Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,41

doubted his words, and was steady in all things.

This, however, was new.

They were in front of her home now, the walkway to the front door before them. “And what will change if I say yes to your offer of courtship?”

August’s hand left her then, and he turned to face her. “How do you mean?”

“We have been arguing as of late. There have been so many misunderstandings between us. For example, just yesterday things were tense and I was...not pleased with how it went. And yes,” she held up a hand to stay his words when he opened his mouth to speak, “I am well aware that we have always bickered, but that was different. More natural, good natured, and...it is just our way to push the other, to poke sore spots for fun, because that’s what friends do. But, our words have taken on barbs. It hurts. Yesterday I was so scared to lose you again that I did not press the issue that I knew had you in a foul mood. I let it lie to keep the peace, to keep you, and I will not continue to do so if we are to enter into a courtship.”

August swallowed hard, his hand coming up to yank his hat off, and he squeezed it tightly in his hand. “I know. It hasn’t set well with me. Kept me up thinking about how I said the wrong thing to you. I never picked the right words, not when it mattered.”

“I don’t want that anymore,” Seylah said, reaching out to him. She touched his hand lightly as she spoke. “I want it to be like it was before between us. I want to speak my mind, to share my heart with you and know that you won’t run from me.”

His blue eyes met hers. “I would never run from you. Not again.” He turned his hand up to hers, their fingers intertwining together.

“Then we are in agreement.”

August raised her hand to his chest, pressing it close so that she was able to feel the steady beat of his heart beneath their clasped fingers. “You mean to say that you are open to that with me? To trying for more?”

Seylah looked at where they were touching, the thump of her own pulse matching August’s heartbeat, both humming in tandem until they were in sync. She raised her eyes to the man she had called her friend since before she could remember, the man that had been there at every step, had been a steady presence, the one who she had feared losing the most and she nodded her head slowly.

Yes, she ventured she could try for more with August.

She flexed her fingers against his and leaned close. “Yes, I want that but there will be conditions,” she told him.

“Conditions?” He tilted his head to the side. “What kind of conditions?”

“I haven’t decided, yet. Give me two days time and I’ll have them for you, if you agree to them, then we may proceed.”

“To a courtship?”

“Yes, that’s right.” She nodded and moved back to take her hand away, but August caught it and raised it to his lips.

“Two days time then.” August’s lips brushed against the inside of her wrist before he let it go.

“Two days,” Seylah said, her voice full of a confidence she didn’t feel, the last of her sanity had been destroyed by August’s last touch. She withdrew her hand, pressing it to her chest as she moved back from him. “Goodbye, August.”

He raised his hand and tipped his hat to her. “Seylah.”

She nearly stumbled, getting stuck in her hobble skirt as she turned towards her house, but by the grace of God and more than likely a fair amount of luck she managed to make it inside without incident. Seylah paused on the porch, one hand on the door and cautioned a look behind her to see that August was still there watching her. He had always done this, since the time they had begun walking to and from school together as children. Rain or shine, August would wait for her to enter her home before he continued on his way to his homestead a few minutes journey down the lane.

She raised a hand in a quick wave, and she smiled when August returned the gesture with an easy smile. For all that had changed between them that afternoon, to see August standing there, dependable and reassuringly as ever, comforted her in a way she hadn’t been aware she needed.

August

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