At first she expected him to look at her with pity, but instead, Silas merely smiled. Reaching across the short distance, he took her hand in his, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. “Listen very carefully, sweet Ivy,” he murmured, seducing her closer and closer with each word. “I do not ‘gawk’ at anyone. When I look at someone, it’s because I want to. Because I’m enjoying what I see.” His grip tightened, forcing every molecule in her body to focus on him. This time, when her cheeks burned, it wasn’t from embarrassment. “Never think for a second that I’m shaming you,” Silas continued. “And
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