No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 246



The sense of rejection I felt from Conrad only spurred me on, igniting a curiosity within me. Was I truly that undesirable? Could a man hold me in his arms without feeling any stirrings of passion, maintaining his composure throughout?

"Ernest," I whispered, my hand finding its way to his back, pulling him closer through the fabric of his shirt, my nails digging into him slightly.

I could feel Ernest tense up even more, so much so that he inhaled sharply. "Licia..."

I pressed closer to him, my body soft and pliable in just my nightgown, fully aware of my own softness.

If Ernest could resist this, then it was a clear sign of my own failure.

"Licia," Ernest called out to me in a rushed breath, then he let go, placing his hands on my shoulders and looking down, his breathing heavy.

His Adam's apple bobbed, his body trembling... It was as if he had just sprinted a mile.

And I wasn't faring much better. Having taken this step, I was a mix of embarrassment and boldness.

"Licia, it's getting late," Ernest said, releasing me and stepping away.

felt a chill through my body, a mix of embarrassment and a profound sense of failure heating my brain. "Ernest, you're leaving now? Are you not able, or just not

paused, one foot out the door, then after a moment,

feel it-eyes probably red, face pale,

me, his deep eyes swirling with emotion, then he stepped back, closing the door behind him with his foot. In the next second, the room dimmed,

gave me a fierce kiss, his hand controlling

felt an intensity I'd never known before, tasting the madness of love between a man and

voice, low

with that, I questioned myself,

my parents, before they passed, when I was just twelve and beginning to blossom. My mother had shared some wisdom about the birds and the bees, and about how girls

unless she was ready to commit her whole life to him. And before making that decision, she had

hove

commitment.

ready to commit to

though I had acknowledged

was too

wasn't

composure, his cheek brushing lightly against my hair. "Let's wait a

mind a tumult