Page 75 of Brage & Dinah

He held her face against his chest. She buried herself in his beard, the size of him.

"You promised you wouldn't leave." His gravelly voice washed through her.

"Would you have missed me?" she asked against his chest.

He tilted her face up. His high cheekbones, heavy brow etched in frustration accented the pain in his blue eyes. "I miss you when your hands aren't on me. Hell, babe, I miss you when your thoughts drift away from me."

She shook her head. "That's impossible because I'm always thinking about you."

"Dinah..." He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "This is more than I planned."

She nodded. "I know."

"Don't walk away from me," he whispered.

He gave her no promises, no timeline for how long he wanted her, and no guarantees. His words were honest and heartfelt. That was good enough for her. It was all she needed in her life at the moment.

"I won't." She spread her fingers out on his chest.

A train whistle blasted the air around them. She jerked her gaze down the track. An engine came barreling in their direction.

Brage swooped her up into his arms. She wrapped herself around his neck. His gesture to carry her out of harm's way came as no surprise. He really was perfect.

---