Lord Day and Lady Night

23. Together

"Patrick!"

Lord Patrick Day managed to bring up one hand, perhaps to wave at her. More likely, however, to push the poker far enough away not to suffocate within the next ten seconds. "N-nice to see you, too."

"What da 'ell are ye doin' 'ere at dis time of night?"

Not that she couldn't think of a reason. But this was Lord Patrick Please-deposit-ten-sticks-up-my-behind-because-I-like-the-one-that-is-already-in-there Day. He wouldn't sneak into a woman's bedroom at night unless the house was on fire, and even then he'd probably send a maid to the rescue. So why the hell...?

"Why da 'ell are ye 'ere?" Amy asked again.

Loosening her grip, she allowed him to slip from her stranglehold and turn towards her. The look in his eyes was not one of some bastard who'd come to force himself into the room of a woman at night. It was the look of a lost man.

"I...I don't want to be alone tonight."

The words stabbed right through Amy's heart.

She remembered that horrible place they'd just left. She remembered the things she'd seen and heard, and worse, imagined. It had made her feel cold. So cold inside, and—

And then Patrick's hand grasped hers, warming her.

I don't wanna be alone neither.

The words flashed through her mind before she could help it. Her hold on his hand tightened and, suddenly, he was stepping towards her, sliding a strong arm around her back. Without meaning to, she relaxed into him.

Relaxing? Relaxing?! Into a man? What da 'ell is wrong with ye, Amy?

Funnily enough, this didn't really feel wrong. It felt right. So very right. His rock-hard muscles, the beating of his heart only inches away from her...she couldn't tear herself away.

The door creaked and, before she knew it, they were inside the room. The door clicked shut behind them with finality. For a moment, Amy couldn't find the courage to raise her eyes to meet his. Then she felt a finger under her chin, and didn't resist when Patrick gently nudged it up until their gazes connected. The things she saw in his eyes...!

"I...I can't stop thinking about it. The terrible things we saw." Patrick's face darkened in a way that made Amy want to chase the shadows from his eyes. "The terrible things we might yet see."

"Shh...it'll be all right," she lied, reaching up to place a finger on his lips. The touch sent a spark all through her body. "It'll be all right."

He gazed straight at her with a stark expression in his eyes. "Can...can I stay? Just tonight? Can I hold you?"

Amy hesitated for just a second—then reached out and hugged him. His arms came up and, wordlessly, enfolded her. A lump rising in her throat, Amy realized she had never been held by a man before. Not like this. Not without funny business. Not without a single penny of payment. And yet it somehow felt more precious than all those other times put together.

"P-Patrick..."

One corner of his mouth twitched. "Not Pea?"

She glared up at him. "Just not tonight. It's an exception!"

Gently cupping her face, he nodded. "Just tonight, then."

Taking hold of her with a soft yet somehow inextricably strong grip, he manoeuvred her towards the bed and slowly lowered her onto the blankets. Settling down beside her, he slid one arm around her, pulling her close, until they lay facing each other in the dark, only inches away from one another.