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“If it’s about me taking over the cooking job, I didn’t ask for that. Please don’t?—”
Albie surprised him by laughing. “You can have it. I hated it and was never any good at it, and you clearly are.”
Percy looked up at him then. They were barely a foot apart, and Albie’s height over him almost made Percy dizzy when he finally met his gaze.
Albie’s eyes were soft and warm. He’d never seen him look like that at anyone else. As if it were a private look, just between them.
Then Albie was leaning in... or Percy was. Or perhaps it was the room spinning, or because Percy had forgotten how to breathe.
Albie blinked and straightened up, clearing his throat. He even managed a small step back, composed enough to speak. He straightened down his hair, then his shirt. “Uh. The other day,” he said. “You said you could help me.”
“Help with what?” Percy asked, barely a whisper, his brain a scrambled mess.
Albie smirked. “Reading. You said you could help me at reading.”
Chapter Nine
“Oh.” Percy blinked a few times, seemingly collecting himself. “Reading. Of course. Yes. I can. Uh, when? When did you want to start?”
Albie hadn’t meant to corner him. It just so happened they had this conversation by the wall at the door. He’d not normally stand this close to anyone, but heaven help him...
Percy’s pale skin and pink lips, his big blue eyes, and the prettiest blush he’d ever seen.
On a man, no less.
Albie wanted to touch it.
Oh, how he’d wanted to feel the heat of it under his touch. Percy’s skin, all flushed like that. It reminded Albie of a springtime sunrise.
Poets and painters would create odes to the likes of it.
Albie almost did reach up and run his thumb across Percy’s cheek. He could so easily cup his cheek and tilt his face up for a kiss...
He had to stop himself and take a step back before he did exactly that.
“Tonight,” Albie answered. “If you’re not too tired. It’s been a long day, and Des said you cleaned the bunkhouse and washed some clothes. Then you made dinner, so if you’d rather start tomorrow, that’d be fine as well.”
“Tonight’s fine,” Percy said. “Maybe Des and Robert will be all snored out by the time we’re done.”
Albie smiled at that, then took some of his father’s books and put them on the table. “I worried today that John Bailey was going to hand me something to read or make me sign something that I couldn’t follow,” Albie admitted. “He didn’t, thankfully. I have the receipt for the sale and those numbers were easy enough.”
“But you don’t want to get caught,” Percy said.
Albie nodded. “Right. I don’t want the likes of McAllister knowing my weakness.”
“Makes sense.” He pulled out his seat at the table and Albie took his seat next to him.
It was a rush, sitting this close to him, both leaning in to read the book. A Bible of all things, not something Albie had ever followed closely, but words to read, nonetheless.
Albie dragged each finger across every line, slow and careful, sounding out any words he wasn’t sure of. Percy was patient and kind, encouraging, and gently correcting if Albie made a mistake.
And he’d smile when Albie sounded out a difficult word and got it right.
It made Albie want to get every word right from then on.
“You’re doing really great,” Percy said.
“Well, I’m sure I’m not, but thanks.” Albie sighed, marked the page, and closed the book. “I do appreciate your help and not saying anything to the others...”
