The Fairest Beauty

When the meal was over, the seven men began to disperse to their jobs. Dominyk said, “Siggy, you stay near the house and Heinric can come with me. I want you to watch the woods for any sign of” — he glanced at Gabe — “trouble. Sophie has you, Gabe, and Bartel. I know the three of you will keep her safe.”

 

 

Siggy nodded, and the rest of the men left.

 

Sophie and Gabe gathered the dishes and took them to the washbasin while Siggy went outside to look around. Gabe brought her the tankards, and she poured some warm water from a large, beaten copper pan into the basin to wash them. As he set the dishes down on the wood shelf beside her, his shoulder and upper arm brushed hers. Her arm tingled as she stared into the pan. She rinsed the cups and then began washing the bowls. He put his hands into the water and helped, their hands colliding under the water.

 

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the way he held each item with his left hand and scrubbed with his right. She kept working, pretending not to notice him, but her breath seemed to have caught in her throat. Finally, when she was washing the very last bowl, Gabe placed his hands over hers, following along with her movements as she rubbed the dish clean and placed it on the cloth next to the washbasin. With one hand holding hers, he picked up a towel with the other and began to dry her hands.

 

His upper arm was rock solid against her shoulder. His face hovered just above hers and his warm breath brushed her temple. Her knees were like pottage. His nearness made her want to press in closer, but if Bartel were to walk in now, she’d be even more embarrassed than she had when Siggy and Heinric had walked in on them before the midday meal. But Gabe’s arm pressing against hers was so exhilarating, and the gentleness of his hands sent pleasant shivers all through her, and when he started rubbing her fingertips inside the cocoon of the towel …

 

His warm breath loosed a strand of her hair and it brushed her cheek. She desperately wanted him to kiss her.

 

“Someone needs to take out the dishwater.” Sophie’s voice sounded strained and breathless, betraying just how much his touch was affecting her. She stood still as a stone, afraid to move, her head bent, as he took the towel off her hands and threw it on the counter.

 

“I’ll take it outside in a moment.” His voice sounded gruff.

 

She waited for him to move away. Instead, with slow and deliberate movements, he placed one hand on her shoulder and he cupped her cheek with the other as he turned her body to face him.

 

She placed her palms against his chest, feeling as if she were in a slow-moving dream. She couldn’t avoid looking up at him any longer. She met his smoldering eyes, the golden flecks all but swallowed up in the dark brown irises. In their depths, there was only a solemn tenderness as he drew her nearer. He bent his head and pressed his lips to hers.

 

The world vanished. She was engulfed in warmth and exhilaration and strength — and guilt. But she pushed the guilt away. Her hands slid up his chest and around his neck. He pulled away slightly, then kissed her again. Oh, Gabe.

 

The events of the last few days flitted through her mind. Gabe, looking so noble and sure of himself when he’d lifted her onto his horse the day they left Hohendorf. Gabe, so sweet and vulnerable when he’d stared into her eyes after taking the arrow in his shoulder to save her. Now he was kissing her.

 

Her life had been tragic before Gabe, and it would be tragic again if he left. She held on to him as if she could keep this moment from ending.

 

Gabe gently ended the kiss, and she buried her face in his chest. Trying to quiet her breathing, to get back some control over her emotions, she breathed in the scent of him, a warm, comforting, masculine smell of outdoors and clean skin. Memories rushed over her, of riding with him on Gingerbread through the woods and beside the river, her head against his chest.

 

“Sophie.” His deep voice caressed her ears. He held her close, stroking her braid, then her shoulder. She was afraid to move, afraid to loosen her hold around his neck for fear he would pull away.

 

What are we going to do now? The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she bit them back. She didn’t want to ruin the moment, especially if Gabe had no lasting intentions beyond this kiss. It was too good, this feeling of being loved and wanted.

 

She would pretend it would last forever, pretend no one would ever find them. They would hide forever right here at the Cottage of the Seven, happily ever after.

 

Thank you for this moment, even if it doesn’t last.

 

“I’ll be right back.” Gabe’s deep voice rumbled through her, his stubbly chin rubbing her temple.

 

Sophie let her hands slide away from him as he kept one arm around her shoulder, pressing his lips to her forehead before turning away to pour the water from the pan into a bucket. He hefted the bucket with one hand and carried it outside.

 

She watched him go, her heart thumping happily in her throat as she admired the breadth of his shoulders and their obvious strength. Even with an injury, he was capable of taking care of her.

 

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