As she looked at him expectantly, as her glow and her smile washed over him, Adrian felt a sudden pang of doubt. He held the brooch in his hand by his side; it felt heavy and cumbersome, and he came to wonder if it was such a good idea that he had.
She is likely to think I am a fool. I certainly do.
“It is nothing,” he said quickly, moving to twist his hand and hide the brooch. “I was just passing by and –”
“What is that?” She pointed at his hand.
“Nothing.” He held it tight, using his spare hand to hide it further.
She frowned. “It does not look like nothing. And now that you are so clearly trying to hide it…” She laughed. “You’ve piqued my interest. Show me.”
He grimaced, his heart racing. “It is stupid…”
“I am not one to judge.”
“You do not have to… do not pretend to like it, if you do not.”
“Adrian, what are you talking about?” She looked at him simply, not judgment, no sense at all that she would look down on him.
It was a look that filled Adrian with confidence, and he realized then how stupid he was being. Of all the people in the world who might judge him, Ophelia was the last person to do so. She was too kind for that, too caring and good-hearted.
“I found this last week…” Slowly, he turned his hand to show her the brooch. Then, just as slowly, he lifted it up for her to see clearer. “A brooch with a crack down its center. I couldn’t very well leave. And once it was fixed, the idea of shoving it into a drawer felt wrong.”
She said nothing, staring at the brooch with an expression that was unreadable.
“It was my mother’s,” he said quickly, nerves wrecking him. “At least I believe it to be. Now that it is fixed, I thought you might wish to have it. It is not much, a broken brooch…” He chuckled awkwardly. “But I felt that I should ask, nonetheless.”
Still, she said nothing.
Her brow was furrowed as she stared at the brooch in his hand. Her lips were pressed together. It was dark in the nursery, so Adrian could not see her eyes as clearly as he might have liked. The longer she stared, too, the longer that silence stretched on for, the more nervous he became.
“You do not want it.” He snatched his hand back. “I shouldn’t have –”
“No!” She reached out as if to grab his hand. “I… I was just…” She looked at him finally and found his eyes. Despite the dark and the confusion, Adrian saw in those eyes something truly astounding. He saw…is that hope? Disbelief? As if she is seeing me for the first time.“It’s beautiful, Adrian.” Her voice was low.
“You like it?” His voice cracked.
She reached out and gently opened his palm, exposing the brooch. As she did, she held his eyes, as if she wanted to confirm that he watched as she plucked it from his hand. And her touch, as gentle as it was, sent a pulse through Adrian’s arm and up his body that almost made him gasp.
“I love it,” she said as she took it. She spoke of the brooch, but it was as if she meant something else. “And that you thought to gift it to me…” A smile then, subtle, but felt throughout the room. “Truly, you have no idea what this means.”
“It is not such a big thing,” he dismissed.
“It is,” she said. “I will remember this. Know that I will.”
Adrian had no idea what to say. He stood perhaps two feet from Ophelia, unable to look away from her as if to do so might end him. And she looked at him as if she felt the same way. Again, a look as if she were seeing him for the first time. More than that, though, it was that she liked what she saw.
Adrian’s chest tightened. His throat turned dry. His eyes flicked from Ophelia’s eyes to her lips on instinct, not meaning to. But she caught her breath when she did, even leaned in a little.
Does she… do I want to… are we…
The room felt small suddenly. The air felt heavy. A tension that was weighted sat between them, begging to be broken. Adrian knew what it meant… he knew what was on Ophelia’s mind… he knew what he wanted to do. But could he do it? Had he come that far?
“Ophelia…” He choked out, his hand slowly lifting to her face. “I…” Thoughts of this past week flashed through his mind’s eyes, confirming that this was right. He had not wanted it. He had not sought it. But it was happening… and it was time that Adrian accepted it.
“Yes?” she asked, still looking into his eyes.
He licked his lips. His hand reached for her face. His fingers brushed her skin, about to take hold and pull her forward when –