The fire in the fireplace was almost out. Only a few orange embers glowed in the dark. Inside the Duke's large bedroom, everything was quiet. Cassia could feel the heavy weight of the silk sheets and the warmth of the man sleeping next to her. Jeric's arm was wrapped firmly around her waist. His slow, steady breathing brushed against the back of her neck.
For a few minutes, Cassia just lay there. She watched the shadows dancing on the ceiling as her mind slowly put the pieces of the night back together. She remembered the wedding. She remembered the loud music and the many very drunk people at the celebration. She remembered the long agonizing walk down the hallway and the moment they had entered this room.
