Page 85 of Waking Roslyn

I tightened my arms around myself. “Is that a bad thing?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. It’s impressive and…humbling and…gorgeous.”

I lifted one shoulder, still not sure if that was good or bad. I’d told him what was wrong, but he didn’t look any closer to kissing me. “That’s why I came to find you. I don’t know what to do.”

He took a deep breath and then rested his hands on his hips and cast his gaze toward the sky. In that posture, he looked…delicious. I winced, knowing I shouldn’t let my thoughts wander too far in that direction, but he held himself with such confidence and strength that I couldn’t not notice. Especially after seeing the water traveling over his smooth skin. Saints, get it together, Rose.

“Well,” he said, then turned to look in the direction of Sutton. “What about Princess Marilee?”

My brow furrowed. “What about her?”

“She might be willing to help. Falstone and Marcus have their own uniforms. I would assume there are extras.”

I looked over his frame once more. “Would they fit you?”

He gave me a lopsided smile and a shrug. “It’s worth a try.”

John

I asked Rose to wait for me as I ran back to Sutton Manor. She’d almost kissed me. She’d wanted me to kiss her, but I was a blasted gentleman in manners, though not by birth. So I would work out this difficulty with uniforms and then, hopefully, I could kiss her the way I wanted.

And I definitely wanted.

After I explained the situation to Miriam, whom I found in Sutton’s kitchen, she ran upstairs to speak with Her Highness, then returned only a few minutes later with the welcome news that Princess Marilee would be happy to assist us with whatever help we needed, uniforms included.

I hurried back to Rose and found her sitting by the stream, her knees pulled up with her arms wrapped around them, staring at a bundle of flowers in her hand. I was glad to see the flowers. I was worried she’d just been sitting and fretting, but if she’d walked the stream looking for flowers then she must be calmer. Flowers had that effect on her.

“It’s all set,” I called out as soon as I was close enough for her to hear me.

Her brow jumped even as she looked up at me. “It is?”

“She was more than happy to help,” I assured her as I jumped over the stream and sat down beside her.

I’m not sure if it was my words or my presence—maybe both—but she let out a giant sigh and then allowed her head to fall to the side, settling on my shoulder. “Thank you, John.”

“Of course.” I reached over and brushed my fingers against one of the flowers in her hand, trying to distract myself when all I could think about was giving her the kiss she’d wanted. “What do you have here?”

“Just”—she brought them to her nose and inhaled, her eyes closing—“something to help me feel better.”

“Did they help?” I asked, enjoying the feel of her leaning into my side.

“Yes, but knowing that Her Highness is willing to assist us is even more help. Thank you for going so quickly.”

“Of course.” If putting her at ease was always this easy, then caring for her would never be a trial. That is, if I had the chance to care for her…

We sat in silence for several long moments, letting the babbling of the stream and the dancing leaves fill the air and sweep away a little of our worry. As the quiet stretched, the question that wouldn’t leave me alone was whether or not I could now kiss her without being a cad. But she seemed content just to lean her head on my shoulder, so I waited.

After a while, Rose raised her head and turned to look at me. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

I chuckled. “I’ve already told you about my father.”

“Yes, you did,” she said with a smile of understanding. “But that means I already know. Tell me something I don’t know.”

I thought for several moments, grateful for the distraction. “I want my mother to find someone to love again.” That was certainly something I’d never said out loud before.

She seemed a little surprised, but her expression was soft when she said, “You do?”

I bobbed my head up and down. “I really do. She deserves…to be taken care of, you know?”