How to Turn a Frog into a Prince - Bree Wolf Page 0,73

noses scrunched up in a show of disgust. “I’m not sure if I still want to kiss it,” Susan stated with a doubtful look down into the bucket. Nathanial noted how she had suddenly switched from referring to the frog as he to it.

“It would still be good practice in case we ever meet a prince,” Daphne said reasonably before her gaze moved from Charlaine to Nathanial and back.

For a reason Nathanial could not name, he felt a slight shiver dance down his back.

“Will you show us how to kiss?” the girl asked.

Susan nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes, please!”

Charlaine smiled. “But then you have to promise you will at least test your theory?”

“What theory?” the girls frowned.

“The theory that a kiss will transform the frog into a prince,” Charlaine elaborated as she leaned down, her eyes level with theirs. “You’ll have to kiss him. Both of you.” She looked back and forth between the two of them, waiting for their answer.

“We’ll do it!” Daphne suddenly exclaimed like a warrior, declaring he was ready to charge into battle. Susan, on the other hand, looked doubtful. Still, she nodded in agreement.

Nathanial stepped up to Charlaine as she straightened, inhaling what seemed like a fortifying breath. “Are you truly going to kiss that frog?” he asked quietly. Never for a moment had he thought the girls would truly see their plan through to the end. He had thought their dream would pop like a bubble the moment they caught a frog.

Green and slimy, as Daphne had said.

Turning to look at him, Charlaine smiled. “Of course not.”

Nathanial frowned. “Then how—?”

In the next moment, she stood before him, her hands cupping his face before she pressed her lips to his. By all accounts, it was a chaste kiss and lasted no more than a second or two. However, for Nathanial, it set his world on fire.

Instantly, he felt reminded of the moment they had shared in the stables after the rain. The closeness of her body, the warmth of her skin, the soft brush of her breath. Longing surged through him, quickly replacing his initial shock, and he tensed, balling his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her, to keep from deepening the kiss, to keep from turning this into something it was not.

After all, Charlaine was only kissing him to accommodate the girls’ curiosity. Two girls, who at this very moment were watching them most intently.

“There,” Charlaine said as she pulled back, her hands dropping from his face as she smiled at him as though they were confidantes in a secret game. “This is how you kiss. It’s simple.”

Nathanial swallowed, completely overwhelmed by what had just happened. Indeed, for him, there had been nothing simple about this kiss. In fact, he had no doubt that in the weeks ahead it would prove to be a problem because, to his great regret, Nathanial had to admit that this one simple kiss only made him want another.

“Well, he didn’t turn into a prince,” Daphne observed as she looked at him as though she had every right to blame him for failing to live up to her expectations.

Susan giggled. “At least, he didn’t turn into a frog.”

Then the girls turned back toward the house and walked ahead, arguing about who had to kiss the frog first and whether or not the creature had lips which ought or ought not to be kissed.

Beside him, Charlaine chuckled. “Aren’t they adorable?” she asked, her gaze soft as she watched them proceed up the small slope.

Nathanial didn’t know what to say. When she made to follow, his hand caught her arm, pulling her back. “Why did you kiss me?” he asked without thought, yet unable to stop himself.

Her brown eyes looked up into his and, once again, Nathanial felt as though she knew exactly what lived in his heart.

He gritted his teeth. “Could you not have kissed the blasted frog?”

One corner of her mouth curled up. “I suppose I could have,” she replied before a teasing note came to her voice, “but he’s so green and slimy.” Then her gaze sobered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “I’ll not do it again. I know I promised you before.” Contrition came to her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. Can you forgive me?”

Staring at her, Nathanial nodded.

A relieved smile came to Charlaine’s face. “Thank you.” Then she tugged on his arm. “Come. It’ll be time for supper soon.” And with that,