But for the time being… Ragnar held out his hand in the space between them. Not saying anything. Just offering.
She looked at it—at his scarred knuckles and then she reached out and placed her smaller hand in his. Her palm was warm and there were tiny calluses on her fingertips he hadn’t expected—from needlework, maybe. Small details he’d never noticed before and probably never would have if they hadn’t ended up there, in the darkness, choosing to reach for each other. He curled his fingers around hers, thumb finding that spot on her knuckles.
She exhaled softly—not quite a sigh, but close. “This is strange,” she whispered.
“Aye.”
“But nae... bad?”
“Nay, it feels right, somehow.” They lay there, hands clasped, neither speaking. Her breathing gradually evened out, deepened. The tension in her fingers loosened as sleep pulled at her.
Ragnar stayed awake, staring at the ceiling beams while his thumb traced slow circles against her skin.
Tomorrow would bring its own troubles.
But for the meantime, holding his wife’s hand in the darkness while she slept, Ragnar let himself stop worrying about what came next.
Sometimesthe only choice that mattered is the one ye make right now.
And right now, he chose this—her—above anything and anyone else.
