Chapter 1 - Touch.
Bennet looked over at her. He noticed the way her soft lips were parted ever so slightly, the peachiness of her cheeks, the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Bella's curls were splayed along the white linen, her floral hairpieces tangled amongst the swirls. Bennet's quivering fingers gently untangled a slightly squashed plum flower piece, and fumbled with the wrinkled petals to bring it back into blossom. He placed the flower on his chest and busied himself with the rest, carefully easing the petals out with his uneasy fingers, aching slightly from the brawl he found himself in not long ago.
With a small bundle of flowers on his chest, Bennet sighed and stretched his fingers, listening to crack and the rough brushing of his palms rubbing together. Bennet looked at her.
Bella let out a soft sigh and turned in her sleep, curling into a loose ball while burying her face in her pillow. The white linen sheet slid down, exposing her bare shoulders, leaving the slightest trace of goose pimples on her skin. Bennet frowned at the thought of Bella getting cold and quietly pulled the cover back over her shoulders, lightly smoothing the wrinkles of fabric down her shoulder with his thumb. Bella quivered, pulling the sheets up to her chin and gently pushed herself back towards Bennet.
Bennet hesitated and he looked at her. Slowly, he shrunk down under covers and edged himself just a little bit closer to Bella; the smallest of gaps between them closed. His breath fluttered the loose strands of Bella's hair and he inhaled her scent, the faint smell of her worn fragrance from yesterday and the subtle essence of lipstick. Bennet listened to Bella's shallow breathing as he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her just that little bit closer to him. His arm remained stiff around her, ready to pull himself away if Bella awoke. But she didn't.
Bella could feel his warmth, the arm around her waist and she hid a small smile behind the sheets and sighed. Bennet relaxed and exhaled, his breath tickling the back of Bella's neck and smiled to himself.
