Maudlina laughed softly - a warm, throaty sound that sent another jolt straight through him. She didn't step away. If anything, she leaned in a fraction more, close enough that her sleeve brushed his arm.
"Ideas are fine, Jake. As long as they don't interfere with the plan. Ankerita's right about one thing - you are the trump card. But even trump cards need the right moment to be played."
Her eyes held his, full of teasing heat.
"When the time comes… when someone finally tells you to stop holding back… I wonder how much you'll have saved up. I've seen what happens when young men like you finally let go. It can be quite… overwhelming. For everyone involved."
Jake swallowed, the playful banter making his blood run hotter.
He could see it in her face—the flush, the way her eyes had darkened, the slight shift in her stance that spoke of awareness, of wanting.
She felt it too.
