He nodded.
“And you’re going to my home?”
“I am.”
“Then I’m going with you.” She stood, intent on packing her belongings. It took a moment to realize she didn’t have a single personal item with her.
“It’s safer for you here.”
“You shouldn’t travel alone. Someone needs to watch your back. And…I can’t stay in this manor.” Not only did it feel like the walls were closing in on Reid, but she also wasn’t ready to face her mother again. She needed some time and space to process. A trip home would do just that.
Ackley regarded her for a long minute. “Okay.”
Relief filled Reid. She’d been afraid he’d argue against it.
“But seeing as how your father locked you in here, I’m not sure he’s going to let you leave the manor.”
She realized her mother wouldn’t either—especially not alone with Ackley and Gordon. Not only that, but Dexter would be furious if she ran off without discussing it with him. She’d been in such a hurry to leave that she hadn’t stopped to consider his feelings. “I can’t go without talking to Dexter.”
Ackley smirked. “You need to ask your fiancé’s permission to leave with me?”
“No.” Reid sighed. “I can’t leave without telling him where I’m going and what I’m doing.” She didn’t need to ask him if she could go.
Dexter stepped into the room. “What’s going on?” he demanded, glancing between Ackley and Reid.
Colbert, Markis, and Gordon also filed in.
“I was just about to come find you,” Reid said.
Dexter closed the door before turning to face her. “You were? Because the last time you left, you ran off without telling me.”
“That was different.”
“How?” He took a step closer.
“That was…before.” Before they were friends. Before she felt a connection to him.
“What’s going on?” Colbert asked.
“I’m going north to retrieve my mother and sister before Eldon sends someone after them,” Ackley said. “Reid can’t stand being here, so she’s coming with me.”
“North where?” Dexter asked.
“To Ellington,” Reid replied. “While we’re there, I want to organize my father’s soldiers. Anna’s plan is never going to work.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Dexter said. “I’ll accompany you.”
Ackley tilted his head back, mumbling something at the ceiling. “Fine. But we travel fast and light. I’m worried about Idina.”
“While Gordon has a reason to leave, I’m not sure Anna is going to let anyone else go,” Colbert pointed out. “She seems to think she’s in charge and calling the shots.”
“I’ll figure something out,” Ackley said. “Just go along with whatever I say at breakfast tomorrow.”
“I want Colbert to remain here,” Dexter said. “That way, he can keep tabs on Anna. And if something ends up happening to me, there will still be a living heir.”
Everyone agreed.
“I’m going to bed,” Ackley said, pushing off the dresser and retrieving his bag. “We have a long week ahead of us. I suggest everyone else return to their bedchambers to pack for the journey.”
Everyone exited Reid’s room. When Dexter turned to close the door, he paused. “What’s the matter?”
“My father locked me in here.” She wasn’t sure she could handle being in there all night, knowing someone could lock her in again.
“Yet, Ackley still managed to find a way in.”
Reid shrugged, not wanting to talk about Ackley.
Dexter sighed. “Would you like me to stay with you?”
What did he mean by that?
“I’ll take the floor,” he clarified.
Reid didn’t want to seem like a child, afraid of sleeping alone. However, the thought of him there subdued the uneasiness she felt. Unable to verbally admit how much she needed a companion, Reid simply nodded.
Dexter stepped back into the room, shutting the door behind him. “Is it okay if I lock it from the inside so no one can get in? I’ll sleep better that way.”
She hated the idea of the door being locked at all. However, she understood his concern. “What if someone locks it from the outside again?”
“Either I’ll pick the lock or knock the door down.”
Smiling, Reid crawled under the covers, leaving her clothes on.
After snuffing out the candles, Dexter situated himself on the floor.
Since the bedchamber didn’t have a fireplace, the room’s temperature wasn’t all that comfortable. “Dexter?” Reid whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Umm…” She wasn’t sure how to say what she wanted to. “It is rather cold.”
“Yes, it is.” The floor creaked as Dexter tried to get comfortable.
Instead of tossing him a blanket, Reid scooted over. “Will you join me? I could use your body heat.” And she needed his strong presence beside her. The room was so dark she couldn’t even see her own hand in front of her face. And, if she were being completely honest, she wanted Dexter next to her.
“I’m not sure that’s a smart idea with your parents in the manor.” His voice sounded husky.
“I don’t care.”
The floor creaked again. There was a rustling sound. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
The bed dipped as Dexter climbed on it, sprawling next to her.
Reid rolled onto her side to face him, although she couldn’t see him in the darkness. “Are you on top of the covers?”
“I am.” He swallowed.
“You don’t want to get under them?”
He was quiet for a minute before answering. “It’s not that I don’t want to…”
“I’m fully clothed.” It wasn’t like she was wearing a thin nightdress. She even had on socks. “It’s freezing, and it’s only going to get colder.”
“If I get under these blankets, I can’t guarantee I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
The thought of him wanting her—of him even thinking about her that way—made Reid’s heart race. “The whole point of you being in bed with me is for us to stay warm. We’ve slept side by side before.” And they were getting married. What was the harm in sleeping in the same bed?
Dexter slid under the covers. His hand slowly inched over Reid’s torso, pulling her toward him. The last time she’d laid with him, she’d been facing away from him. Face to face was entirely different. She could feel his breath on her lips. It felt too intimate.
“This is definitely much warmer,” he murmured. “And more comfortable.”
She couldn’t form a coherent response, so she nodded. Which, of course, he couldn’t see.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
No, she was not okay. Her heart was beating too fast, her breathing too rapid, and now she was too hot. “Umm…”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he whispered, sending a shiver down her spine.