439 The Choice

~ ZARA ~

That night when we reached the estate it was very late, and we were exhausted from loving each other several times in the carriage.

So we told the sleepy servants to ignore our unpacked bags until morning and tumbled into the unfamiliar bed.

David, true to form, fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

I slipped away more slowly, my eyes closing over the sight of his handsome face turned towards me in sleep, his broad, strong chest bare because he'd pushed the blankets back.

I fell asleep thinking about how incredible my life was, and how special. And wondering why all of this had happened to me—but being very, very grateful that it had.

I don't know how long I slept before I felt the end of the bed dip and assumed David must have gotten up, or perhaps it was morning and a servant had walked in. In the fog of half-sleep, I rolled over and muttered, "Leave us to sleep. We're tired."