Her heart.

Winlay gazed at the closed door for several seconds without even realizing how clear her feelings for Adam were. Mika moved to her side and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Go talk to him, Winlay." Mika told her with a gentle push towards the door. "Believe me, he is as intrigued by you as you are by him." Any thoughts Winlay might have had of denial were washed away by a surge of hope.

"Really? I thought he and you..." Mika laughed. "No, not that way. In fact until now, Adam took his vows seriously. Far more seriously than most Templars, but he hasn't taken his eyes off of you since you met." She gently pushed Winlay again "All I'm saying is that you two are going to have to talk about your feelings, because I for one can't take the tension when the two of you are together."

With those last words Winlay let herself be pushed out the door into the hallway. The door to the boiler room was open, and she could just see Adam moving around inside. A deep breath made her breasts rise and press against the cotton strip of cloth that bound them modestly. Suddenly the wrapping felt uncomfortable, and Winlay pushed away the thought of removing the covering so her round breasts could move freely under her shirt. It was bad enough that she had to talk to him wearing just a loose shirt, if she took off her underwear too what kind of message would she be sending?

Winlay slipped quietly into the boiler room and saw Adam standing silently in the lower section of the far side of the room watching the pair of great metal containers where the steam was produced. Winlay quietly approached Adam and wondered what he was thinking. Was he as confused as she was? The heat from the containers radiated outward like a sauna from their smooth sides past the fence erected to keep careless hands from getting too close. Suddenly Adam whirled around, his sword was halfway drawn before he recognized her slender figure.

"Oh" He said quietly as he slid the bright blade back into the sheath. "Sorry, I guess I'm a little wound up." Winlay stepped closer to him and touched him gently on his forearm. She could feel sweat trickling down her neck into the valley between her breasts and wondered if it was the heat from the boilers or Adam that caused her to feel this weak.

"Like those boilers," she said finding it easier to look at them than at Adam. "Do you think they really could destroy the convent if the pressure became too much?"

"I don't know." Admitted Adam. "I don't have much experience with this kind of situation. But if the pressure keeps building with no way to release it, there could be an explosion." Winlay wondered if Adam was still talking about the boilers or if he had changed the topic.

"I think you're right." Her voice was just barely a whisper, but Adam understood. He put his heavy hands gently on her slight shoulders turning her to face him. Winlay trembled as his thumbs rubbed the bare skin of her collarbone, sending waves of heat down her torso to her loins. Without even thinking about the consequences she took a half step closer and placed her palm on his chest where the linen shirt stretched open.

"What can we do about it?" Adam asked again, somehow his lips were just centimeters from hers; so close that the breath from his words caressed her lips.

"We have to try something." Her words were almost a moan as she lifted her lips to meet Adam's. One of his arms swept around her back lifting her to meet the demand of his lips. The kiss was much more intense than the few awkward embraces Winlay had experienced back home, and certainly more insistant than the gentle kiss she shared with Mika. Her lips opened to his in an invitation and Adam didn't hesitate to take advantage of her welcome. The feel and taste of his tongue exploring her soft mouth satisfied some of her hunger, but she wanted, no needed, still more from Adam. She pressed her soft body against his, feeling the muscles of his chest against her bosom, and the hardness of his thigh as her legs wrapped around his. Winlay whimpered with a need that she could not hope to articulate, but Adam understood her desire.

It seemed that Adam could not get enough of her either, the hand that had rested at the base of her throat moved lower sliding under the shirt and gently exploring the soft skin in the valley between her breasts. It was wrong, Winlay knew that espescially after all that had happened today, but she just didn't care. Each kiss and touch made Winlay yearn for more; her hands lifted Adam's shirt and slipped under the damp material to press against the bare skin of his chest. So far, Adam's caresses were only stoking the fire she felt within and Winlay wondered just how much of him she'd need to find the release they had spoken about.

And how much of her would Adam demand? The hand on her back had found the hem of her shirt and she could feel Adam's fingers rising higher and higher on her thigh. His leg was thrust between hers and pressed against her mound where no man had ventured before. She was innocent, but not ignorant; Winlay knew what men wanted from maids.

Could she surrender herself to satisfy Adam's needs?