[[ charleston, south carolina ]]
[ "so you're glad we decided to stay?" ]
Kate all but melts into Bill's side, her heart beating too fast.
The carriage house is dark and silent, save for her breathing and Bill's; waves rolling onto the nearby shore are a low, relentless blanket of sound.
"I should let you pick out unmentionables more often," she says, hiding a grin against his
Kate all but melts into Bill's side, her heart beating too fast.
The carriage house is dark and silent, save for her breathing and Bill's; waves rolling onto the nearby shore are a low, relentless blanket of sound.
"I should let you pick out unmentionables more often," she says, hiding a grin against his
"I know I haven't been much fun since, um, the infirmary."
Her own eyes close momentarily.
"So this is really nice."
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His eyes open and he kisses her again, just as light as hers was.
"This is real nice. But really, I've just been glad you're doin' alright. An' I know I haven't been around much, or any fun, since gettin' back to work. I'm sorry for how my schedule is sometimes."
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"Sweetheart, don't."
She shakes her head.
"You've been managing too much lately."
The worry and concern in his eyes are impossible to miss, and she hates knowing it's there because of her.
"Between me and everything going on at the department, you've been running yourself ragged."
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He drops his eyes from hers and pushes out a bare chuckle.
"It's been a little bit tirin', I guess," he allows, "but, I'm alright."
He gives her a smile, trying to assure her.
"I've got responsibilities, an' sometimes they seem t'stack up, but I can handle it."
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She strokes his knuckles with the tips of her fingers.
"But I want you to stop worrying so much about me, okay? I'm not going to get so run down again, I promise."
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"Okay."
He'll try, at least.
"Y'let me know though, if you... if things get rough again. We'll take another break."
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"I'm fine, sheriff."
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He realizes he's close to saying the wrong thing, and tries to fix it if he has.
"I'm just sayin' if y'feel like steppin' back for a bit, or if y'think that I need to, tell me. I'll get the time off again, or we can head t'Milliways an' take a break there. Whatever works or whatever you want."
He gives her a smile, because he means it, and he's not trying to say anything with the suggestion, but trying to show her he'll still do whatever it takes to make this work.
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She exhales, slow and silent, and nods.
(She doesn't want to argue, especially not while they're here, enjoying themselves.)
"Okay."
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He's done something, he knows it. There's no real sign from her, and he keeps his own smile, but he has the feeling that things aren't right and regrets saying anything.
Knowing he needs to shut up now before he makes it worse, he takes a step back away from the subject and tries to close the door on it.
"So what'd you wanna do tomorrow? Or were we bein' serious 'bout the naked thing?"
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"Whatever you want," she murmurs, her voice soft and tired, muffled against his skin. "Fair's fair, since you let me choose today."
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"I'll sleep on it, then, let you know what I come up with at breakfast."
He's thinking more time on the beach and barbecue, and knows a place or two that are great. He'll also give thought to a back up plan, just in case.
They have one more day and another night here; he wants it to be good.
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"'kay," she says, nodding faintly as she burrows into the sheet. "We can be naked after."
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"Sounds good t'me."
Now that they're settled and quiet takes over the room again, the sounds of the waves return.
His eyes scan over the darkened room they're in (one they chose out of a few available here in the coach house), and he tries to ignore the eerie feelings creeping back in.
He focuses on her, her closeness and her warmth, and not the long shadows around them, or memories of the chill that dropped down his spine last night in the other room.
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Drifting for several long minutes, she exhales a soft sigh as she shifts to get more comfortable, then rolls onto her other side.
"C'mere," she mumbles sleepily, craving the familiar heat of Bill's body at her back.
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He'd been ready to crash out before, but after their talk the post-coital bliss that was ready to drag him under is gone, and he's left with too much on his mind.
Memories of the Old Kingdom keep surfacing, and dammit if he can't stop thinking about the stories about this place they heard yesterday that he'd tried to laugh off.
When she asks him closer he turns and fits himself against her back. His arms go around her tight and his face turns into her hair.
He's grateful to have her to hold onto, even as he derides himself for needing her right now like this.
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