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Elizabeth woke to a chill breeze blowing in through the
bedroom window. She could've sworn she'd shut it before retiring, but it
stood open, and the curtains wafted in the wind. Too dozy to get up and
close the window, she tugged futilely on the counterpane, which appeared to
be firmly lodged under Will's body. Will slept like the dead; shifting him
off the bedclothes was a lost cause. With a disgruntled sniff, she snuggled
up to his back and slipped her cold feet between his legs, basking in the
heat that poured off his body. She squirmed around, fitting their bodies
together; unexpectedly, her nose collided with a hand. A ring covered hand,
which was attached to a tattooed arm, which was draped over Will's shoulder.
"Jack?" she asked muzzily.
"Aye," came the reply from behind Will's head.
"You've stolen all the covers." She was more awake now, but her complaint
still lacked force.
Jack peered over Will's shoulder, his eyes twinkling. "Come and get them
then." In a flash, he'd grabbed her and rolled her over Will and into his
arms. Will grunted, but continued sleeping, despite her surprised shriek.
Jack wasn't as warm as Will, but he did have most of the bedclothes, and in
short order he'd tucked them around her. She looked down at his face,
searching for the changes three months might have wrought, and found a
yellow-green bruise on his cheek and a vicious gash on his temple, ending a
hairsbreadth away from his right eye.
She touched the wound gingerly, saying, "That was a close one."
He caught her hand and pulled it away. "An inch is as good as a mile, eh
love?"
"What about an eighth of an inch?"
"Still have the eye, don't I?" Then, as if to close the matter, he kissed
her, and she tasted the sea in his mouth.
His hands skated deftly over her body, and if his intent was to distract
her, he succeeded admirably. She roused to him quickly, and desire banished
the questions she'd meant to ask. Pulling up her shift, she slid down onto
him with a sigh. "We missed you."
Uncharacteristically serious, he said, "And I you." He held her face in his
hands, and ran his thumbs over her cheekbones and the curve of her lips,
before pulling her down for a lingering kiss.
They moved together slowly; then Jack increased the pace and the bed creaked
louder and louder, until, with a final bang of the headboard and a soft cry
from Elizabeth, they found their release.
Beside them, Will lifted his head and blinked blearily. He pressed his body
against Jack's and wrapped an arm around Elizabeth. Leaning in to give Jack
a kiss, he stopped and scrutinized his face with a frown. Elizabeth could
feel Jack tense beneath her, but Will merely said, "It's good to see you,
Jack."
Jack lolled back in the bed and chuckled ruefully. "It's good to be here,
mate, believe me."
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