“You stayed.”
“Obviously.”
“You should've slept.”
“So should you.”
He squeezed her fingers.
Neither mentioned it.
Three days later, he was strong enough to stand.
Clara caught him trying to carry wood.
She took the log away.
“You are impossible.”
“I've heard.”
“From whom?”
“My wife.”
The word hit differently now.
My wife.
Clara looked at him.
Elias looked back.
Neither smiled.
Then he leaned toward her.
Slowly.
Clara's heart hammered.
His mouth stopped an inch from hers.
“Clara.”
“Yes?”
“If I kiss you, are you going to blame the fever?”
She whispered:
“Only if you're terrible at it.”
He laughed against her breath.
Then kissed her.
Gentle at first.
Almost painfully careful.
Clara touched his shirt.
Elias pulled back.
She frowned.
“What?”
“Making sure.”
“Of what?”
“That you want another.”
Clara grabbed his suspenders and pulled him back.
The second kiss answered him.
That night he still slept beside the stove.
Clara lay awake furious.
The next morning she informed him he was an idiot.
He agreed.
Neither explained why.
The kisses continued.
The sleeping arrangement did not.
Clara began to suspect Elias might possess limitless patience.
Or limitless fear.
Both annoyed her.
One evening she found him repairing a chair.
“You kissed me yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“And the day before.”
“Yes.”
“And twice Sunday.”
He looked up.
“Three times.”
Clara’s face warmed.
“You counted?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you still on the floor?”
The chair suddenly became fascinating.
“Elias.”
He rubbed his beard.
“Because kissing and sharing a bed are different.”
“I am aware of basic anatomy.”
His face turned red.
Clara almost laughed.
He put down the tool.
“I don't want you doing something because you think marriage requires it.”
She softened.
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
Clara stepped closer.
“What if eventually I want you to stop being so honorable?”
His breathing changed.
“How eventually?”
She smiled.
“That depends on your behavior.”
Elias groaned.
Clara walked away before her courage failed.
Behind her, he muttered:
“Dangerous woman.”
She smiled for the rest of the night.
February brought a thaw.
Then another freeze.
The cabin roof began leaking near the chimney.