Hopefully.
When he no longer heard her footsteps, he knocked lightly on the door.
“Come in,” she said, and he entered, closing the door softly behind him.
She was tucked under the blanket, turned to one side of the room, her burnished red hair fanned out on the pillowbehind her. Jonny gave her his back, removing his shirt and unfastening his trousers, although he didn’t remove them entirely, instead leaving just his boots and socks beside the bed.
He blew out the candles, lifted back the covers, and slipped between them, turning toward Ada, not saying anything, but waiting to see what she needed, what she wanted.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, even in the dim light of the moon that shone through his uncovered window.
Her long neck sloped down to her beautiful shoulder, mostly uncovered as he realized she must be sleeping in her shift. The thought forced him to close his eyes, trying to think of something else, so that he could be here for her without wanting anything more than she was likely in the frame of mind to give.
It was only then that he realized her shoulder was shaking slightly.
“Ada?” he said in a low voice, breaking through the quiet. “Are you cold?”
“No,” she said, her voice trembling as much as her body.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just…” She finally turned around, facing him, her long lashes floating down over her freckled cheeks. “Today could have gone so differently. Now that it’s finished, I am realizing just how close I was to losing any choice in my future. And if you hadn’t come…”
Then she could be with Sharpe right now, a man with no scruples and no care for anyone – man, woman, or child.
“I know,” he said softly, reaching out, his arm wrapping around her shoulder, bringing her in close. “I know. But I did come, and you’re here now. Safe.”
She took his invitation and wrapped her arms around him, burrowing her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. He slipped an arm beneath her, holding her tightly,offering his bicep as her pillow. He stroked her back, felt the first tear drop on his skin, taking it, letting her feel what she needed to feel.
“You’re here now, luv. You’re fine. You’re safe,” he murmured, over and over, hoping that, eventually, she would believe it. When she pressed the entire front of her body against him, he responded, shifting his hips back so that she wouldn’t feel what she was doing to him.
“Jonny,” she said, lifting her eyes to him, “we can?—”
“No,” he said swiftly. “Absolutely not. Tonight, we are just here. Together. The rest can come later.” He paused. “Parts of my body just have a mind of their own when it comes to you,” he muttered, and she laughed softly.
“Tell me something about you,” she said, leaning her head back against his arms, her beautiful blue-green eyes staring up at him. He didn’t like to share much about his past, his life, or his family, but he also wanted to keep her from crying again, and when she looked at him like that, she could ask him nearly anything she’d like. He would share with her. But only her.
“I never meant to become a football player,” he offered.
“You didn’t?”
“No,” he shook his head. “I boxed to get my mind off everything, to take out all my frustration. Still do. One of my sparring partners played football and he had me come out for a match. He played for the Athletics, and we faced Manchester Central in an exhibition game. They didn’t have enough players, so they asked me to come on their team as we had an extra.”
“And then you never left?”
“Nope,” he said with a smile. “It seemed like I had found my best fit. They needed a half-back, and I fit the position well.”
“It was meant to be,” she said. “Did you play as a child?”
“I did. Will was more interested in it, but I always wentwith him to keep my eye on him. Seems I wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
“Of course you weren’t. I have a feeling that you’re good at anything you put your mind to.”
“I try,” he said, staring down at her. He could hold her in his arms forever.
“Tell me something about you.”
“Let’s see. I loved fairy tales as a child,” she said, looking down for a moment. “I always dreamed that someday, a handsome prince would come rescue me from the plans my parents had made for me and the villains — in my mind — who came after my family.”
