"Thank you for the walk, Bear," Ashley said.
Riley was still bent at the waist, in a little bit of shock. He turned his head to look at her. As much as she wanted to duck her head and avoid eye contact, she held it as if confident she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.
He searched her gaze for any hint as to what she wanted, and, finding the answer he was looking for, lowered his arm that she still held.
She released it, desperately hiding her disappointment behind a mask of normality. He caught one of her hands before she could fully withdraw, surprising her slightly. He drew it up to his face and pressed it against the cheek she'd just kissed.
Biting her lip, she was about to ask if he were offended by her action when his other arm came around her waist and pulled her against him. She gasped lightly and he flinched, about to let her go.
"Riley?" She questioned, making no effort to move away. Her eyes were wide and pleading, begging him to return the feelings that were swirling in their depths.
"Ashley," He whispered her name just before his mouth covered hers. She stood on her tiptoes, both hands up around his neck, pulling him down and kissing him back with all the strength in her slight frame.
Her heart beat like the hooves of a racing horse, about to pound through her chest. A searing heat, followed by pleasant shivers rippled down Riley's spine, drowning his nervous system and blocking out every thought that wasn't about the woman in his arms.
As if he all at once he realized just how ungentlemanly he was being, kissing a grand lady in a dim alleyway, he tore himself away from the kiss. He took a couple of jagged breaths before it dawned on him that Ashley wasn't doing the same. He lowered his face again to place his mouth next to her ear.
"Breathe. Don't forget to breathe." He reminded her, causing her to gasp deeply.
Ashley foggily realized she'd neglected to inhale at all since Riley's lips had touched hers. She'd been too preoccupied to worry about something as simple as air.
Riley chuckled, and pulled his head back to look at her. Leaving one arm around her in case she was lightheaded, he used the other to push back a stray lock of hair he'd put out of place in his ardor, tucking it behind her ear.
His fingers left a trail of fire across her skin, and her breath became uneven again.
"I... didn't you say you wanted to get back?" She asked in a daze.
"If that's what you want," He responded evenly.
"I want... No, what do you want? I'm not answering first." She tried to blink away the lightheaded feeling that interfered with her thoughts.
"I want to cart you off to an officiant and marry you this minute, but that would hardly be proper." He admitted.
"What??" She exclaimed as she stepped back, unprepared for him to declare such a bold sentiment openly. He frowned.
"I'm sorry, that was probably too strong a statement to make just now. I offended you." Riley was properly abashed. "I want... to beg your forgiveness, then walk you home in a perfectly gentlemanly manner, and then sample some of the baking you talked about--for quality control reasons. Then, if I'm very very lucky, sneak another kiss from you before I head back to the barracks for the evening."
"That was very specific," She smiled slowly at him. "Of course, the servants will gossip if you try to sneak a kiss in my home."
"Then, perhaps I can rearrange the schedule slightly, if it meets with your approval?" He grinned mischievously.
"Schedule changes can be disorienting," Ashley's heartbeat was still unsteady.
"So you disapprove?" Riley asked with a little worry.
"I didn't say that," She shook her head.
His expression faded into a more serious look that both delighted and frightened Ashley. He took a step closer to lessen the gap she'd created between them, but didn't touch her.
"And what do you want to say?" He asked.
"I don't think I have that many words I want to say just now," she brushed a fleck of dust off of Riley's coat to distract herself from his intense gaze.
His hand grasped hers, holding it against his chest where she could feel his heart beating. Ashley looked up to his face just as he dipped his head, his other hand winding into her fancy hairstyle to angle her face to his.
Their second kiss was sweeter, gentle and timid. Unspoken questions were asked and answered in a moment of understanding.
They lingered in the shadows for several minutes together, both a little afraid to break the spell by stepping back into the rest of the world.
Finally, Riley pulled back for fear of getting carried away.
"I believe baked goods were next on the schedule?" His lopsided grin was a little dazed as her beauty filled his eyes.
