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“David,” she murmured as he laid them down next to the fire. He wrapped his arms around her, so perhaps, in sleep, their bodies could continue to be as they should.
He kissed the top of her head. “Love you,” she whispered, her expression dreamy. David started. Had he heard right? He opened his mouth, about to inquire further, but adorable, small snorts sounded from her nose.
Asleep.
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who murmured in his dreams. He kissed her head again. “I love you too,” he whispered. “Whether you mean it or not. And even if you shouldn’t.” He yawned and soon, he was also asleep, his body still.
Chapter Twenty
The sun peeked through the crevices in between the branches and leaves of their makeshift door. David nudged Amalia, stroking the smooth skin on her back. She rolled towards him and stretched her arms over her head.
Lord, those marble statutes on buildings paled in comparison to her. She placed her hands behind her head like a pillow and blinked sleepy eyes in his direction.
“Good morning.” A foolish thing to say, but what else was there?
“What time is it?” She yawned, before running a hand down her bare chest, his jacket slipping lower and lower. He was awake now. Every part of him.
David glanced at his pocket watch and sighed. “Time for us to get moving.”
“Ugh.” Amalia covered her eyes. “Does it sound terribly wicked and improper if I say that I really don’t want to put back on my gown? Or more, any of my undergarments?”
His mind froze. Images of her tramping through the woods. Nude. Like Eve in the garden.
If only.
Modernity certainly had its drawbacks.
“Your father and brother would drive a railway spike through my head,” he managed to say.
“They take the amusement out of everything.” She rose and slipped on the jacket like a robe before plucking her own garments from the floor. “And Thad most certainly would find a more creative way to do it.”
“More creative?” His mind went
blank for a full minute as the tail of his discarded coat rose up her backside. The bustle had nothing on reality.
“Like slitting your throat and hanging you upside down while you bleed to death.” She pulled her hair to the side and backed towards him before sliding the garments down her back. “Like a cow.” She held her corset against her body. “Lace me.”
Oy, she was going to be the death of him. He’d have to bend at such an awkward angle so not to brush against her because they needed to leave before they both died of heatstroke, not do everything his body craved. Several ways.
As carefully as he could, he threaded and tugged, without breathing.
“You’re getting good at this.” Amalia bent forward again. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for a camera, even if it’d take forever and there was no light.
She handed him her dress and too soon, almost all her flesh was covered.
“Same one as yesterday?” He raised a brow.
“Don’t tell anyone.” She dropped her voice. “I’ll never live it down.”
A warmth tickled his belly. Once she was saved and he was promoted, he’d do everything in his power to convince her a repeat performance was the best course of action. Every day.
For as long as she’d have him.
“Don’t you have another inside your magic bag of tricks?” He turned away, hiding his face and every emotion that was surely written there.
Amalia laughed. “Of course I do, but I have high hopes that we catch a train today. I’ll change then.”
“From your lips to god’s ears.” He scanned the horizon to calculate east. At least it was clear.
