“I have finally convinced them to simply plate the food in the kitchen, instead of bringing each dish up here separately,” Trent explained.“But you are always welcome to more of anything.”
She nodded.“Thank you.It looks delicious.”Venison wasn’t usually her favorite, but the cook had done something to make even that palatable, and the potatoes and green beans were delicious.
Trent was good with Maggie, laughing and teasing her, but also keeping her focused enough to eat her meal.His gaze frequently looked across the table to check on Samantha.
In her experience, men only ever leered.The last time she’d been foolish enough to believe she could actually share a meal with a man, he’d ordered her onto her knees before she’d even taken a bite.She could still hear his gravelly voice.‘I have a better meal for you under the table.’She closed her eyes, pushing the memory back down.
“Mantha.”
Maggie’s voice pulled her out of her hellish thoughts.She forced her lips up into a smile.
“Will you come to my room for story time tonight?”Maggie’s eyes were wide and hopeful.Was that something that was even allowed?She looked to Trent, and he gave her an encouraging nod.
“I’d like that.”Tears welled in her eyes, and she tried so hard to keep them from falling.Something about being invited to participate in an innocent, wholesome thing, made a chaotic jumble of emotions swell inside of her.It was hard to believe herself deserving, as if the stain of her past would somehow leach into everything around her, sullying anything pure.
Trent helped Maggie down from her chair.“Go with Mrs.Baird and get changed.I’ll be up shortly.”
As soon as the young girl was out of the room, Samantha lost her battle and tears flowed down her cheeks.
Trent pulled the chair out beside her and sat down.Once again, he held out a hand but didn’t force his touch on her.He simply offered it.She placed hers on top and he squeezed it gently, rubbing his thumb over the back.Even through the glove, his warmth was comforting.
“I’m sorry, Trent.I’m not usually such a watering pot.I don’t really even know why I’m crying.”
He looked down at their hands for a moment.“You know, sometimes I still struggle with feeling unworthy.Unworthy of living in this—” He paused and looked around the room.“This grand house.Unworthy of being Ash’s brother.Unworthy of his support.And yet, he gives it anyway.And here I am, in this house.”
He let out a long sigh and squeezed her hand again.“All that to say, these feelings you have, they’re there.”He shrugged.“You don’t have to earn some kind of special approval to make them acceptable.You are already allowed to feel them.Already allowed to express them in any way you need to and as much as you need to.”
Tears started down her face again, but she nodded and squeezed his hand in return.She wiped them away before looking into his eyes.“If it’s any consolation, I think you must be worthy.”
He lifted her hand toward his lips as if he was going to press a kiss to it, but then quickly put it back down.“Why don’t I carry you upstairs so you can get changed and join us for a bedtime story?”
* * *
After closing the door to Samantha’s room, Trent had a sudden realization.He’d just left her to change into her nightgown for story time.He hadn’t even considered the possible implications.He sighed as he walked into his own room.He really was a naive fool sometimes.Not only was she going to be in her nightgown, but now he needed to be in his pajamas too, or she’d feel awkward.
He cursed himself as he stepped out of his trousers.Her first night here and they were to spend it together in their nightclothes.How had he let this happen?
She hadn’t seemed appalled, but Ash would be bloody furious.Not to mention her brother.He was a trained assassin, for God’s sake.And if Ash thought him dangerous, he was not a man to be trifled with.Trent groaned as he finished buttoning his pajama top.At the rate he was going, he’d be lucky to make it out of this alive.
At the time, Trent hadn’t thought anything of Ash's warning.It was such a ridiculous notion that he might cross any lines or do anything inappropriate, he hadn’t given it a moment’s thought.Yet here he was, in his pajamas, like a bloody idiot, about to go and carry her through the house in her nightgown.Not to mention, he’d very nearly kissed her hand.
What in God’s name had come over him?
He stopped outside her door with a sigh.She’d shown him genuine kindness.Pure, unfeigned, kindness.His heart’s reaction to it surprised him, even now.I think you must be worthy.That’s what had come over him.
Shaking his head to clear it, he knocked on her door.
“Come.”
He opened the door slowly, terrified she might still be changing, but thankfully, she wasn’t.She sat on the edge of her bed, her wrapper covering her all the way from her neck, down to her wrists and ankles.Slippers even covered her feet.Thank God for that, at least.
“Are you ready for your personal chariot?”
The soft laughter that spilled from her lips was lovely.It warmed his heart, and somehow, his soul as well.He smiled as he crossed to the bed.He waited for her nod of approval before lifting her into his arms.It was important to him that she knew she had a choice in all of this.
“I feel utterly spoiled,” she said as he carried her into the hall.“I might just have to drag out the healing process so I can take full advantage of your chivalry.”She gave him a teasing smile, and he couldn’t help but laugh.Something had changed in her, sitting out there with Brennan.He wasn’t sure what the man had said or done, but from that moment, her fear had been so much less.
Samantha’s presence also seemed to soothe Maggie.He only had to read two stories tonight, and she fell fast asleep before he even reached the end of the second.Quietly, he carried Samantha from the room, and back to her own, settling her on the edge of the bed.
