She thought she could lose herself in this, actually. Kissing him apparently felt as good as kissing normally did, and she had decided that before he had hitched up her leg against him and brought them closer. That was enough to stop all her thoughts at once.
In spite of his reaction in the moment, the fear still crept back in after, that kissing him had been a mistake – that there would be some reproof or distaste on his part, that she had been too forward. Unladylike.
So his affirmation was another burst of pleasure for her, just as much a thrill as anything else. She smiled at him more genuinely as she glanced up. “You think so?” Jemima echoed, tone light enough to be teasing but her eyes alight, relieved and delighted that she had seemingly done something right. She was rarely good at anything; this confidence frothing up in her chest was new. They were doing okay, weren’t they? Even then – the worry sounded at the back of her mind that of course now she had given him the wrong impression, raised his expectations too far. So she tried to keep that airy joking tone on the surface or at least to sound slightly coy, although her heart was beating out of her chest, “I hope I’m – not too bad at the rest.” (There was a little too much truthfulness for it to be a joke. She had no useful practice here: it would be much easier if she had some idea where they were supposed to go from here.)
In spite of his reaction in the moment, the fear still crept back in after, that kissing him had been a mistake – that there would be some reproof or distaste on his part, that she had been too forward. Unladylike.
So his affirmation was another burst of pleasure for her, just as much a thrill as anything else. She smiled at him more genuinely as she glanced up. “You think so?” Jemima echoed, tone light enough to be teasing but her eyes alight, relieved and delighted that she had seemingly done something right. She was rarely good at anything; this confidence frothing up in her chest was new. They were doing okay, weren’t they? Even then – the worry sounded at the back of her mind that of course now she had given him the wrong impression, raised his expectations too far. So she tried to keep that airy joking tone on the surface or at least to sound slightly coy, although her heart was beating out of her chest, “I hope I’m – not too bad at the rest.” (There was a little too much truthfulness for it to be a joke. She had no useful practice here: it would be much easier if she had some idea where they were supposed to go from here.)
