Page 40 of Rose
She opened her eyes. At first her expression showed her discomfort, but then her features relaxed and softened. Slowly, a smile curved her lips, then widened until her reflection beamed back at them both.
“You are beautiful,” he said softly.
Through the mirror, she met his gaze. “Thank ye,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper.
“You needn’t thank me,” he said. “I owe you my life, Rose. Remember that.” Then he motioned to the full trenchers. “With this wind, the food will not stay warm for long.”
She pinched an apple between her fingers and popped it in her mouth, moaning softly while she chewed. “Delicious,” she said. Just then the wind grew even stronger. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the forceful breeze. “We are keeping an incredible pace.”
“Indeed, we are,” he said. “If the wind holds, we could be in Calais earlier than planned.”
She looked south where dark clouds marred the distant horizon and flashes of lightning brightened the sky. “Are ye concerned about that storm.”
He shook his head. “This wind will keep pushing those clouds south, ahead of us. We should enjoy a calm night, which means a restful sleep for everyone.”
Well, almost everyone.
He quickly forced his thoughts away from sleep. “More kippers?” he said, motioning to the trencher.
When they finished their mock wedding feast, they took several turns around the deck before Tristan was called away to organize the crew for the night. Before too long, the silvery moon rose in the sky. Rose stared up at the kindred orb, but she realized, at that moment, her own inner light had changed. It no longer flickered cold and austere. Now, she felt as though embers glowed warm inside her heart.
“We should probably turn in for the night,” Tristan said, coming up to stand beside her.
Her hands gripped the railing at the mention of sleep. Nay, she was neither cool like the moon nor warm like smoldering embers.
Desire burned inside her with the heat of a thousand suns.
