Inheritance

Part 2. Chapter 36: Numb

She had been visiting Rory every week like she promised him she would. During these visits, she would try to avoid bringing up Kline because it would always anger Rory and lead to him begging her to leave the town with him.

This time, however, she couldn't help but bring him up.

They had scaled a small, rocky mountain just outside of town. They enjoyed the cool breeze from up high as they gazed upon their little town down below.

The fresh scent of pollen was in Pollyanna's nose; she breathed it in deeply and then sneezed.

She gathered her thoughts and tried to tell Rory how she was feeling in a calm manner, but the words spilled out of her mouth hastily.

"I feel so confused, Rory. I shouldn't enjoy any part of being married to him. He buys me a few nice trinkets and clothes and suddenly I'm okay with being married to him; suddenly, I'm okay with the way he hits me and the bruises he's given me underneath my clothes..." Pollyanna lamented. She couldn't even muster any more tears at her situation; she had used them up in the past year.

Rory squeezed her hand affectionately. "Of course you can't help but feel a little affection for someone you've lived so long with. Don't blame yourself."

He was so kind. Even when she was speaking of her sick feelings for her cruel husband and master, he was kind to her and defended her feelings.

Pollyanna squeezed his hand tighter. She gave him a smile that was more than an ordinary smile—it was a beckoning smile.

Rory felt prompted to yanking on her hands and bringing her down to his eye-level.

Pollyanna couldn't look away—his brown eyes had her.

She could never quite fathom why the other girls didn't find him attractive; it was true that he was an imp, but it did nothing to detract from his beautiful smile, his wide and honest eyes, nor his curly black hair.

She ran a hand through his hair with a giggle. "Your hair is so soft!"

His sweet face scrunched up in a smile; he surprised her and shoved his lips against hers.

She didn't reject him as she thought she would; she kissed him back and had nearly no regrets about it. She giggled and pushed him down easily. She kissed him more and more aggressively--she realized she had taken thing too far when she found that her hands were trying to undress him and his were doing the same to her.

She wanted him to undress her...

Until she thought of how many times Kline had kissed and defiled her lips, and she could let his perfect ones be tainted by hers no longer.

She pulled away and looked down at her hands.

A soft breeze undercut the quiet moment as the two retreated into their sullen thought about their unfortunate situation.

"Why can't you let yourself kiss someone you really love?" Rory asked—hiding his face with a sniffle.

"My lips are unworthy."

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Pollyanna couldn't get that kiss out of her head.

Her head was hot with passion as she began walking back to the manor under a red sunset. She had parted ways with Rory once they reached the bottom of the mountain, but his kiss had not left her even after he did.

It was strange how his kisses could make her heart skip a beat—how they had the power to make her blush just by thinking of them—where Kline's made her feel used, dirty, and embarrassed. Sometimes, she would have a servant draw her a bath during the day when it felt like she couldn't wash his kisses off, and she would still feel dirty.