Page 67 of Forget Me Not

He helped her to her feet. “The fire is burning in my room. You’ll be warm in there.”

Lucas snatched up his candle, then walked with her into his bedchamber, his arm around her middle and her head resting against him. Her bare toes poked out from beneath her nightdress.

“We need to get you some warm socks, Julia. Your feet will freeze all winter.”

He pulled back the blankets on his bed. She climbed up and curled into a ball. Did she always sleep in that position or only when she was cold? He pulled the blankets over her, tucking them around her shoulders.

“Sleep well, my sweet friend.”

Before he even stood straight, she spoke. Quietly. “Why are you always leaving me?”

“I’m going only as far as the sitting room.”

“This time.” Sleep sat heavy in her words.

“I’ll stay in here if you want me to.” He didn’t know what else to say to set her mind at ease.

Her eyes were closed. She breathed slow and deep.

“Julia?”

No answer.

He bent and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Somehow, my darling, sweet Julia, we will sort this out.” He was telling himself as much as her. They simply had to find a way.

She didn’t stir. Lucas kissed her forehead. He checked one more time that she was fully tucked under the blankets.

“Sleep well, Julia.”

The General had best be concocting his most brilliant battle plan to date. Lucas couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Upon waking the next morning,Julia was decidedly confused. She wasn’t in her room, and she wasn’t alone. Lucas slept soundly beside her, wrapped in a blanket, on what she was beginning to realize was his bed.

As odd as the arrangement was, Julia couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him, hair disheveled, face relaxed with sleep. He was handsome, as always, but he was, in that moment, intriguingly adorable.

She reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from his face. His hair had been so curly when they were children. Now it was a rather stunning cascade of golden waves. He usually wore it tied back, as the current style dictated.

Julia brushed her fingers over his hair again as he slept on. “You’re going to break my heart again, aren’t you? Hearts cannot always be pieced back together, Lucas.”

Her words must have been louder than she’d intended. He stirred.

She pulled her arm under the blanket once more and hastily closed her eyes. To be caught watching him sleep would be humiliating.

After a moment, she felt him move enough to feel he was likely awake. It was safe for her to pretend she had only just awoken herself.

She slowly opened her eyes. Lucas yawned, blinking a few times. Her heart fluttered at the unexpectedly charming picture he made.

“I’m in your room,” she said quietly.

That pulled his attention to her. His smile tipped higher on one side than the other, tugging his nose a bit. It had always done that.

“You might recall a broken perfume bottle, an uncomfortable sofa, and an undersized blanket.”

She did now that he’d reminded her of it. “You let me sleep in here. But I thought...” Heavens, her memories of the night before were vague and scattered. “Weren’t you... ?”

He moved so he was seated, hair still a mess. “I did try to sleep on the sofa, but no matter what I did, half of me hung off. I hoped you wouldn’t mind my giving up on that plan.”

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