to my face. I’d been thinking about sleeping with Calvin more than I should have been, considering the danger we were in, and I had finally made up my mind. What was the point of waiting when I wanted to be with him? We were already married in the eyes of Energo, and if finally sleeping together could potentially help us find the scroll, then holding back was definitely a mistake.
“Are you okay, Charlotte?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” He led me to the stairs.
***
“There are three rooms, so whoever comes off watch will take the room of the man relieving him.” Liam tossed his stuff down in the hall on the second floor of the inn.
The two-story building had only three guest rooms. The majority of the first floor was taken up with a large bar. Back home, we probably would have called it a tavern.
“That will not be necessary. You and Henry will each have your own.” Calvin took both of our packs into the room farthest from the others.
Liam glanced at Calvin. “What? You don’t think Charlotte is safe in her own room?”
Calvin looked slightly uncomfortable. “That is not it at all. We will be spending our nights together from now on.”
“Is that okay with you, Char? You don’t have to, you know. I don’t care what united BS he throws at you, you don’t owe him anything.” Liam’s eyes implored me to walk away.
“I know I don’t owe him anything! I want to share a room with Calvin.” I tried to hide how flustered Liam made me, but I was way past embarrassed.
“Can I talk to you, Charlotte?” Liam shifted uncomfortably.
“For a second.” I headed down the stairs, knowing he would follow.
“Don’t do something stupid. Just because we’re in Energo doesn’t mean you have to follow their rules. Be yourself.”
“I’m not doing anything to follow rules. I want to share a room with Calvin.” I refused to look at Liam’s face. I didn’t want to see his expression. Instead, I walked back up the stairs. I could feel Liam right behind me. I stopped at Calvin’s side and put my hand in his.
“So… I’m going to take first watch.” Henry started to walk down the stairs.
“No. I’m taking it.” Liam looked at me in a way that got me right in the heart. His expression was equal parts hurt and anger. Neither felt good.
I struggled to swallow before walking into the room Calvin had selected for us. I took a few steps into the dark room, the only light coming from the lantern Calvin held, and a tiny bit of moonlight slipping in between the curtains.
“Ah, goodnight,” Henry said to our backs.
Calvin shut the door behind us. “I can speak with him if you would like. He should not talk so freely with you.”
“No. It’s okay.” The thought of Calvin confronting Liam scared me. It was bad enough we were all traveling together.
Calvin placed the candle on a small nightstand beside the double bed. It was going to be a snug fit considering Calvin’s size, but I didn’t mind. I wanted to be close to him.
He pulled me into his arms. “I have waited so long for this.”
“Me too.” I had, although I’d been a nervous wreck about it. We’d spent nights next to each other together, but definitely not with the intent of doing what I knew was about to happen. I knew unequivocally that my virgin status was about to come to an end. I had no doubts, and it wasn’t because of the message from Ruth. Calvin and I had been denying the urge, but the natural pull was too strong to ignore any longer.
He put a hand under my chin and lifted my face. “I love you, Charlotte.”
I let out a deep breath. “I love you.” Even though I knew I wanted to be with him, I couldn’t avoid the nerves.
He pulled off his shirt, tossing it onto a chair next to the bed. I reached out to touch his muscular chest. I was still amazed at how strong he was. Years spent working on his
“Are you okay, Charlotte?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” He led me to the stairs.
***
“There are three rooms, so whoever comes off watch will take the room of the man relieving him.” Liam tossed his stuff down in the hall on the second floor of the inn.
The two-story building had only three guest rooms. The majority of the first floor was taken up with a large bar. Back home, we probably would have called it a tavern.
“That will not be necessary. You and Henry will each have your own.” Calvin took both of our packs into the room farthest from the others.
Liam glanced at Calvin. “What? You don’t think Charlotte is safe in her own room?”
Calvin looked slightly uncomfortable. “That is not it at all. We will be spending our nights together from now on.”
“Is that okay with you, Char? You don’t have to, you know. I don’t care what united BS he throws at you, you don’t owe him anything.” Liam’s eyes implored me to walk away.
“I know I don’t owe him anything! I want to share a room with Calvin.” I tried to hide how flustered Liam made me, but I was way past embarrassed.
“Can I talk to you, Charlotte?” Liam shifted uncomfortably.
“For a second.” I headed down the stairs, knowing he would follow.
“Don’t do something stupid. Just because we’re in Energo doesn’t mean you have to follow their rules. Be yourself.”
“I’m not doing anything to follow rules. I want to share a room with Calvin.” I refused to look at Liam’s face. I didn’t want to see his expression. Instead, I walked back up the stairs. I could feel Liam right behind me. I stopped at Calvin’s side and put my hand in his.
“So… I’m going to take first watch.” Henry started to walk down the stairs.
“No. I’m taking it.” Liam looked at me in a way that got me right in the heart. His expression was equal parts hurt and anger. Neither felt good.
I struggled to swallow before walking into the room Calvin had selected for us. I took a few steps into the dark room, the only light coming from the lantern Calvin held, and a tiny bit of moonlight slipping in between the curtains.
“Ah, goodnight,” Henry said to our backs.
Calvin shut the door behind us. “I can speak with him if you would like. He should not talk so freely with you.”
“No. It’s okay.” The thought of Calvin confronting Liam scared me. It was bad enough we were all traveling together.
Calvin placed the candle on a small nightstand beside the double bed. It was going to be a snug fit considering Calvin’s size, but I didn’t mind. I wanted to be close to him.
He pulled me into his arms. “I have waited so long for this.”
“Me too.” I had, although I’d been a nervous wreck about it. We’d spent nights next to each other together, but definitely not with the intent of doing what I knew was about to happen. I knew unequivocally that my virgin status was about to come to an end. I had no doubts, and it wasn’t because of the message from Ruth. Calvin and I had been denying the urge, but the natural pull was too strong to ignore any longer.
He put a hand under my chin and lifted my face. “I love you, Charlotte.”
I let out a deep breath. “I love you.” Even though I knew I wanted to be with him, I couldn’t avoid the nerves.
He pulled off his shirt, tossing it onto a chair next to the bed. I reached out to touch his muscular chest. I was still amazed at how strong he was. Years spent working on his
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