Page 51 of Charlotte's Story

Unsure what to do with my hands, I let them rest against his chest, my fingers lightly curling into the front of his shirt.

“You understand the implications of what we’re about to do, right?”

Warmth trickled through me, at his touch or at his words, I couldn’t tell. “What do you mean?”

“Our marriage, which began for convenience, has transitioned into something I believe qualifies as a love match.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Feelings? That sounds completely reckless.”

“Objectively reckless.” His mouth lowered until it was a hair’s breadth from mine. “Possibly a huge lapse in judgement.”

I smiled. “And you’re sure you’re okay that I’m a human?”

“On average, interracial relationships encounter more challenges.” He cupped my cheek. “But I have no desire for a different outcome. I’ll even open up my congregation to the Unmarked.”

I flushed in pleasure. “I might embarrass you in front of Lady Catherine.”

“I mightkissyou in front of Lady Catherine,” he said. “It feels like a balanced exchange.”

I laughed, but the sound quickly died as his lips brushed against mine.

For a moment, we both froze, the touch as hesitant as the first snowflakes of winter. But then I leaned up on my tiptoes to close the distance between us. William’s hands tightened around my waist, pulling me closer and erasing whatever careful distance I’d desperately kept between us.

The second press of his lips dropped the barriers I’d done my best to keep up until I could do nothing but admit that this ridiculous fae man had found his way into my heart. The fire crackled behind us, the flame heating up as if our kiss overloaded his magic. But even more than its heat, the warmth from his kiss raced from his lips all the way to my toes.

If Lizzy were to give me the starroot potion again, I was pretty sure that this would be the new memory I saw. It was quickly becoming a favorite.

I moved my hand up to wrap around his neck, and he groaned against my mouth like a man thawing after a long winter and I was his first sip of tea. He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine, then his eyes closed and he exhaled slowly.

“You once said happiness in marriage is a matter of chance, but I find the probability of ours quite favorable.” He raised an eyebrow, quoting me back with a faint smile.

“Love is always a gamble.” I pulled him closer by the front of his shirt. “But I finally found someone worth risking everything on.”