Page 114 of To Know Miss May

And yet, he still had to try. As he continued wiping his thumbs gently across her cheeks, her eyes met his, wide and vulnerable. Trusting, even still, and he winced again at the pain in his chest.

They stood there for a moment, his fingers slowing their caress until his hand cupped her face. How he loved this woman. How he longed to help her, heal her, love her forevermore.

He needed to pull away, to release his hold of her, but he couldn’t. The attraction he felt was too great.

“What ye said,” he whispered, looking deep into her eyes, “what ye told me…There ain’t nothin’ ye could say, nothin’ ye could reveal, that would e’er lower me opinion of ye.” He brought his other hand up, cradling her face gently between his fingertips. “Ye be the most wonderous o’ women.”

More tears glistened in her eyes, though this time, he knew they were not borne from pain but from love—the same love he felt for her.

The same love he needed to share with her.

Slowly, he leaned forward, her eyes dropping to his lips before closing altogether.

“Livvy,” he breathed, her warm breath on his lips as she parted hers. “Me darlin’ Livvy.”

Then their lips touched. Rain slid down his cheek as he leaned to the side, exposing his features to the elements, but he didn’t pull back. He couldn’t. Not when he finally had Livvy to himself.

He held her gently between his hands, her fingers gripping his sides as she held onto him tightly, as if she was as unwilling to release him as he was to release her.

Her skin was soft, her lips even softer, and he released a sigh deep within his chest as he felt her love for him in their shared kiss. Her love, her affection, her trust…

All at once, reality came crushing down on August. What was he doing?

Slowly, he pulled back, leaning his brow against hers, unable to meet her gaze out of shame. “I can’t do this.”

She pulled back, but he kept his eyes down, refusing to look at the confusion, the hurt that would no doubt be shared on her features.

“I can’t…” He began again, removing his cap to allow the rain to pour down upon him all the greater. “Livvy, there be somethin’ I need to tell ye now.”

She nodded, worry clouding her blue eyes. He stared into them, seeing the love within them for one last moment.

For he knew, when he shared with her the truth, she would never look at him with love again.

She would despise him. And he would deserve it.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

“The truth may be stretched thin, but it never breaks, and it always surfaces above lies, as oil floats on water.”

Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes

Livvy’s heart pounded, though from the exhilaration of August’s kiss or the look of worry in his eyes now, she couldn’t be sure. How could elation so swiftly transform to fear? How could peace so swiftly transform to chaos?

“August?” she prompted as he maintained his silence.

He stared down at her, his brow contorted with pain, no hint of the usual smile on his lips.

“I be so sorry, Livvy. I be so sorry.”

She could hardly breathe. “August, what be wrong? Ye be scarin’ me.”

He drew a few deep breaths, ensuring they remained alone on the balcony before continuing. “I’ve been wantin’ to tell ye for some time now, but I…I’ve been afeared. I just…” He shook his head, wetting his lips, the rain sliding down the ridge of his nose. “I wanted to be honest with ye, so I ’ave to let ye know. Your father, many weeks ago…’E asked me to befriend ye.”

Livvy frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“That night at me family’s ’ome, the dinner party?”

She nodded. How well she remembered that evening, how it had turned fate upside down and brought her and August together.