Page 123 of Married to a Frozen Duke
"Strategic hiding is still hiding." But he was smiling as he said it. "We're both excellent at hiding."
"Then we'll be excellent at not hiding together."
"Your obsession with togetherness is showing again."
"You should get used to it."
They fell into comfortable silence, Ophelia still in his lap, his arms around her, both drowsy from brandy and emotional exhaustion. The clock on the mantel chimed midnight.
"We should go to bed," Alexander said, then immediately flushed. "Separately. To our separate beds. In our separate rooms."
"Very separate," Ophelia agreed, though she made no move to get up.
"Very, very separate."
"Extremely separate."
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"We're ridiculous," Ophelia said.
"We're drunk."
"We're both."
"An excellent combination." He helped her stand, steadying her when she swayed slightly. "Can you make it to your room?"
"Can you?"
"Probably. Possibly. The floor is being very uncooperative."
They made their way to the stairs, Alexander keeping one hand on her waist, ostensibly to steady her but really just to maintain contact.
"Thank you," Ophelia said as they reached her door.
"For what?"
"For tonight. For defending me. For saving those families. For getting drunk and telling me things."
"Thank you for making me feel things even when I didn't want to."
"You're welcome, I think?"
"It's a compliment. Probably. I'm too drunk to be sure."
She stood on her toes and kissed him once more, softly. "Goodnight, Alexander."
"Goodnight, Ophelia." He touched her face one more time. "I meant it all. Everything. The falling in love part especially."
"I meant it too."
He backed away toward his own door, nearly tripping over his own feet. "I'm going to be so embarrassed tomorrow."
"I won't let you be embarrassed."
"How will you stop me?"
"I'll kiss you until you forget to be embarrassed."
