Page 29 of The Bookworm and the Pegasus Tamer

Aurelia frowned. “Truly? I had the impression you don’t approve of your sister being such a bookworm.”

“It’s not her reading that I mind.” He gave Aurelia a piercing look that seemed to see all the way inside her. “My sister uses her books as an excuse to avoid society because she thinks society is eager to shun her. Anyone would think our mother was scandalous instead of being merely heedless and flighty.” He shook his head.

“But you’ve already helped her,” he added. “She liked finding another bookworm at society events.”

“And you really don’t mind bookworms?” Aurelia asked slowly, her mind trying to grasp what that meant.

He shifted across the carriage in one fluid movement, sitting at her side and sliding an arm around her waist.

“I find them delightful,” he murmured, his eyes once again dropping to her lips. “Or at least, I find one bookworm utterly enchanting.”

His head dropped toward hers, hovering a mere breath away. “And now that you’ve bonded with a pegasus, I can see only two options before you. You can either become a royal groom, or you can marry me as soon as possible and become Countess of Windward.”

Aurelia swallowed, her mind spinning so fast his words couldn’t take root. She put both hands against his chest, holding him off.

“I could always become a recluse in the mountains,” she said, the words popping out of her mouth before she’d thought them through.

Danton laughed, delight in his eyes as his gaze jumped back to hers. “I should have remembered you always choose an unexpected path.”

He abruptly let her go, moving backward to put some space between them. And in a truly contrarian way, Aurelia slid instinctively toward him, hating the space between them.

He took her hands in his, but he didn’t pull her closer, instead looking earnestly down into her eyes. “Of course you don’t have to marry me. Bramble will always be welcome to live at Windward, and you’ve recently become Phoebe’s closest friend. You’d be welcome to visit her here as often as you like.” His eyes dropped briefly away, his voice dipping so low she barely heard the words. “However much that situation would torment me.”

Her hands tightened on his, and he looked back at her. “I could see you constantly withdrawing from me. Always pulling back when I tried to get close. I just couldn’t understand why. Did you truly think I disliked you? How could you think that?” He shook his head. “Aunt Ophelia told me I was being very obvious.”

Aurelia laughed, not quite able to believe what he was saying. “I thought you were interested in what I could do to help with the pegasi. Not in me—the girl who prefers to read over talking to new people, and who often gets left to sit out dances.”

He slid closer to her. “Marry me, and I’ll dance every dance with you for the rest of our lives.”

She laughed again. “You can’t do that!”

“Why not?” he challenged, and she couldn’t think of an answer.

“The only reason you were able to help me and the pegasi is because of who you are,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, every part of you is equally fascinating, and it has been since the first time we danced. I sought you out to thank you for your kindness to Phoebe, but you immediately enchanted me.” He slid even closer. “And then I found you in the pegasus stable. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

“I was sure you couldn’t have any real interest in me,” she murmured. “So I was trying desperately to keep my distance and protect my heart.” Her voice dropped. “Trying and failing.”

“Do you mean it?” He leaned closer. “Even though I basically tricked you into coming here? I truly am sorry about that.”

She swayed toward him. “Are you really?” she murmured.

He gave a husky laugh. “Maybe not. At least not sorry you came. But I do wish I’d been more honest about it. If I’d just explained the whole situation and asked you to help, I’m sure you would have come.”

“Mmhmm,” she murmured, her eyes sliding shut.

She wasn’t sure what she would have done in that case. She could barely even remember her own name. She just needed to feel his lips on hers.

His arms circled around her, and he pulled her against him, crushing her lips to his. She slid her arms around his neck, kissing him back until he finally pulled away. She made a soft sound of protest, but he kept the small space between them.

“Just to be very clear,” he said, “you’re not choosing to become a recluse, right? You’ll marry me and be my countess and help me make a home for a new pegasus herd at Windward?”

Her eyes opened, and she pretended to consider.

“Aurelia,” he said in a voice that sent a delicious shiver down her spine.

“I suppose becoming a countess is the more appealing prospect.”

“Is the title the only attraction?” he asked plaintively.