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Chapter Eight
Nap Time
After Sark had left her in peace she did go back to the book. Feeling a little sore from sitting hunched over the book she drew her knees up in front of her and rested the spine of the book between her legs.
She became annoyed when the book and her legs were covered by fabric. This time it was a dark green cloak with a lighter green satin lining. Fingering the fabric she glanced over as Sark settled himself next to her once more, a black cloak was slung over his arm.
He noticed her inquiring glance and quietly explained, “I purchased them from some travelers in need of money. They might come in handy since we’re not sure of the climate.”
Again she found herself in the uncomfortable position of thanking Sark, still just because he was a cold, ruthless mercenary didn’t mean she had to throw niceties out the door. “Thank you.” She stiffly told him while gathering up the cloak from her legs.
“You might want to leave it.” He casually offered. At her look he elaborated, “You’re showing quite a bit of leg. Not that I mind you understand.”
She glanced at her legs and realized that with her knees drawn up the slit in the side of her skirt was showing off almost the entire expanse of her leg nicely. Vexed she glanced at him as if it was somehow his fault.
He grinned, “As I said I don’t mind, as does not the two gentlemen over there,” his eyes minutely flickered and she discreetly followed his eye movement to the leering gentlemen in question, “but the elderly lady,” again the minute eye flicker to a scandalized older woman, “seems a bit affronted.”
Pressing her lips together she smoothed the cloth back over her legs. She tried to go back to the book, but Sark’s shifting and occasional yawn was distracting her. She was about to snap at him when she got a good look at his face. He didn’t look his best, in fact he looked down right tired. Then she remembered that he probably hadn’t sleep at all last night and who knows before that.
Checking her page number she closed the book. “I’m going to watch the scenery for a bit. Why don’t you get some sleep.”
He blearily eyed her, she could practically see in his eyes that he wanted to argue with her, but his exhaustion won out as he simply nodded. Hunching a little against the railing he settled himself and closed his eyes.
While her comment about watching the scenery had just been throw out as time passed she realized how magnificent the scenery truly was. Rarely did she have the time, as she did now on the slow moving boat, to simply sit back and enjoy nature. They passed through some beautiful woods and hills and other breathtaking scenery.
At some point Sark slumped over and his head came to rest on her arm. She let it lay there for a while but it became uncomfortable after a bit. She lifted her arm and gently rested it on his back, that was a bit better. It was until his head nuzzled into her breast. Freezing she glanced down at him and once he settle again she bit her lip deciding what to do. It was quite annoying having her adversary snuggle up to her breast, even if they were at a truce, truly quite annoying.
Stretching out her legs she guided his head down to her lap, firmly pillowed by the bulk of the cloak. They stayed that way for some time until the scenery could no longer distracter her from the book. Finding her place she was delighted to discover that Sark’s shoulder made for an excellent book rest.
She quickly became engrossed in the story once more, so much so that she didn’t even realize when one of her hands dropped from the book to Sark’s head. Or when it began to absently run through his tousled curls. It wasn’t until he made motions of waking up that she looked down at him and stared perplexed at her hand, wondering how it had ended up buried in the curls on the top of his head.
Quickly removing her hand and closing the book she waited for him to wake. He shifted around a bit more then eyelids blinked revealing sleepy blue eyes. Biting her lips she leaned over so he could see her and smiled down at his perplexed expression.
“Nice nap sleepy head.” She swiftly pulled her head back, nearly getting cracked in the nose, as he jerked upright.
“What?” He groggily asked while running a hand though his hair further messing the dark blonde locks.
“You were sleeping.” She reminded him while trying not to stare at his wild hair.
“Right.” He glanced around furtively, darting a quick glance down at her cloak clearly trying to remember how his head had ended up in her lap.
For some reason she didn’t feel like teasing him about it. Instead she opened her book once more, “I’m almost finished with this.” She casually told him and resumed reading though she kept a discreet eye on him.
“I’m going to walk around a bit.” He brusquely told her before suiting action to words.
She walked him go, letting a huge smile spread across her lips at the sight of his tousled hair. Still smiling she turned back to the book, it was getting quite interesting though she knew there would be a happy ever after.
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