She washed quickly at the basin, nerves prickling as she removed her outer layers. When she turned, he had already stripped down to his sark, his broad shoulders relaxed but his gaze carefully averted.
The restraint was worse than any boldness.
She knelt on the pallet, heart racing as he lay down and turned to face her.
“Strange,” he murmured. “We’ve been married for weeks, and this is our first night under the same roof.”
“That is through no fault of mine,” she replied, unable to keep the bite from her voice.
His mouth curved faintly.
Silence settled between them, heavy and expectant. Then he leaned in.
The kiss this time was slower, deeper, filled with something dangerously close to surrender. Her breath caught as his hand slid along her side, fingertips tracing the dip of her waist through the thin cotton of her petticoat. Heat pooled low in her belly, and she shifted closer instinctively.
She wanted more. He knew it. And still he held himself back.
She groaned softly in frustration when he pulled away again.
“You are impossible,” she whispered.
“Aye,” he said dryly. “So I have been told.”
She turned onto her side, facing him, her hand resting lightly against his chest. The steady beat of his heart grounded her even as disappointment curled low and sharp.
“Sleep,” he murmured, pulling her closer.
His arm wrapped around her waist, firm and protective. She lay there, listening to his breathing even out, feeling the warmth of him seep into her bones.
The fire crackled. Outside, the wind brushed the eaves. And her eyes closed.
A jarring brightness split the room. Birdsong cut sharply through her dreams.
Lilliana jerked awake, heart racing, disoriented by the sudden shift from darkness to morning light. For a moment, she did not know where she was, only that warmth pressed against her back and a heavy arm held her in place.
Memories flooded back all at once.
The kisses. The firelight. The closeness she had not dared imagine.
Her breath hitched.
Kayden slept behind her, chin resting near her shoulder, breath slow and even. The sight stirred conflicting emotions within her, comfort tangled with longing and a sudden, sharp panic.
They had slept together.
Not as strangers. Not as enemies. But as something she did not yet understand.
Carefully, she tried to shift away, only for his arm to tighten around her waist. The movement sent a wave of heat through her that made her flush.
This is a terrible idea.
She slipped from the quilts at last, scrambling upright, the cool air shocking against her skin. For a moment, she simply stood there, staring at the relaxed lines she rarely saw on his face.
He looked… younger. Less burdened.
The realization unsettled her more than anything else.
She turned quickly, dressing with hurried movements, unsure whether she wanted him to wake up or remain asleep forever.
