Page 470 of From Rakes to Riches

She didn’t stir. “Game?” she asked with a breathy sigh. “What sort of game?” She yawned and started to rise, but he held her fast.

“Stay,” he begged. “Rest a while. It’s been a long night. We’ve a long way to travel. I was thinking we’d play a game to better know each other. I will say a word. You tell me the first thing that comes to your mind.”

She settled back, peering at him between thick, dark lashes, scrutinizing him. “I always liked that game,” she confessed.

He had to resist the urge to answer, “Yes, I know.”

“Good,” he said. “We’ll play awhile and then be home before you know it. Laughter,” he began.

“Laughter?”

“That’s my word.”

“Children,” she said at once. “That was easy.” He smiled when she cozied herself into his lap, making herself more comfortable.

“My turn.” He smiled at her enthusiasm. “Blue,” she said.

“Sky,” he answered. “Play,” he countered.

“Work.”

Gabriel frowned at her response.

“Books,” she said.

“Boring,” he answered, and chuckled.

She laughed as well. “Not so boring,” she demurred.

“I rather suppose it depends on what you might be reading. The books I read are quite tedious,” he maintained. “Kisses,” he offered.

“Nice,” she said, without pause.

Gabriel smiled. “Regrets?”

“None.” She sighed, too, and cuddled deeper into his embrace.

“What about you?”

“What do you think?” he asked, then dared to tickle her ribs with a finger as he used to do.

She giggled. “Stop. Stop! You’re not playing right. You cannot answer my question with another question! Nor was that one word, it was four. You must answer properly.”

“No.”

She lifted a single brow. “Was that no, you will not answer properly? Or no, you have no regrets?”

“No regrets.”

She laughed again, this time unrestrained. “Did you see that look on the parson’s face when you refused to kiss me? I dare say, he didn’t know what to make of us.”

“I’m quite sure,” Gabriel said, smiling.

She giggled, and quieted. For a long while, the two of them sat together in silence, lulled into a sweet languor by the rocking coach and the soothing darkness.

Inexplicably, they sat together with the comfort of two lovers accustomed to sharing the same breath. But Gabriel wanted more than to be her lover, he wanted her heart as well. “Friend,” he said, after a long moment.

Her brows knit but she remained silent.

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