All the Wrong Reasons

Part 23

Chapter 23

A light sound made its way to his ears.  Colin tilted his head closer to the sound and realized that what he was hearing were the soft cries of someone.  Opening his eyes, he had to blink multiple times to clear the drowsiness.  The sun was just rising signaling the next day, but Colin never woke this early.  He never had a reason to wake this early. 

Shifting his body, he tried to make out where the noise was coming from.  He looked down on his body and only saw his limbs wrapped around Cassie.  Where was the lad?  Colin jerked back from the comfortable spot he was in moments before and searched the room with his eyes.

Finally, they landed on a small curled up figure in the corner of the room.  Colin touched his feet to the ground and rose from the bed without making a sound.  He dodged furniture as he reached the lad.  Bending down, Colin casted an eye over Cooper.  Nothing looked wrong with the lad physically.  Upon further examination, Colin grasped the fact that Cooper was sleeping.

The boy was having a nightmare, and Colin did not know what to do.  He had experienced nightmares of his own, but they were easy to handle.  He ignored them.  How could he ignore the small boy huddled into the wall?  How could he pretend he couldn’t hear the sobs that were quivering throughout Cooper’s body?

Colin reached over and grabbed the boy.  Cradling Cooper in his arms, he began rocking him like a baby.  It was what he had seen others do for children who were fussy.  Why wouldn’t it work now?  He swung him as he hummed a popular melody.  Soon, the boy stilled and his face smoothed out. 

Letting out a breath, Colin smiled down at the lad.  He was adorable.  Colin knew that the boy’s looks would make Cooper’s life easier.  If Cassie would have decided to keep a boy with red hair, it would be hard to explain the lad, but here Cooper was, almost a mirror image of Cassie.

Colin ran his thumb over Cooper’s cheek to wipe a smudge of dirt off.  Today the lad would bathe.  He couldn’t believe that he had forgotten to wash the child.  Making his way towards the bed, he set Cooper down.  The lad shifted until his body was cuddled into Cassie’s.  Cooper was lucky for Colin was in that position minutes before and he knew how comfortable it was.

He turned on his heel and made his way towards the door.  It creaked as he pulled it open.  Turning, he looked back at his family before shutting the door behind him.  What was he going to accomplish today?  He would love to paint with Cooper once more, but he knew that he couldn’t afford such leisurely activities every day.  He would have time after supper to play with the lad.  For now, Colin needed to begin the renovation of his village.  He needed to check the progress of the men Cassie had hired.

His feet didn’t make a noise as he bounced down the steps.  For some reason, Colin was in a happy mood.  He might not have gotten much sleep, but he was still exultant.  His life was falling together wonderfully.  What more was there to ask for?

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he darted his eyes in every direction.  No sign of Peirce.  Colin’s eyebrows scrunched down in confusion.  His friend had always been an early riser.  He contemplated the idea of seeing if Peirce had woken, but he quickly declined the thought.  If Peirce was sleeping, the man deserved it.

Thinking there was no one around, he made as much noise he wanted to as he walked towards the door.  He reached his hand out and grabbed the knob.

“Where are you going?” a sleepy voice asked him.

Startling, he flipped his body around and stared at the person only feet away from him.  “I was going to help the men you hired.”

Cassie let out a yawn with her mouth open for all to see. “You are going to leave the manor dressed like that.”

“Dressed like what?” Colin asked while scrunching his nose up in disgust, “And must you yawn without covering you mouth?”

She blinked at him, “I’m sorry.  I forget, but my mind does not remember many things this early in the morn.  I have a feeling that yours does not either.”

“Why is that?”

“The clothing you are wearing is most inappropriate to wear out of the manor,” she answered while motioning up and down his body.

Colin looked down and let out a groan, “I didn’t realize I was in my night clothing.”

“I figured as much,” she told him with a nod, “Now, you can put on more appropriate clothing.  I will lie back on that wonderful bed and sleep until Cooper wakes.”

Colin just nodded his head and followed after his wife.  It would do him no good to point out the fact that the lad had nightmares.  It would only cause her to coddle Cooper.  The boy did not need a mother watching his every move. 

Colin’s eyes tried to look at the walls, but they always found their way back to one spot, Cassie.  Her hips swayed and her hair bounced as she stepped up onto another stair.  Her movements were sluggish, but she still illuminated her own light.  She sent out a feeling of security.  It was odd that Colin found security in someone as weak as her, but he did.

“Would you stop that?” she called out without turning her head.

Colin’s feet halted on the steps, “Stop what?”

“Analyzing me,” she stated, “I can feel your eyes burning into my body.  To be frank, the feeling is quite uncomfortable.”

He let out a chuckle as he resumed his walking, “Well if you find my stare uneasy, you should think about what is on my mind.”

It was her turn to falter as the words left his mouth.  A smile formed on his lips.  She hadn’t expected him to be so forward, but he couldn’t help it.  He liked to make her angry.  To his surprise, she just turned her face towards him and sent him a glare before walking on.

He let out a frustrated sigh; she was meant to refute with some of her witty expressions.  Colin searched his mind before settling on his next words, “I will give you a hint.  What I am thinking does not include clothing draped over any part of your body.”

She kept walking without a sound.  No matter what Colin did, he couldn’t aggravate his wife like he wished to.  Brooding, he stayed behind her.  As they reached the door, she turned to face him.

“Don’t think you will get away with your words that easily,” she said as she reached up and grabbed his head.

Pulling it down, she pressed her lips to his.  Just as Colin made a move to deepen it, she drew away from him with a smile. “You should not say things unless you plan on acting upon them.”

He stood there in shock as she stepped into their chamber.  Had she really just caught him unaware?  The entire time he thought of ways to shock her, she was thinking up ways to return the favor.  Shaking his head, he realized that he had been standing in the hall for longer than he had thought. 

Stepping into their bedchamber, he saw Cassie and Cooper curled up together on the bed.  His heart warmed as he gazed at them.  Cassie let out a soft snore while Cooper slid closer to her.  Colin didn’t see how the lad could get any closer, but he managed to.  Walking over to them, he pressed a kiss to Cooper’s forehead.  Moving his face to Cassie’s, he placed a kiss there too.  He leaned back and looked down on the two.

“I tried not to love either of you,” he whispered, “Something happened, and I found myself wanting to love you both.  I found myself craving your love, and I find myself at your mercy for you already have my heart.”

Turning his back on them, he walked to his wardrobe.  What he didn’t know was that Cassie and the boy were very much awake and they had heard every word.

****

Major amounts of thanks to lilyheart for the bookcover on the side!