Page 14 of Secluded with the Rogue

Thirteen

C alista couldn’t believe it when she woke to silence. Actual silence. The wind had died entirely.

She lifted her head from where it had been resting on Ezra’s chest, right over his heartbeat.

“Good morning, Damsel.” Tilting her head she saw he was watching her, one hand running through her curls.

Calista thought she might have felt shy or unsettled waking up after how intimate they’d been last night. But all she could feel was happiness. The type of contentment that came with knowing her heart had found its home.

But it wasn’t a home. It was temporary. She’d known that from the start so she had no right to feel so sad about that right now. “The wind stopped,” she said in lieu of something clever.

“Yes, it stopped quite a while ago,” he said softly. “The snow too, by the looks of it. It seems the storm is over.”

She should be relieved but all Calista felt at his words was an unspeakable sadness.

“It’s over?” she asked quietly, with so much meaning behind the simple words.

Ezra studied her face intently for a spell before tilting her chin further and claiming a kiss. “The storm is over,” he answered cryptically. “The storm.”

She badly wanted to ask him if there was a hidden meaning to his words or if it was merely wishful thinking on her part but she was too scared of the answer.

“At least Marianne will get to have her ball, I suppose,” she said casually, but all she could think was that same ball would seal her fate and take her from Ezra for good.

“Well, I for one am looking forward to the ball.”

She sat up fully so she could stare at him. “You are?”

“I am.”

“But – but you hate balls. You were dreading it.”

“I was. And now I’m not. I’m rather looking forward to seeing you bedecked in all your finery. I’ll be demanded at least two dances, of course. A waltz if I can convince Marianne to have one. And I’ll definitely be trying to sneak a kiss behind a potted plant. After all, hiding behind plants is where we first met, isn’t it?”

Calista was lost for words. He was chatting away happily about the ball at which her father would choose her a husband. How could he be so callous? She wasn’t expecting him to be weeping over losing her but the joviality? Frankly, it stung a little.

Still, she’d brought this on herself. She’d said to him that she expected nothing more than what they’d shared. And she couldn’t very well go back on her word now.

“Um, I suppose I’ll go and wash up,” she said. “And perhaps you might see how bad the snow is?”

“I’ll see to it soon,” he said. “But there’s something rather vital I need to do first.”

“Oh, what’s that?” she asked, wanting to escape to the water closest so she could sort through the maelstrom of her emotions.

“This,” he answered, clasping the back of her neck and pulling her mouth to his in a drugging kiss.

All worries and concerns about returning home melted away under his ministrations and Calista decided there would be plenty of time to worry about her emotions later.

S everal hours later, Ezra stood outside the cabin and breathed a sigh of relief. The storm had well and truly left. The sky was completely clear, with not one flake falling from it.

She’d be all right. They wouldn’t be stuck here with no food, and no water. She wouldn’t fall ill with no access to help. All the worries that had been niggling at the back of his head while he’d put a brave face on for Calista were gone.

The snow was knee-high for him and would be deeper still for Calista but at least they’d be able to see in front of them and he didn’t care, in any case. He’d carry her all the way home if necessary.

Hell, he’d be tempted to carry her anyway and enjoy every second of having her in his arms. Soon, they’d be back amongst the civilized and he’d have to keep his hands off her. Something that would be a particular type of torture.

He would, of course, be taking every opportunity to steal moments with her but it wouldn’t be the same.

Still, he could be patient. He wasn’t exactly a patient man but just like everything else in his life, she was changing him. In just a few days Marianne would have her ball and Ezra would have everything he’d ever wanted.

A laugh escaped him when he remembered her face this morning while he’d talked of his grand plans. She’d looked confused, then crestfallen, and then, well then thoroughly satisfied as he’d intended.

And part of him was tempted to explain everything to her right there and then but he’d gotten a lot wrong with Calista. Namely bedding her when she was trapped in a hunting lodge in the middle of a storm with him. He wanted to get at least one thing right.

Another first, since he didn’t usually care about such things.

But she obviously didn’t understand how things were now. The moment she’d asked him to kiss her, she should have realized how it would be. He knew what that kiss would have meant to her, knew she wouldn’t have given herself to him so completely unless she cared. She’d said as much. Maybe not the words he wanted to hear from her but they’d do for now.

She was worried about returning, about her father coming and him announcing he’d chosen her a husband. And her naivety was rather adorable. Perhaps she’d underestimated his tenacity when it came to what he wanted. Perhaps she hadn’t guessed at the depth of his feelings.

But did she honestly think that he could let her go now? After what they shared? Impossible, as she would soon find out.

She came up beside him and his stomach twisted when he saw her hair pinned up, her cloak and bonnet in place, every inch the well put together lady that she was. But he knew now who she truly was beneath all that straight-laced modesty.

He offered her a reassuring smile before he set about tidying up the cabin and preparing their return.

Patience, he reminded himself. Soon things would be righted and he would have his damsel back. Hopefully for good.