paper bundle of thread and needles like it was something fragile.
On the corner, the scent of warm pastries drifted through the air. Honey, almond, toasted sugar. My stomach growled before my brain caught up.
“Hold on,” I said, veering towards the stall.
The old baker greeted me by name, already reaching for the tray. “Your usual?”
“Of course.” I grinned, handing over another gold coin. The bee sting pastry was still warm when he passed it to me, sticky with glaze.
I tore it in half and offered one piece to Sapphire. “You ever had one of these?”
She hesitated but finally accepted it. I tried not to watch as she took a tiny, almost reluctant bite. Her eyes widened. She tried to hide it, but a small smile tugged at her mouth.
That smile did something to me. It was the first real smile she’d ever shown me and by the light, I’d do whatever it took to see it again. We walked in silence, enjoying the pastry, and by the time we were done, the sun was dipping in the sky.
“Would you like to fly home with me?” I offered.
The change in her was instant. Her shoulders stiffened, her gaze dropped, the flicker of light vanished behind the wall she always seemed ready to rebuild at a moment’s notice. Her wings wrapped around her.
“No,” she said quickly. “Thank you, but . . . no.”
Her voice wasn’t sharp but there was a tang of something there that warned me not to push further. A boundary she wasn’t yet ready to cross, so I dropped it and offered her a smile instead. “Alright. We’ll walk.”
We reached the house just as the sun framed the trees in gold. As soon as we reached upstairs, Sapphire went straight to the table, setting down her thread. “Get your trousers,” she said. “I’ll mend them now.”
I almost laughed. It was the first time she’d sounded like she belonged here—even just a little.
I disappeared down the hall and came back with the torn trousers. Pulling the small package from my pocket, I placed both items gently on the table.
She looked down at the package and then at me. “What is it?”
“Just something that reminded me of you.”
With hesitant fingers, she opened it, her breath catching as she pulled the contents free. “You . . . brought me some ribbon?” she asked, staring at it like it might vanish if she blinked.
I shrugged, trying to act casual and not like my heartbeat had just gone uncomfortably loud.
She turned to face me, and I felt the heat stealing up my neck and seeping into my cheeks. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d bought a gift for a woman. I really had no clue what I was doing.
“Now I owe you even more,” she murmured before pushing up on her toes.
The world slipped out from under me.
Her arms slid around my neck, pulling me down, and the second her lips touched mine . . . soft, warm, real—something inside me short-circuited.
I swear I made a sound I’d deny until my dying breath.
My hands found her waist all too quickly, like they already knew her shape. I leaned in, deepening the kiss, pulling her closer, her hips flush against mine. Want roared through me, sharp and instant. But this was wrong. Not like this. Not because she thought she owed me something.
Gently I tore my lips from hers, taking a step back.
Her chest rose and fell fast, matching mine. Her brow pinched, confusion clouding her eyes.
She looked at me like she’d done something wrong.
I willed my heart to slow down. There was no way to have rational thoughts when it threatened to bounce right out of my chest. I took a step towards her. “You don’t owe me anything.”
Sapphire shook her head. “But—”
I couldn’t bear being apart from her. I closed the distance, cupping her slender face in my hands.
“I want to kiss you, Sapphire. But not like this. Not when you’re hurting and trying to survive.
” I ran a thumb over her cheek. “I’ll wait for the day you reach for me because you want to .
. . not because you feel you owe a debt. ”
The light in her eyes dulled, and I almost took her mouth with mine again to stop the rejection spreading through the space between us. That’s the last thing I wanted.
“If it’s alright, I’ll mend these in my room,” she said, tugging herself out of my grasp.
My room. Words I had only dreamed she would say. She retreated physically and mentally, but I couldn't stop it. She needed space to think, and I didn’t blame her, because I needed it too.
I nodded once, offering her a smile. “If you need anything, I’ll be here.”
She paused at the doorway to her room. “Alright.”
The door clicked behind her, and I was left standing with the scent of her on my hands, the taste of her on my lips.
I’d kissed women before—more than I cared to count—but nothing had ever felt like that.
My hand dragged through my hair, the other braced on my hip as the truth hit me in the chest.
I was in trouble. Real trouble.
Because I was falling in love with Sapphire and there wasn’t a single thing I could do to stop it.