“Colt,” she breathes.
Dipping my chin a bit more, I grin. “Darlin’.”
She lifts her hand, slipping her palm in mine. Gripping her fingers, I gently pull her hand up, her body rising from the chair with it. Her other hand lifts and she places her palm against my chest. Smiling down at her, I touch my mouth to hers. She will never be my wife, but in this house, behind these walls, she will be everything else.
“Bed?” I ask.
She licks her lips, her eyes focused on mine. She breaks eye contact, shifting her gaze to the side, then slides her eyes back to meet mine. They’re different, so different, and I’m curious as to what is working behind them, something that I will find out later. Much later.
“Yes. Bed,” she breathes.
Gripping her hand, I turn, tugging her behind me and together we make our way upstairs. When we’re inside of the bedroom, her bedroom, I think about taking her to mine, but ultimately decide against it.
I don’t know why I don’t guide her into my room, but it doesn’t feel right yet. Maybe soon, maybe never. I’m not sure how I feel about her sharing my actual bed. I own this bed too, so she’s still in my bed, even if it isn’t the one that I usually sleep in.
We’re only in the bedroom for a moment when there is a knock on the door. Turning around, I open it and grin at the sight of Martha standing on the other side with a tray in her hand. Taking the tray from her, I thank her before I close the door and turn to Birdie.
“What’s that?” she asks, her lips parting in awe.
Smiling, I jerk my chin toward the very small table and chairs in the corner. Carrying the tray over, I set it down before I face her.
“Turn around,” I instruct.
Birdie’s lips curve up into a grin and she shakes her head once, but does exactly what I demand. Reaching for the back of her wool dress, I start to unbutton, then unfasten her laces. She lets out a moan, then a sigh, as soon as her corset is completely loose.
The dress pools at her feet, the corset lands somewhere in the vicinity before she turns to face me, wearing nothing but her sheer undergarment blouse. Her nipples are in view and I wonder if she would eat this meal in the nude.
Shaking my head, I decide not to ask her. That is something I could ask a soiled dove to do, but this lady, even as my mistress, I could never ask it of her. She clears her throat, reaching for the waist of her bloomers and unties them. I watch as the ruffled material falls to the floor, leaving her in nothing but the long blouse and stockings.
Birdie reaches for my hand and guides me over to the small table and chairs. She sits in one and I sit in the other, across from her.
“This looks delicious,” she breathes.
I stare at her, unable to look away. “Yeah, it does.”
BIRDIE
Food.
He remembered.
Reaching for the piece of roasted beef, I bring it to my lips and moan as it touches my tongue.
“Amazing,” I exhale.
Colt chuckles, and I clear my throat, lifting my eyes to meet his gaze. He looks like he’s starving, but not for food. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I silently watch him for a moment.
“Tell me something,” I blurt out.
“About?”
I shrug a shoulder, reaching for a potato and slip that between my lips, trying my hardest not to make sex noises, but fuck, I haven’t been able to really eat in days and I’m hungry as shit. Continuing to eat as slowly and ladylike as possible, I wait to see if he’s going to start talking, he doesn’t.
“About yourself, Colt,” I say with an exasperated sigh.
He chuckles, reaching for a piece of beef on my plate. I watch as he pops it into his mouth and begins to chew. I can practically see the wheels turning inside of his head at my question. I don’t really care what he says, but I want to get to know him a little. He’s a complete stranger to me.
“I am the leader of this entire country and I feel like a fraud,” he announces.
My eyes widen at his confession and I tilt my head to the side. “How is that?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I answer my letters, I comment on laws and policies. I even create laws and policies and yet, I feel as if I mean nothing. I am a puppet. I was brought in by an Assembly.
“This country used to be governed by several types of groups, groups that attempted to work together. Groups that became so corrupt, that they neglected the people which eventually caused a civil war. As a result, the Assembly decided that we would have more of a totalitarian society and they appointed someone, for life, to govern and rule.”
“They chose you? Wow,” I breathe.
I am seriously impressed. In awe, actually. Granted, I don’t know much about this place, but to be chosen for any kind of major position like that is something to not only be proud of, but to be in awe of as well.
“And you think you’re a fraud?” I ask.
He shrugs a shoulder. “I know that I am. I also know that I’m their puppet, or at least they think that I am.”
“They do?”
He hums. “They send me requests and suggestions. I haven’t rocked the boat too much, but I have my own ideas and ways of doing things. When it matters to me and my people, I will do what’s right and what needs to be done, even if it is unpopular.”
“Our countries are very similar, Colt.”
Colt doesn’t ask me to go into
