Reyna Feldman, a twenty year old Jewish girl from the tiniest of villages in France, is on the run. Captured by German soldiers while trying to escape over the border, she's taken to an internment camp in Freiburg, Germany, where she meets SS Philli...
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SURPRISE! Another chapter for ya'll! I had this entire chapter (mostly) planned out in my head so I couldn't not immediately start writing it as soon as I posted chapter 27! I hope you guys like it, because I'm kinda obsessed with it! :)
Knocking on the door to Phillip's study, Reyna waited for a reply.
"Come in," She heard from the other side. Turning the knob, she stepped inside. Phillip stood in front of the twin armchairs they usually sat in, a coy smile dancing across his lips. His smile widening, he stepped to the side, revealing a small iced cake sitting on the table between the chairs, a single lit candle stuck in the middle, its small flame flickering in the dim light of the room. Sat beside the cake was a bottle of champagne and two flutes.
"What's this?" She furrowed her brow, glancing between the cake and Phillip.
"Happy birthday," He smiled, stepping forward to meet her.
"How did you know?" She shook her head, a small smile flickering across her lips. It had, in fact, been her birthday. She'd decided not to give it much thought, wanting to avoid the sadness she was sure dwelling on it would bring.
"You said you and your sister celebrated your birthdays together," He explained. "Your sister's was a few weeks ago, so I figured it would be any day now."
"And you just happened to guess the exact day?" She quirked a skeptical brow.
"Well," He gave her a knowing smirk. "I might've asked Ms. Dupont to do some digging."
"Oh?" She returned his smirk with one of her own.
"I must admit," He continued, slipping an arm around her waist. "When she reported back that it was in two days, that didn't leave me with much time to prepare."
"This is perfect," She smiled up at him. Releasing her waist, Phillip grabbed the champagne bottle and uncorked it, pouring them each a glass.
"How does it feel to be twenty-one?" He asked, tinking his glass against the one he'd offered her before taking a sip.
"Not much different than twenty I'm afraid," She smirked, raising her own glass to her lips. A thought crossed her mind as she swallowed the fizzy liquid and she asked, "How old are you?"
"I turned thirty in January."
"Thirty?" She repeated, her brows raising in surprise.
"Is that a shock?" He asked, not bothering to hide his amusement at the look on her face.
"Y-no," She stuttered. "I mean," She let out a breathy laugh. "I knew you were older, I just-"
"Didn't know I was that much older?" He finished for her. She laughed again, nodding. She often forgot he'd lived an entire life before they'd met. Had been in love - been married.
"I hope that's not a problem," He smirked, raising a brow.
"No," She shook her head. "No, it's not."
"Good," He returned her smile, slipping an arm around her waist again. Leaning in, he pressed his lips against her's in a fleeting kiss. Pulling away just enough, he asked, "What's the best thing you've ever gotten for your birthday?"
"Looking for ideas?" She quirked a brow.
"Humor me," He smiled, releasing her waist so they could sit down in the chairs.
"Hmmm," She paused, drumming her fingers along her glass as she gave the question some thought. "When I turned eighteen my father gave me a necklace," She began after she'd thought about it for a moment, her lips curving into a smile at the memory. "It was beautiful ... white gold with a pearl tear drop. It was encircled with tiny little sapphires." Her smile faded. "I lost it when I came here."
"I'm sorry," He said. He was looking at her, the subtlest hint of sadness in his eyes. She shook her head, giving him a small reassuring smile.
"A close second would have to be the record player I got for my sixteenth birthday," She said quickly, not wanting to let the sadness linger for long. "I played it so much it's a miracle the needle didn't wear out entirely,"
"What did you listen to?" He asked, allowing her to push the conversation forward.
"A little bit of everything," She shrugged. "Mostly the same jazz music they played at the dance hall."
"Dance hall?" His brows rose.
"It was more like a community center," She waved a hand dismissively. "But they hosted dances on Friday nights."
"Did you ever go?"
"A few times," She nodded.
"Hold that thought," He smiled and stood to his feet. She watched as he made his way to the desk across the room.
"What are you doing?" She asked, craning her neck from where she sat in an effort to peer around him to see what he was doing. Suddenly, the soft sound of piano began playing through the record player that sat beside the desk. She watched as he turned and made his way back to her, the smile on his lips lighting up his eyes.
Extending a hand out to her, he asked, "Will you dance with me?"
"Here?" She laughed, but took his hand nonetheless.
"Why not?" He shrugged with a smirk. Pulling her onto her feet, he slid an arm around her waist, resting his hand against the small of her back.
"There's not exactly enough room for a dance floor," She replied. She raised a hand to rest on his shoulder, her other intertwined in his as they began to sway to the music.
Pulling her in closer until her body was pressed against his, he leaned in, and said into her ear, "We can move the chairs if you'd like?"
She let out a breathy laugh, the air half catching in her throat at the feeling of his lips against her ear. Brushing his lips against the skin just below her earlobe, he pressed a kiss there. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back just enough for his lips to find the hollow of her neck. Planting a kiss there, he pulled away to look at her. She opened her eyes, returning his gaze. Resting his forehead against her's, he smiled.
"Happy birthday Reyna."
——————————————————— AKFICUSBWKEIF!!! I can't begin to tell you how obsessed I am with them! <3
