Page 17 (1/2)

She went silent and collapsed against hi her with hi off his body, she put her head to his chest and smiled at his slow, steady heartbeat

"Daoing completely limp, his booted feet still on the floor and his undone breeches flung open

"Damn, yourself"

He flinched, and she nuzzled closer "Maybe I should just say ‘Wow’ and leave it at that"

"Wow, indeed"

He curled an ar her hair back froht not have resisted for so long," he said

"I hadhis chest "But I always like it when I’ht"

11

The afternoon passed with that sweet, slow discovery of things above the neck He liked poetry and read well, and she curled on the bed happily while he paced in breeches and boots and wooed her ords She found his violin case under the bed when she stubbed her toe and persuaded him to play a little for her It was slow and hs at the winter sky, just before the snow cairlhood, he unearthed that she had once sung opera, and clad in nothing but her skin, she sang a few rusty arias for hiratified her

He kept an eye on the clock, and she felt a twinge of sadness when he rose to prepare for the night’s show His breeches had been utterly ruined, and she watched appreciatively as he pulled off his boots and stockings to change into a new pair that fit just as well For all their leisurely and ti, she hadn’t seen his body fully exposed before then Jacinda lay back and watched hih his ht to life, all strong lines and ideal curves and ht dusting of dark hair Only the scars e of doubt Had she just slept with a iven her his body but not his truth Had he shared himself with Petra like thisbefore she disappeared?

"You going to couiltily Of course he wasn’t a erous he appeared, no matter what the carnivalleros whispered, noher in the mirror as he brushed his hair and tied on his bandanna, and her heart softened at the smile in his eyes She reluctantly stood and stepped into the petticoats puddled on the floor She’d been here for hours, naked and learning about the mysterious man she’d needed so badly to bed But now

"I’ve seen the show And I like the private show better I’ll be inher bare chest against his back and wrapping her arms around him He was about half a foot taller than she, and on tiptoes, her chin fit just over his shoulder with a possessive intimacy that made her feel warm all over

"You have your work, and I have irl who’s inco like a fool But I’ll be counting the ht and you’re knocking on my door"

That seemed to satisfy him, and he turned his head to kiss her cheek She went back to the pile of clothes, unlacing her corset so that it would fasten down the front again and then pulling the laces just enough for decency The skirt billowed over her head, and the jacket covered her ars, but the matched pair was ruined now, thanks to his clumsy knife throw

"That’s twice you’ve ray silk to show the bloodstained slice where his knife had found her ankle She’d totally forgotten about the wound, couldn’t even feel it anymore as she laced on her boots

"The first time was your fault You dropped the card"

"And the second time?"

He stepped close, fully costues of vulnerability replaced by the raer that had originally drawn her to hiainst her will "The second tiled his hand in her hair and pulled her close, kissing her hard and deep and re her how very easily he could make her insides quiver

"And look how nice it turned out"

"You sly dog I can’t believe you cut on I would have followed you in here willingly"

"Followed me? Girl, you broke in once already! But I wanted it onive you a reason to run, if you were looking for one Getting involved with o of things easily"