Mahogany Is The Color Of Devotion

Chapter 11

Lafayette watched tentatively as Nicholas fidgeted in his seat. There was sweat beading on his brow. He took a spoonful of the soup before clearing his throat. "So, Faye, how are you?"

His voice had a strange tremor to it, as if he were afraid to speak.

She smiled at him, sitting down her spoon before saying, "I'm wonderful... I-I've missed you."

He suddenly stood, his chair scraping the hardwood floor as he did so. His face was beet red. His cheeks flushed. He ran a hand through his hair before groaning. The sound was carnal.

"I can't do this. I have to go. Excuse me."

Lafayette stood, nearly tripping over her own skirts to follow after him as he made a beeline for the door. "Wait! Nicholas, please wait!"

His hand rested on the door handle, his back stiff.

"Don't you feel anything?" She asked, her voice trembling. "When we're together, you're telling me you feel nothing?"

His grip on the handle tightened. He leaned into the door, his head resting on the cool exterior of the carefully painted over wood. How could he pretend he didn't yearn for the woman? He silently cursed himself for not leaving earlier. He shouldn't have let his temptation to be near her stop his initial bid to leave. All of the mistakes regarding her started to flood into his mind. He cursed himself for ever entertaining the thought of "allowing her to teach him". Why had the thought even settled into his mind when she had offered. It was ludicrous. Ridiculous. And yet a small part of him had thought himself to be entertaining the girl. Helping her to relieve the obvious boredom he swore he had noticed on her face whenever she was so eager at the sight of him at the door. What had he gotten himself into?

"This can't happen." He said stiffly. He pulled himself away from the door, turning to look at her. "It doesn't matter what you or I think we feel."

A frown played on her lips. Her brows creased. "What?"

"Andrew is my best friend. Do you understand?"

Lafayette felt her stomach turn over in knots. "My father doesn't get to decide whom I love."

Nicholas moved toward her, his heart pounding. "I'm too old for you. There are men much younger than I who cou-," she cut him off, beginning to pace.

"I don't need a lecture on courtship, Nicholas!" She snapped. "You're a dunce! If you think I'm the one that needs this talk!"

He ran a hand through his hair once more before walking up to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. "I am not the man for you. Do you hear me? Can you imagine what your father would think? Or your mother, for god sakes! Think this through!"

"I just admit that I love you and all you can think about are my bloody parents?" She screamed.

Nicholas's eyes widened. His jaw dropped. His tight grip on her shoulder's softened. His face flushed redder. Dear god... She loved him? "You-you're not serious..."

Lafayette tsked, placing her hand on his chest to push away from his grip. "How dare you? Nicholas you are by far the most obtuse human being I have ever met!"

Nicholas bristled at that, taking a step toward her visibly angered form.

"You're either an absolute fool or you truly do have a few screws loose that empty head of yours! I've loved you for years! I've pined for you so long... If you think I care about the opinion of anyone, you're out of your mind!" She turned on her heels, facing him head on. She stormed toward him, a glint in her eyes.