Therefore, sitting in her window in her room non-thinking, she was also avoiding her thoughts.
And thus she was startled when the door opened and she heard the jangle of dog tags.
She looked to the door to see Jack’s form silhouetted in the light from the hall, Baron and Gretl forging straight toward Belle.
The light was extinguished when Jack closed the door and Belle’s mind was gripped with fear, wondering at his mood, wondering how he’d feel that she didn’t accept his invitation, wondering if he was angry with her.
Absently, she scratched both dogs’ heads while she watched Jack walk toward her.
She could barely see him, the moon was shadowed by clouds and there was no light on in her room. But she could see that he was fully-clothed though she couldn’t see what he was wearing, it looked like a long-sleeved tee and a pair of pyjama pants.
Instead of shifting her and settling behind her (which she kind of hoped he’d do), she watched in frozen silence as he sat on the window seat by her bent legs.
The dogs moved to accommodate him and she heard them settle not far away.
Then his shadowed hand came out and the backs of his fingers ran the length of the side of her thigh from knee to hip, pushing her nightgown along as his fingers met it.
This made her tremble but she trembled in a different way than he normally made her tremble because this was not a sexual touch but a tender one.
“What’s on your mind, poppet?” he asked and she noted immediately he didn’t sound angry or even put out.
He sounded gentle and curious.
“Nothing,” she told him.
“Nothing?” he asked, now sounding slightly disbelieving but mostly teasing.
“The storm has cleared my head,” she explained and she saw Jack’s head turn to look out the window. When he didn’t reply, she added, “I love thunderstorms.”
She saw him face her again and he remarked softly, “I see.” She didn’t know what he saw but he told her, “This is why Lila paints thunderstorms.”
She’d been right. He knew about the Storm Series.
Belle nodded then worried he couldn’t see her nod so she said, “Yes.”
“She loves you a great deal,” Jack remarked then went on. “Though, I’ve noticed she hasn’t offered me any lemon drops.”
Belle felt a soft giggle float up her throat and instead of pushing it back, she let it go.
When she did, Jack moved.
But he didn’t settle in behind her.
He settled opposite her, positioning his long legs so they were cocked on either side of her, his feet against her hips.
She found something about this profound.
It was as if he sensed she needed space and although he wasn’t willing to give it to her, he was willing to give it to her in a way that was a compromise that worked for both of them.
This settled in her heart then it settled in her soul and, finally, it settled in her mind and Belle relaxed.
She relaxed so much, she shared, “She likes your hands.”
“Pardon?” Jack asked.
“Gram. She likes your hands.”
Belle could swear she saw the white of his teeth through the shadows before he muttered. “Well, that’s something.”