"You're really not going to stay a little longer?" Emma asked as she watched him button his shirt.
"As much as I want to, I shouldn't. You said Dorothy would be back by evening, and it's already night." He did not want to create an awkward situation, so leaving felt like the wiser choice.
He appreciated that Dorothy had not returned earlier than she promised, likely giving them time alone. But he could not expect her to spend the night outside her own room.
Emma sighed and rose from the bed, clutching the sheet to her chest. Her bare shoulders were marked with faint red traces along her neck.
Anyone who saw her like this would easily guess she had spent a passionate evening with her lover.
And William had no intention of letting anyone else witness that sight.
He sat in front of her and gently brushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.
"Does anything hurt?" he asked softly. He would not pretend he had been entirely gentle, and that thought stirred genuine concern.
