Being vexed, a sea

Jean's hands shivered uncontrollably as she held them, and the tinderbox clunked to the floorboards. Jean turned away from her as much as he could, looking at the tinderbox as if he once could make it burst into flames with his mind, but had mysteriously lost the power. Tears pricked his eyes as she spoke.

A week won't change anything, his voice crackled with restraint.

I- I'll never... he swallowed, trying to get a breath and daring a glance at Ophelia. The intense look she returned to him scared him and he tried to pull away, taken aback. Her hands were gentle, but Jean had never seen her look so earnest.

Please let me... I won't want them. I didn't know it would feel like this. He tried to cover some of the booktitles, moving his body to attempt to block them. Titles like 'Roman and Julia', 'Pride and Presumptuous', and 'Mauricio' were piled high, and it wouldn't he long before she figured it out if she saw.