“I…”
“Four…”
Sophia closed her eyes, knowing that she could not fight what was inside of her any longer.
“Five.”
It all happened very fast after that. In a long stride, he was able to close the distance between first their bodies and then their lips. His lips felt soft against hers, and Sophia got lost in the kiss, unable to pull away.
She had dreamed about this moment ever since they had kissed last. Fireworks erupted inside of her, and the moment felt so right.
As they eventually parted, their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding passed between them.
“But what if it would have taken me more than five seconds to think of an answer?” Sophia asked, breaking the silence, still maintaining their eye contact.
“Impossible. When it comes to matters of the heart, even five seconds is too long. You know instantly, and I could tell that you already did,” he teased her, causing a blush to form on her face.
“I suppose you are correct,” Sophia replied, feeling intoxicated by the kiss.
“Am I now? Madam, you have driven me to the point of madness these last few days. I do not want to guess anymore. You will have to tell me what you feel with your words and with clarity. I have fallen in love with you. Those words have never been uttered from my lips for anyone else. You are the first to hear them.”
She bit down on her lip.
“I… love you too.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but thankfully the Duke was close enough that he could make out what she had just said.
A warm smile spread across his lips, and he wrapped her in his embrace.
“I wanted to hear it from you,” he said, smiling.
“I knew that I have harbored feelings for you for some time now,” she admitted, looking straight at him. She felt safe with him as though she could tell him anything.
“Then why did you keep me second guessing?” he demanded. “At one point, I was concerned that you even disliked me, for it appeared that you were avoiding me.”
“My apologies, Your Grace…”
“Duncan,” he corrected her softly, “I would like you to say my name when you address me now. Do away with the formalities.”
“Duncan,” she repeated, liking the way his name sounded in her mouth, “I was avoiding you only because I wanted to protect you from the…”
“Curse?” Duncan shot back, shocked.
She nodded.
“So, you have been deliberately trying to put a distance between us because you think that you will harm me with your curse?”
“Yes,” she agreed. “I know you do not believe in it, but it was what I considered to be the right thing.”
“Oh, Sophia,” the Duke shook his head, “how can someone be so tender-hearted? There is no curse; it is just something that people came up with to make you feel bad. Nothing will happen to me. You elevate my life, not curse it.”
She bit down on her lip. She could still feel where his lips had been just moments ago.
“That is what everyone else keeps saying, too,” she admitted. “Maybe, they are right. Maybe there is no curse to speak of.”
“Yes, now you are on the right track,” Duncan noted, lacing both their fingers together and then kissing the top of her head gently. “There is no curse.”
“When you say it to me like that,” Sophia sighed happily, “I want to believe it.”
“It is true that our union was… unique, but I think that I could not have found a better partner than you,” Duncan admitted, earnestly. “We should give each other the chance to spend moretime in each other’s company. I, for one, am dying to do so. Do not keep yourself away from me, my love.”