"Oh. Um, I believe so," She answered, her hands working quickly to repair the damage he'd done to her braided bun. Finally giving up, she pulled the pins out and began afresh, quickly molding the strands into a simpler version of what it had been. She hoped no one would notice the change.
"I'm sorry about your hair." Riley ducked his head.
"Ha! I don't believe that for one second," She retorted. Now that he'd stepped away from her, Ashley's wits had returned.
"I'd argue with you, but I don't think I'd win this round," He replied sheepishly, offering his arm to escort her home.
_________________
Finn arrived 'home' at the Shermans and immediately set to work making wolf repellant. The small meal she'd shared with the peacekeeping officers would have to sustain her; there was much to be done. She didn't know how the evacuation efforts were going, and wanted to be as much help as she could.
She had bought as much of the ingredients as she could buy on her way home from the shops that were still open. The common ingredients were thankfully not amongst the ones subject to the shortages.
Mayra helped, but it was late into the evening before Finn felt that she'd earned any sleep. They laid out the boiled herb mixture to dry across every available surface overnight, so that it could easily be packed up the next morning. She and Mayra had each carried some in their pockets as they'd traveled, and that had worked well enough.
"I forgot to tell you, by the way," Finn yawned as she put on her nightdress and prepared for bed in their shared room. "I saw Riley today. I told him I'd pass on his greetings to you."
"How do you like that? My own brother, and he'd rather pass a message to me through our former neighbor than come visit himself," Mayra rolled her eyes.
"He was a little busy, on his way to Ashley's house," Finn confided.
"Oh??" Mayra perked up. "Did he say anything about her??"
"Nothing in particular, but he was walking awfully quickly to get there," Finn winked. Poor Mayra needed some amusement, and this kind of intrigue worked better than any other on the younger girl.
"Yes, yes... that is excellent news. I'll have a sister in no time!" Mayra exulted, causing Finn to throw a pillow at her.
"What am I, a muddy dog?" She accused.
"Please, you know what I mean. And you're probably staying in Klain permanently anyway. Or moving to Rhone to be royalty?" Mayra raised her eyebrows.
"I don't know yet. Nothing is certain until we get past.... all this. Thank you for your help tonight. What will you do tomorrow?" Finn wasn't sure exactly what Mayra had been up to recently. She wanted to take the time to fully reconnect with her best friend, but everything had been a little hectic since they'd been released from jail.
"Jessie from the orphanage sent word asking if you could come help soon. With the rush of evacuations, children are occasionally getting separated from their parents. While there aren't more orphans, per se, it has become the place where lost children are brought to be reunited with their parents. Since you are in high demand, I told her I would try to come in your stead."
"That's very sweet of you, Mayra. Thank you. I wish I could be everywhere at once." Finn lamented.
"I think you wish you could be one particular place, and it's not with me. But that's fine. I'm independent," Mayra winked.
"More like I wish he were here than I were there. The Rhone scare me." Finn admitted.
"What a thing to say about your future in-laws!" The younger woman rebuked her.
"That's going to be... tricky, I think."
"Well obviously. Burning your village and kidnapping your family isn't the best start to blending a family," Mayra teased. She had brightened considerably since she now knew that her mother and younger brothers were all alive and at least moderately cared for.
"Indeed." Finn agreed with a sigh. Of course, it couldn't be any more complicated than Roland's own relationship with his birth family. She yawned and lay down on her bed. It felt wrong somehow until a pillow hit her in the face; she'd forgotten she threw hers at Mayra moments ago.
"Thanks," She said, pulling the pillow off of her head and shoving it underneath into its proper position.
"You're welcome. Sleep well, Finn."
"You too, Mayra. I hope tomorrow brings more answers and no extra troubles."
"You had to say that out loud? Darn it, Finn, now we're all doomed, aren't we?" Mayra blew out the candle and tried to go to sleep.