Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,22
why she continued to lose herself to daydreams and hopeful wishings as if she were still a naive child. It only worked to bruise her heart, to put more distance where she only wanted closeness, and most of all, it wasn’t fair to August.
She snatched her hand back from across the table and tucked it close in her lap avoiding the curious look August was now giving her.
“Seylah?” He tried, that low voice she loved, once more assaulting her without mercy.
“Mm?” She asked, pretending as if she were not fighting back tears. Her fingernails dug half-moons into her palms as she clutched the hand August had touched. If she could sever it from her body she would, anything to get rid of the warmth that still ghosted her skin where his fingers had been.
August leaned across the table, a hand reaching for her once more. “Seylah what—”
“And here’s your lunch, dears!” Mrs. Lily’s voice sang to them and all at once the bubble of peace that had separated them burst, leaving them bare to the sounds and commotion of the busy eatery. “I’ll have that cake along shortly, I hope that’s all right?”
Seylah nodded, grateful for the interruption, though her senses felt off kilter by the sudden shift, and she blinked, owlishly, as if seeing their surroundings for the first time. “Yes, that’s perfect. Thank you, Mrs. Lily.”
Mrs. Lily shot her a smile and touched her shoulder. “Of course, Seylah. Enjoy your meal, you two.” The woman swept off and the silence that descended on the table was palpable. If she had a mind to, Seylah estimated she could cut it with her knife and fork in place of her chicken and potatoes.
“This looks wonderful. Don’t you think?” Seylah asked, spreading her napkin across her lap as if she hadn’t just nearly given into her heart and spoiled things between them.
“Seylah,” August cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching the light and creating a halo around him in such a distracting way that Seylah bit the tines of her fork. She winced and cursed at herself silently.
What was wrong with her as of late?
She should not be comparing her best friend to an angel lest that creature be the Archangel Michael. She smiled at the thought, which in turn, made August cross his arms and give her a narrowed eye look.
“Are you all right?” He asked when her face was caught between a wince and a smile. She was certain she looked half-mad, but there was no fix for it.
“Ah, yes, I’m fine,” she nodded and swallowed her chicken. “The flavor was just interesting,” she lied, banishing all thoughts of sun-kissed blond hair and angels from her mind.
August picked up his knife and fork at her words, but his face clearly told her he remained unconvinced despite her reassurances. “Eat your lunch. You’re acting strange. I think it’s gone to your head.”
She bobbed her head in agreement. “Yes, you’re right. I’ll be right as rain after lunch. I don’t know where my mind has gone.”
Seylah then dropped her eyes to her plate and made a show of tucking into her meal with as much enthusiasm as she could muster which turned out to take no acting on her part at all as Mrs. Lily’s cooking was delicious and savory, as usual. By the time dessert arrived, Seylah did not have to work in the slightest to convey a sense of normalcy, and she was nearly done polishing off the sweet when August caught her attention.
“I don’t think it’s good for you to be with us on call.”
Her fork tines clattered against the china of her plate. “Pardon me?”
“It was dangerous this mornin’,” he said finally, looking uncomfortable as he shifted in his seat and crossed his arms. “You could have been hurt.”
“Same goes for you.”
“It’s not the same.”
“Why not?” She set her fork down, thinking she had no more room for dessert with the current topic at hand, which had her thinking August looked less like an Archangel and more an unholy pain in her side if he was about to say what she thought he was.
“I am a deputy,” he said simply.
“And?”
“And?” August threw up his hands and leaned across the table in exasperation. “And you are not a deputy, Seylah May. You are a secretary.” He said the last word as if it were a curse, as if the title of secretary was something foul he wanted to spit from his mouth.