Chapter 11

I pull him to me but he pushes against my chest, hands strong, holding me back. “David,” I sigh. “Please.”

“Not here,” he says again, looking around as if someone might see us, but there’s no one at all. Breaking away from me, he steps back. “I had hoped…”

“Hoped what?” I still hold onto his wrist and I want him close to me again so I move toward him.

He steps back, off the grass and onto the cobblestones, and I follow.

“Maybe?” he asks, and I nod to show I’m listening. “If there’s no one waiting for you at home—”

“There isn’t.” My heart thuds against my ribs and I hope he’s going to ask me what I want him to ask. I hope he wants the same thing I want. I can see in his eyes he does and I hope I’m right.

He takes a deep breath. “Then maybe you’d like to…I’ve never asked someone this before, you’ll have to forgive me, but maybe you’d want to…”

He falters and I squeeze his wrist, encouraging.