Read Online The Witch's Thief by Tricia Schneider - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tricia Schneider
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up, the average, everyday stairs loomed above them like a huge mountain.
“Are you certain about this?” Basil asked, gripping one hand on the banister. His other arm loped around Julia’s rather thin shoulders.
“No.”
But, with determination, she rallied together and urged him upward, one weary step at a time.
About halfway, his dizziness got the better of him and he stumbled. He crashed down on his knees, taking her with him. Off balance, she slid down two steps before he grasped her hand, keeping her from falling the rest of the way.
“I don’t think this is wise,” Basil said, admitting he put her in danger with his pride and stubbornness. “Perhaps it’s time to call for Parker.”
“Absolutely not.” Julia stood, brushing her skirts and straightened. “We’ve made it this far. Why, we’re nearly half way.”
Basil nodded. If they reached his room, he’d be fine. He didn’t even need to make it to the bed. Even if she just shoved him in and closed the door so no one saw his crumpled form in the morning, he’d be forever grateful. Just so Aunt Petunia remained ignorant of her nephew’s debilitating illness.
They stumbled the rest of the way up the stairs. Basil did his best to concentrate on lifting one foot in front of the other, of taking each step without falling flat on his face and taking her with him. He did his best not to notice how her breast brushed against his chest while she leaned into him, giving him the full support he needed to stand. He did his best not to feel her womanly curves rubbing against him. And he tried not to inhale too deeply for the air surrounding her was filled with lilacs.
His mind screamed to concentrate on other things, like survival. His heart screamed that survival wasn’t living.
He never had the chance to know the feeling of wrapping his hands around her naked waist, pulling her body closer to his, losing himself inside her.
Basil clenched his eyes shut and shuddered, this time for a reason other than this dreaded disease.
He really must focus. This current line of thought was highly inappropriate.
And yet, he couldn’t stop fantasizing about her. The entire journey from the stairs, down the hall and to his room, he kept picturing her naked in his arms.
Oh, what a beautiful image!
After an eternity, they finally arrived at his doorstep. He leaned against the frame as she turned the knob and shoved open the door. She took a step forward, about to enter his room when he resisted.
“This is far enough.”
Her green gaze looked up, startled.
“However will you reach your bed? Do you plan to crawl?”
“Indeed, I may.” As he looked deeply into her eyes, he found sudden difficulty in breathing. She appeared winded, but for a different reason. After dragging his ailing carcass up the bloody stairs, the poor woman was winded. Tendrils of her hair had tumbled free of their restraints and now rested alongside her face, framing her beauty in a way that enchanted him. Tiny beads of sweat formed on her upper lip, and he felt the urge to wipe them away…with his lips. “It isn’t proper for a woman to enter a man’s bedchamber unless they are wed.”
“Under the circumstances, I believe we may forgo propriety,” she said, tilting her head to the side as she looked up.
He lifted his hand to curl a soft tendril of her hair around his finger. Her scent drifted over him. He took a deep breath, inhaling the lilac scented soap she used to wash her skin.
Julia gasped.
He looked back to her eyes. Recognition registered in her gaze. And hunger. The same hunger that surely mirrored his own.
Slowly, painfully slowly, his head dipped toward hers. He found he could not convince himself as to why kissing her might be a bad idea. How could it be otherwise? He kissed her when they were younger. What could it hurt to taste her once more?
His lips found hers.
A groan slipped from his throat. Or was it hers? Basil couldn’t be certain. All coherent thought
“Are you certain about this?” Basil asked, gripping one hand on the banister. His other arm loped around Julia’s rather thin shoulders.
“No.”
But, with determination, she rallied together and urged him upward, one weary step at a time.
About halfway, his dizziness got the better of him and he stumbled. He crashed down on his knees, taking her with him. Off balance, she slid down two steps before he grasped her hand, keeping her from falling the rest of the way.
“I don’t think this is wise,” Basil said, admitting he put her in danger with his pride and stubbornness. “Perhaps it’s time to call for Parker.”
“Absolutely not.” Julia stood, brushing her skirts and straightened. “We’ve made it this far. Why, we’re nearly half way.”
Basil nodded. If they reached his room, he’d be fine. He didn’t even need to make it to the bed. Even if she just shoved him in and closed the door so no one saw his crumpled form in the morning, he’d be forever grateful. Just so Aunt Petunia remained ignorant of her nephew’s debilitating illness.
They stumbled the rest of the way up the stairs. Basil did his best to concentrate on lifting one foot in front of the other, of taking each step without falling flat on his face and taking her with him. He did his best not to notice how her breast brushed against his chest while she leaned into him, giving him the full support he needed to stand. He did his best not to feel her womanly curves rubbing against him. And he tried not to inhale too deeply for the air surrounding her was filled with lilacs.
His mind screamed to concentrate on other things, like survival. His heart screamed that survival wasn’t living.
He never had the chance to know the feeling of wrapping his hands around her naked waist, pulling her body closer to his, losing himself inside her.
Basil clenched his eyes shut and shuddered, this time for a reason other than this dreaded disease.
He really must focus. This current line of thought was highly inappropriate.
And yet, he couldn’t stop fantasizing about her. The entire journey from the stairs, down the hall and to his room, he kept picturing her naked in his arms.
Oh, what a beautiful image!
After an eternity, they finally arrived at his doorstep. He leaned against the frame as she turned the knob and shoved open the door. She took a step forward, about to enter his room when he resisted.
“This is far enough.”
Her green gaze looked up, startled.
“However will you reach your bed? Do you plan to crawl?”
“Indeed, I may.” As he looked deeply into her eyes, he found sudden difficulty in breathing. She appeared winded, but for a different reason. After dragging his ailing carcass up the bloody stairs, the poor woman was winded. Tendrils of her hair had tumbled free of their restraints and now rested alongside her face, framing her beauty in a way that enchanted him. Tiny beads of sweat formed on her upper lip, and he felt the urge to wipe them away…with his lips. “It isn’t proper for a woman to enter a man’s bedchamber unless they are wed.”
“Under the circumstances, I believe we may forgo propriety,” she said, tilting her head to the side as she looked up.
He lifted his hand to curl a soft tendril of her hair around his finger. Her scent drifted over him. He took a deep breath, inhaling the lilac scented soap she used to wash her skin.
Julia gasped.
He looked back to her eyes. Recognition registered in her gaze. And hunger. The same hunger that surely mirrored his own.
Slowly, painfully slowly, his head dipped toward hers. He found he could not convince himself as to why kissing her might be a bad idea. How could it be otherwise? He kissed her when they were younger. What could it hurt to taste her once more?
His lips found hers.
A groan slipped from his throat. Or was it hers? Basil couldn’t be certain. All coherent thought
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