𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰'𝓼 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Coward

.•° ✿ °•.

The next morning I awoke next to George, finding his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I turned on my side to face him, running my fingers through his soft brown hair, as I examined his face. He looked so peaceful when he slept. I laid my head against his chest, hearing the steady beating of his heart. Suddenly, I felt his hand brush some of my hair from my face, and I looked up at him to find him awake, smiling down at me.

"Good morning." I beamed.

"Good morning, love." my heart fluttered at the name, and he picked up on it, a smirk slowly curling at the corners of his lips.

"Sleep well?" I yawned.

"Next to you? Obvio-"

"Forget it. Forget I asked." I quickly intervened.

"I'd meant to speak to you about our engagement." I said, not bothering to sit up.

"Having second thoughts?"

"Of course not!" I scoffed, "I only meant that we should probably wait a week or so to let everyone know. I don't want to take attention away from Trinity and Samuel."

"Might I remind you that you're the one who proposed to me at their wedding? Just couldn't contain your affection for me, darling?"

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it when I could think of nothing. He was right, I truly could not contain my affection towards him for even a night longer. I rolled my eyes as George laughed, proud of himself for rendering me speechless.

"Our engagement can be kept a secret if that's what you wish." he whispered, lowering his lips to my ear.

"Thank you." I nuzzled his neck, before sitting up, "Now, where are they holding Christain? I need to speak with him."

"Seriously?" George looked stunned, "Because there's nothing like interrogating your kidnapper first thing in the morning, right?"

"When would you have me do it, then?" I asked, getting out of bed and making my way to the dresser, where I found a freshly ironed jade coloured dress laid out for me.

"Well, at least have something to eat first."

"Right, because one can't expect to interrogate a prisoner on an empty stomach," I laughed, stepping behind the folding screen to change into the clean dress.

There was a brief silence as I pulled off my dress, and suddenly, George had gotten out of bed as well, but I couldn't quite make out where he was on the other side of the folding screen.

"Why are you hiding? We're to be married soon anyway, so why are you embarrassed to change in front of me?" he asked, his voice emanating from directly on the other side of the thin screen.

"Whatever happened to marriage before sex?" I asked bluntly.

"Sex? Darling, I never said anything about sex. But... If you wanted it I wouldn't be opposed..." he trailed off, and I blushed more furiously than I ever had before, thankful for the screen that hid me.

"You're - You're impossible." I scoffed, quickly pulling on the new dress, and taking in a deep breath, before stepping out from behind the screen, to find George smirking at me, "Don't even say a word."

"How can I not? Dear, you walked right into that one." he laughed.

"George." I scolded.

"Ooh... I like it when you sound authoritative." he grinned.

"Why would you - You can't just... Say that!" I blushed.

"I'm sorry," he drawled, wrapping his arms around my waist.