Page 27 of Chivalry is Not Dead

“Come here.” He holds his arms out for me, and I walk over and fall into his comforting touch. “Bad news from Madame Selene?”

I bury my face in his chest and shrug. “News from Selene is never good nor bad. It just is.”

“Does she think passing through the veil on solstice will work?”

I hesitate before asking, “Is that still what you want?”

He pulls back, looking down at me with a furrowed brow. “I did not think there was another choice.”

“Selene said that anything is possible. I—the most important thing to me is that you find the peace you want.”

“You are my peace, Penelope.”

“We have more time for you to think about everything.” And by more time I mean a few more days. “Don’t make any decisions yet.”

He smirks. “Can I decide to take you to bed?”

“If you insist,” I tease.

“Oh, I very much insist. I have decided I wish to spend the next few days in bed exploring your body until I have mapped every single freckle, scar, and wrinkle.” He demonstrates by holding up my palm and kissing across each line there.

He knows I can’t deny him. His wish is my command.

15

Above all else, a knight is to be chivalrous.

Iwake up completely tangled in Sanders’ arms. Just like I have for the past week. Only, today is different because it’s the last time I’ll wake up like this.

It’s winter solstice. The day I’ve been dreading.

We kept our promise of spending our last few days together in bed, only getting up for the necessities. But now our blissful, delusional bubble is about to pop.

“Your thoughts are extremely loud this morning, Penelope.” Sanders’ voice is sleepy and sultry right up against my ear, sending goosebumps across my body.

Wait. “Can you actually hear my thoughts?”

He laughs. “No, my love. It is one of the expressions you taught me, remember?”

Thank gods. I would be mortified if he knew exactly how many times a day his fit body crosses my mind.

“Tonight is the night…”

“Yes, it is,” he replies. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I lie. Though I know it’s useless because he can feel that I’m not fine.

“Hmm. Convincing.”

“How are you?” I ask, turning the question on him.

He pulls back to look at me, taking a lock of my hair between his fingers and twisting it. “I am conflicted.”

Oof.

“About?”

He studies my face. “I want to make sure I am making the right decision for the both of us. You did not ask for me to invade your life like this. I would not want to do anything you are not one-hundred percent comfortable with.”