Chapter 24: The First Morning

I woke in the bridal suite at six, in the grey light before the gulls.

The bed was large and white and not mine, yet.

The curtains were the same ones, heavy cream, drawn back an inch.

I lay still and waited for the old feeling to find me.

It didn't come.

The room was just a room, with a long mirror and a dressing table and a window that looked out at the water.

Behind me, a warm arm settled across my waist.

"You're awake," Elias said into my shoulder. "I can hear you thinking."

"I'm not thinking."

"You're doing the thing where you plan the day."

"I'm checking the sunrise."

"How is it?"

"It's on schedule."

He laughed against my skin, low and sleepy, and pulled me back against him.

We had come up the service stairs at midnight, after the last guest, after I had walked every corridor and turned off every light myself.

At the door of the suite, I had hesitated with the brass key in my hand.

He had stood beside me and said nothing, and let me decide.

Then I had opened it, and we had gone in together, and I had laughed out loud at the size of the bathtub.

Now I turned in his arms and looked at him.

His hair was flattened on one side, and the grey at his temples had gone silver in the early light.

I put my hand against his jaw, and he turned his face into it and kissed my palm.

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