Another Chance with the Duke

Ch 4 Part 2

Rugged fingers gripped the soft skin of Evalynn's hand, guiding it into the crook of Samuel's muscled arm. The warmth of his bare skin on her hand sent a trail of goosebumps crawling up her arm. It was a sensation that tore her between pain and excitement, but regardless, it stole her breath from her, a reaction that Samuel was keen to notice.

"S-Samuel. I'm not sure if this is-"

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" Samuel asked, smirking proudly. "I didn't mean to upset you." Holding his smirk, Samuel moved to drop his arm and release Evalynn's hand, but before he could, Evalynn found herself holding on tightly and walking closer to him.

The scent of his sweat had a pleasant musk to it and as the pair walked in sync Evalynn was reminded of the walks through the Taladin rose garden they used to take. He had always linked his arm with hers when they'd walked, insisting that it was proper etiquette, a white lie Evalynn purposely never addressed.

As they made they climbed the stairs to the second floor, Evalynn's mind drifted to the time she had shared with Samuel, Kenni, in her previous life. They had grown close quickly during his stay at the Taladin manor and their natural chemistry had made Evalynn comfortable enough with him to tell him everything. They had been strolling through the rose garden and had just taken a rest on one of the stone benches surrounding the garden's five-tier fountain. She could still remember the twisted look of fury and horror on his face as she told him the abuse her parents and Edgar had subjected her to and, without hesitation, he had assured her that if she came with him he promised to keep her safe and give her the life she deserved. The tears she had shed at his words still felt damp on her cheeks when she recalled the memory.

But it had all been for nothing. Kenni had been forced to temporarily leave due to an emergency but had told her the time and place to meet him. Unfortunately, during that brief time, Edgar had returned to the manor, and in her eagerness to escape, Evalynn had been oblivious to Edgar's scheming and had fallen into his trap. The result had been her slowly bleeding out at the meeting place, with Edgar's greasy face bearing down on her as she died. The thought sent a shiver through Evalynn's body.

"Are you alright? Are you cold?"

"It's nothing," Evalynn quickly replied with a bitter smile. "I just had an unwelcome memory, but it's in the past now."

Samuel nodded, changing the topic. "So tell me, do you often galavant through the countryside pretending to be a bard?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Evalynn snapped immediately, peeking over her shoulder to make sure there were no servants around. "I've never been to the countryside and I've only ever left the mansion with my parents. Though…" Confident that there was no one nearby, Evalynn released Samuel's arm and stepped in front of him, grinning brightly. "A few weeks ago I had a dream where I met a tall, handsome, though somewhat grimy gentleman named Kenni."

A devious grin that wrapped around Evalynn's heart formed on Kenni's lips. "This Kenni sounds like quite the catch. What did you think of your encounter with this dream man?"

Evalynn's heart pounded in her chest, each beat deafening her ears. "He was a bit scary at first but was quite friendly in the end. Like someone I'd known for a long time even though we'd just met." Turning on her heels Evalynn continued down the hall toward the guest room, leaving Samuel to catch up to her. "Though I do worry that I may have left a bad impression."

"It's a good thing that it was just a dream then," Samuel said, effortlessly catching up to her with his long strides. "Just make sure to leave a better impression on the real Kenni if you ever meet him."

The sly, reassuring tone in Kenni's voice warmed Evalynn's chest, a warmth that slowly spread throughout her body and nestled itself in her abdomen. She had been a sucker for Samuel's honeyed charm and she wanted to savor every part of it while she could. If she could have run away with him then and there, she wouldn't have hesitated, but, as with everything involving politics, it would never be that simple. In her past life, Kenni had been given cause to spirit her away; in this life, there was nothing beyond memories that no one other than Kirin would believe.

"I'll do my best when I meet him," Evalynn chuckled, standing in front of the guest room door. "For now, why don't you get cleaned up so I don't get covered in dirt escorting you to dinner."

Kenni stepped toward Evalynn and slammed his hand against the wall next to her head, trapping her with his body. His clothes were dusty and she could see the dirt and sweat on his skin, but rather than being repulsed, Evalynn found the rugged look charming. "Maybe next time we can have a meal, just the two of us."

Evalynn could feel her cheeks and ears start to burn as she looked up into Kenni's deep violet eyes. His musky scent surrounded her, overwhelming her senses. Had he been this aggressive before? She couldn't remember. Maybe it was because he didn't have to restrain himself as much as he had in their past life, or maybe it was because he could feel her desire for him. Either way, Evalynn's main focus was to steady her shaking knees that threatened to give out on her.

"Samuel," Evalynn muttered, looking bashfully at the ground. "Maybe now isn't the best time."

Kenni blinked several times, as if regaining his senses, and stepped back, holding his hands up defensively. His violet eyes were wide but had somewhat darkened and, for the first time since knowing him, Evalynn saw an uneasiness in him.

"My apologies. I'm not sure what came over me." Kenni muttered, looking away. He hesitated for a moment before quickly opening the guest room door and stepping into the room, looking back at Evalynn with an expression torn between confusion and worry, before disappearing into the room.