Coveting the Duke

Crossing The Line

It had been nearly a week since Elena shared a kiss with Sebastian at the bookstore, the remnants of that moment played countlessly in her mind. The memory still made Elena's cheeks burn with embarrassment. Their encounter had ended in a heavy silence, leaving Sebastian with no chance to add anything further.

That day she'd left the room abruptly, abandoning him mid-thought. Soon after, he had followed her out, calmly thanking the professor, who watched them both with quiet curiosity yet respected their privacy enough not to ask. Elena, in turn, spent the rest of the evening quietly tending to the bookshelves, outwardly calm but internally reeling.

She couldn't reconcile her sudden surge of courage in Professor Frowde's office; it was as if her emotions had broken free of her control. It was because of this she wasn't ready to explain herself to Sebastian—or to hear his response. So, she'd awkwardly avoided his gaze at the academy, rarely crossing paths.

It had been her first kiss—with Sebastian, no less. How had her body instinctively moved toward him, and he too, holding her close, as if retreat was not an option. And yet, as reality settled, questions flooded her mind: What now? She had kissed the Duchess' son, the next Duke, the one person her mother had warned her to avoid.

Even after breaking the silence, taking responsibility for what happened, she still wasn't sure what she'd meant by it. Should I have said that? And what was he thinking?

When she arrived home that evening, Elena was still overwhelmed by the swirl of emotions she felt. She could feel the tingle of his kiss on her lips, the knot in her stomach tied tight with uncertainty. Her feelings for Sebastian had left her shaken—but so had the guilt she felt, as though she had betrayed her mother's trust.

She had agreed to stay away from the Duchess' son, and though she'd tried, her resolve had faltered. She herself had deepened their connection. That night, she retreated to her room early, avoiding her mother's gaze and unable to quiet her thoughts.

Sebastian hadn't had any particular plan when he went to the bookstore that day, except perhaps to discuss Rebecca. He certainly hadn't expected their encounter to end the way it did. As he left, Sebastian settled into the back of the carriage, his fingers brushing his lips, still feeling the lingering sensation of their kiss. Elena Sinclair had, once again, surprised him with her unpredictability, catching him off guard in a way he hadn't anticipated.

Yet, he'd left the bookstore feeling unresolved; his original reason for visiting was now a distant afterthought. And though the kiss intrigued him, his path remained unchanged. He knew this well enough. No matter what either of them felt, his duty would always come first.

As he reflected, he realized that every aspect of his relationship with her had been shrouded in some secrecy—from their meeting at the bookstore to his hidden connection to the Lakehouse she loved, and now, their kiss. Yet a part of him wanted to hold on to her, even if it meant keeping her in the shadows.

His mind wrestled with uncertainty. He disliked not knowing where things stood, and the way Elena had taken control that day, leaving him wordless, created exactly that. He thought about returning to the bookstore to corner her, but bringing Professor Frowde into it again didn't feel right. He'd need a more discreet approach—one that would bring her to him without prying eyes, and without a chance for her to refuse.

It was another ordinary day at Ashwood Academy for Elena when a knock interrupted her commerce class. Governess Hartley, the office administrator, entered and exchanged a few words with Professor Edwards, who glanced at Elena and gave a brief nod.

"Miss Sinclair," he called. "Please follow Governess Hartley."

Elena stood, confusion flashing across her face, and obediently followed the governess down the quiet halls. The woman didn't say a word, and Elena didn't ask any questions. She assumed there was some administrative matter to attend to, but when they turned down an unfamiliar hallway, heading away from the faculty offices, unease prickled at her.