Geminus

Chapter Seven - You Must Do Your Duty

I walked up the watch tower steps slowly, even though I could make it up in just a few seconds. Mainly because I wasn't sure why Oliver had invited me. The fear of loving him knowing it could ruin everything scared me beyond belief, but I just couldn't stop.

I walked through the watch tower door. Oliver was there waiting. His eyes locked on me and his mouth opened slightly. He went to say something only he didn't.

He stepped forward and closed the watchtower door behind me. Our bodies were only inches apart. I could feel the heat of his body radiating toward me. My breathing hitched and I knew I was in trouble. This had been a bad idea. Oliver's hand slipped from the old copper door handle and landed on my hip. He moved his other hand up to sit on the same spot.

We stood there, silent for almost a minute as our breathing settled into a rhythm together.

"Did you mean it?" He whispered, breaking eye contact as he leaned in closer his lips brushed against my cheek.

"Mean what?" I played dumb, it was the only thing keeping me from kissing him. Kissing him was a bad idea. So bad, catastrophically bad and yet it was all I could think about.

"Do you love me?"

"I barely know you."

"And I you." He whispered. "But I'm more drawn to you every day."

"You can't. We can't. It's dangerous."

Oliver shook his head and pulled his face across until everything but our lips were touching. I could feel the sparks firing off between us. I could only imagine what we would cause if we gave in, if we were caught. Everything would be over. Still I didn't push him away. I couldn't.

"When we kissed the other day." He said. "It was the first time I felt alive in 25 years."

"We shouldn't have kissed."

"Says who."

"Your world."

Oliver lifted his hand and cupped my face. "My world knows nothing then." He ran his thumb over the apple of my cheek "Because it's the only thing in my entire life I don't regret."

Our lips met again, and it was like we picked up where we'd finished last time. Our tongues met at and danced with each other slowly, sensually. He was right. It made me feel alive too. Our hands wandered and I drank in every part of him I could, committing it to memory.

Finally with the last shred of composure I retained I pushed him back. "I can't risk my family's freedom on some romantic liaison."

"I love you."

"You don't know what love is Oliver." I replied. "You're the purpose built genetically engineered son of a Queen and I am no one."

"That isn't true."

I stepped away from Oliver's body and unlocked the tower door. "If you love me... truly, you'll accept that we cannot do this."

I turned and ran, as fast as my legs could take me down the tower steps. My lips burned with the memory of the kiss. It felt almost painful to think about it, because every part of my body ached to return and kiss him again.

I started walking towards my room, flustered and confused. "Imogen." Thomas' voice called waking me from my daze. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, even though I was far from okay. I walked into my room and over to the window. I could see the city out in front of me and never had I wanted to run from it more than right now. Things had seemed so much simpler when I had never seen daylight.