Fall in Love with Him at First Sight

But I still felt it wasn't enough.

As dusk fell, I crept up to Joshua's door and poked a tiny hole in the paper window to sneak a peek.

Joshua was inside, his back to me, his hair draped across his chest. He was slowly peeling off his robe to reveal a broad back, apparently getting ready for a bath.

I found myself swallowing hard.

Just as he was about to drop his underwear, I heard footsteps behind me.

Panicked, I pushed open the door and slipped into Joshua's room.

Our eyes met, and we froze in silence.

Startled, Joshua clumsily tried to cover up, his hands darting back and forth.

Lucky me, it was the perfect moment. I lunged at Joshua, grabbing his waist and crying my eyes out.

Joshua stood there with his arms out, unsure what to do next.

Watching me struggle for breath between sobs, he let out a deep sigh and started to pat my back to help me catch my breath. "What happened?"

With my face buried in his chest, I whimpered, "Someone broke into my room, trying to... you know."

Joshua gasped, "What? That happened?"

I nodded furiously, my cries growing louder as I clung to his waist. "Mr. Quincy, I'm so frightened. Can I stay in your room?"

"Miss Stewart, that's not appropriate," Joshua said, his body tense, his voice strained. "If people found out, it would ruin your reputation."

"But..." I looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, gripping his hands tighter. "I'm still sick. I barely escaped today. Who knows if I'd be so lucky next time."

My fingernails gently traced his skin, causing him to shiver slightly. "You wouldn't want to find me dead next time, would you, Mr. Quincy?"

So, I ended up moving into Joshua's room.

I took the bed, and Joshua made do with the floor.

At night, I used a spell to shift Joshua up onto the bed.

When Joshua woke up the next morning, the first thing he saw was my face.

I opened my eyes slowly and caught his bewildered look.

He scrambled off the bed and checked that his clothes were in place, breathing a sigh of relief. Stammering, he said, "Miss... Miss Stewart, I... I have no idea how I ended up on the bed. I..."

When I didn't react, Joshua got flustered. He held up his right hand and swore, "Miss Stewart, I swear I didn't think anything inappropriate."

I nodded slightly. "Don't worry, I believe you. It was just too cold last night."

Joshua wasn't expecting that answer. He might have been ready to take responsibility. He hesitated, then asked, "Miss Stewart, why do you trust me so much?"

He had asked me this once before.

My response was the same as before. "Because you're a gentleman."

Then I got up, grabbed a basin, and left the room.

Left alone, Joshua sat on the bed in a daze. His ears turned red, and he yanked a blanket over his face. He cursed himself silently, murmuring, "I'm no gentleman."

With Joshua taking care of me, my "illness" cleared up quickly.

We prepared to continue on to Landon.

Checking out of the inn, the innkeeper's suggestive glances bounced between Joshua and me. Pulling me aside just before we left, she advised earnestly, "Miss, keep an eye on your man. He's quite the catch, and you don't want anyone stealing him away."

I turned back to see Joshua, catching his warm gaze.

Then, with a chuckle, I grabbed Joshua's arm. "Of course, I will."