Chapter 14: Jameson

He grinned at her before he urged his horse forward. She followed and they road until just before sunset where he lead them off the road a ways before setting up camp. "I'm sorry you'll have to sleep outdoors, Annalise."

"Spending the night under the stars in your arms doesn't sound so bad to me." She grinned at him.

"Ever the optimists." He laughed. "I like that about you."

"I wish that were always true of me. But it's actually something I learned after spending time with you."

He laughed loudly. "You certainly did not get that attitude from me."

She smiled grabbing his hand. "No. But I want to make the world better for you. This is the first step."

He leaned down kissing her deeply. "How can anyone not love you."

She laughed. "Easily, it wouldn't seem. I don't know how but I have made many enemies."

He kissed her again. "Through no fault of your own, Annalise. You've been unfairly pulled into a war between brothers."

"One I cant comprehend." She sighed. "Alion is adopted... he isn't a mage. Why does he think he can sit on the throne? I known my father tends to use the military to fix most of his problems but have things really gotten so bad?"

"I don't think they have. Things have been tense but the people aren't suffering. Alion is just selfish."

She shook her head. "I don't want to think of this any longer. Can we just enjoy our night together. I fear my carefree nights in your arms are limited."

He sighed as he laid out the blankets, she was right. Once they reached the main camp he wouldn't be allowed to share a bed with her any longer. In fact, maybe never again. He picked her up and carried her to the blankets where he laid down with her in his arms. "I don't want to think of that..." he untied her riding cloak and buried his face in the nap of her neck. He kissed up to her ear before he reached up pulling the pins from her hair. It cascaded over him and he breathed deeply taking in her scent. He wanted to remember how she smelled for the rest of his life. He kissed her deeply before pulling away. "I know sleeping in your clothes isn't comfortable but we are outside. It's the safest thing to do."

"I understand." She said laying on his chest. "It was the same when we made our way to Thorngate."

How could he have forgotten. When he and Cailan fled the crown city with Annalise they had to sleep outdoors a few times. Though she mostly slept slumped against a tree trembling with fear, Cailan standing over her, while he was around to do so. Why her father didn't send her in a carriage with a company of guards he didn't know. He had the carriage to send full of her clothes and shoes. He sighed. It didn't matter now. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I am sorry things have been so hard for you, Annalise."

"I am okay. If I wouldn't have been driven out of the palace we wouldn't have found one another." She smiled as she sat up far enough to kiss him before laying on his chest again.

"If you weren't driven from the palace, you'd still have Cailan." Why did he say that. He was terrified to hear her responses.

She sat up and looked deeply into his eyes. "Jameson, I love you far more than I ever loved Cailan. Don't misunderstand, he was an incredible man and I did love him but he would never treated me as more than an ideal. You treat me as a woman. If I had known you like this when we still lived in the crown city, I would have chosen you."

He sat up searching her violet eyes and she was clearly sincere. "I... thank you, Annalise. No one had ever chosen me over my brother before."

"I love you, Jameson. I will always chose you."

He grabbed her by her waist pulling her into his lap where he kissed her until they were both desperate for air. Then he kissed her again. And again each more passionate than the last. He felt her love for him through her kiss and that pushed him all the more. She had her hands in his hair pulling him closer. His tongue tangled with hers and she grabbed his shirt lifting it so she could run her smooth hands up his stomach and chest. He sighed as he pulled away. "We should sleep." She looked at him with red cheeks and swollen lips and he couldn't stop himself from slanting his lips across hers again. She shoved him down crawling on top of him. "Annalise!" She grinned at him kissing him deeply. She was fearless as she kissed him over and over again. He had never seen her so brave before. He wanted to give her what she wanted, his body was ready to, but he couldn't so he stood up picking her up with him. He sat her on her feet and took a large step from her. "I can't..."

She nodded breathing deeply. "I know."

He sighed. "You're cruel."

She laughed. "I apologize. I just got... lost in the moment."

He pulled her close. "That happens when I am with you." She smiled as he laid back down with her in his arms. "Goodnight, Annalise."

She laughed kissing his cheek. "Goodnight, Jameson."