Chapter 16

Effie's heart skipped a beat, racing faster than she could control.

"Nervous? Give me your hand," Lyman said, noticing the flush in her cheeks and her quickening breath.

"What?" Effie hesitated, caught off guard.

She could feel Lyman's presence-solid, warm, and unmistakably masculine-so close that it left her breathless.

"Your hand. Come on."

Almost without thinking, Effie offered her hand. Lyman reached out and took it in his, his grip firm yet gentle. The warmth of his palm seeped into hers, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles against her skin, sending a tingling sensation up her

arm.

Her pulse only quickened, a rosy blush blooming across her face and even creeping to her ears.

what are you... what are you doing?" she stammered, trying to pull her hand back, but he only tightened his

in a little, his gaze steady and intent, lips curling into a faint smile. "Don't move. I have something for

his pocket and placed a small

glancing down

feeling down or anxious," Lyman said, his eyes sincere and almost intense, "have a piece of candy. It

felt the warmth from his hand travel

occurred to her to wonder

you." She curled her fingers around the sweet. "Come in. My grandmother's waiting for

room, an

her politely, "Good evening, ma'am. I'm Lyman-Effie's

strikingly handsome, and carried himself with a refined air. Compared to Mitchell, he was in a league of his own-and far

she asked, still a little skeptical. He

forward and entwined his fingers with Effie's. "Yes, ma'am. I've cared for Effie for a long time. Before, she was with someone else, so I only wished her happiness. But now that he can't give her the

hit Effie like a jolt to the chest. She snuck a look

she might have believed

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