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Tears leaked from my eyes, and I laughed as he gently wiped them away. “Oh, Farrow. We’re going to make it through all this craziness so we can find our happily ever after. I just know we are.”
With a nod, he said, “For once, I have every faith you’re right, princess.”
33
Farrow
I woke to the caw of birds outside the window and nearby waves walloping the shoreline.
With a contented groan, I stretched my arms over my head and glanced at Nicolette sleeping beside me. A smile stretched across my lips. I liked sleeping in a bed with her. My fingers coasted over her hair, careful not to disturb her. She looked so young and innocent in rest.
Wanting to keep it that way, I eased off the mattress and found my clothes piled on the floor where I’d dropped them last night.
Once dressed, I padded barefoot to the door and opened it quietly, peeking into the front room.
If I was lucky, no one else would be awake yet. I could sneak back to my bedroll without Bison or Indigo realizing I’d been with Nicolette at all last night.
From the table, however, both Indigo and Bison turned from where they’d been sitting and talking, and they each gave me a severe once-over.
Dammit. Busted.
The High Clifter scowled irritably, his eyes bleary with signs of sleeplessness. But the earthling grinned broadly.
“Sleep well?” Bison asked, cocking up a teasing eyebrow.
Cursing under my breath, I stepped into the room and shut the door behind me. Then I cleared my throat discreetly and sent them a stiff smile. “Quite soundly, thank you.”
“Well, thank God someone in this fucking cottage did,” Indy complained. “After the way Nicolette screamed down the house, I’m surprised anyone could rest.”
I paused, sending him an astonished glance for so indelicately mentioning her cries of pleasure.
“Just ignore him.” Chuckling, Bison slugged his friend on the arm with the back of his hand as he told me, “He’s just sour because you got nookie last night, and he didn’t.”
“Well, it’s not bloody fair,” Indigo groused. “I’ve been nothing but a good, honest soldier, and I haven’t had a woman in nigh on a year now. But you…” He motioned vaguely toward me. “You betray your lady repeatedly for days, and she lets you right back into her bed within a week? I told her…” He shook a finger warningly at me. “I said she should wait at least a moon cycle before forgiving you. But did she listen to her best friend? No. Of course not. Why would she do that?”
“Because that was terrible advice,” I countered, pulling out a chair and sitting with the men so I could reach for a bowl of fruit that had been cut for breakfast. “Thank God she didn’t listen to you. I would’ve expired if I had to wait that long.”
When Bison threw his head back and belly laughed, Indigo glowered his way. “And just why are you so chipper? You had to go without and listen to others have all the fun most of the night, too.”
“Sure,” Bison agreed. “But I’ve been satisfied more recently than you have. A couple village girls up the shoreline visit me weekly.” He slapped Indy’s arm again. “Sounds like you need to get yourself laid, Indiana. You’re wound up tighter than a virgin’s anus.”
Indigo sent him a dry, unimpressed sniff. “Thank you for that very obvious reflection, you arse. But it doesn’t change the fact that I got no damn sleep last night.”
When he sent me an accusing glower, I could only shrug. “I had little time for actual sleep either,” I said. “But I’m not complaining.”
When Bison burst out cackling again, the sudden caw of a bird echoed from just outside the window.
Surprised by the interruption, all three of us turned that way to find a messenger raven landing on the open windowsill, pecking at the fluttering curtain before it cawed again and stepped into view.
“More news?” Bison said, sounding curious as he pushed to his feet. “Jesus, you three sure caused a stir when you stormed Blayton yesterday, didn’t you?”
He strode to the bird, frowning and muttering under his breath as he worked to unfasten the small spool of parchment attached to its leg.
Just as he finished, he blistered the air with a ripe curse. “Oh, hell, man. No! Don’t take a dump on my window ledge, you rude little fucker. Scat! Shoo! Get outta here.”
He swiped an aggravated hand at the raven, and it cawed in outrage, flapping its wings before flying off. “Fucking great, man. I really miss phones, and televisions, and blessed broadband internet for my source of information. There was a hell of a lot less bird shit that way.”
“Sounds like something you should invent here,” Indigo answered.
