Dominic couldn't sleep. His side ached. He was hungry. And worst of all, there was a beautiful woman sleeping on a bed in the next room that he couldn't tear his mind from. The sun hadn't even come up yet but he was eager to go outside and just clear his head.

He peeked into the bedroom and saw Leslie sleeping soundly. Silently he tightened his holster and patted his pistol just to be sure it was still there. He had spent his last shot on Leslie's father but nevertheless, he felt reassured having it on his hip.

Once outside he let out a yawn and stretched his arms out over his head. It was quiet and nothing moved. He peered out into the darkness. He tried to think about what their next move would be but given that he was unconscious for a time and had absolutely no idea where Leslie had taken them, he had absolutely no idea where they were. What did it matter if the dispatches never reached the army?

But he had her family to think about – how could he get her back home? How would he survive doing it? Why did he even have to give her back? Dominic shook those thoughts from his head. "What matters is now," he said to himself.

Dominic gave up searching for answers in the darkness. He figured he'd give sleep another try and headed back into the cabin. When he opened the door he found Leslie standing near the fireplace, throwing another log in.

She turned slowly. Her hair caught the light of the fire. It cast a halo around her head.

Dominic's lips parted. He let out a slight gasp at the sight of her. His dark eyes widened. He shut the door behind him and stood there silently and just looked at her. I don't want to leave this place, he thought.

"What is it?" Leslie broke the silence. She grew nervous by his constant stare. "Did something happen?"

Dominic kept his eyes fixated on hers. He shook his head slightly in response.

"Tell me," she pleaded.

Without thinking he stepped quickly towards her, his eyes never wavering. Before she could let the word "What?" escape her lips, his mouth was on hers. His kiss was consuming. Dominic slid one arm around her waist while the other glided up her back. His fingers entangled in her hair as his palm came to a rest on the back of her head and pulled her closer as his kiss deepened.

Leslie's finger tips barely touched his hips. She stood there stunned not knowing what to do but let him kiss her.

She had been wanting this.

Dominic pulled back slowly and captured her stare once more. He released his hand from behind her head and waited for a moment for her to say something.

She said nothing.

Her breath came in deep quick pants. Words failed her. Her mouth gaped open in awe.

His hands fell from her and instantly she felt cold. "I'm sorry," he said backing away.

Leslie shook her head quickly, her lips pursed to say "no". She choked back nervously. "Don't be," she gasped as she threw her arms around his neck and returned his kiss.

He pulled her closer, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest as he squeezed her tighter and lifted her slightly off her toes.

Dominic pulled back and released her bottom lip from his mouth and softly kissed the tip of Leslie's nose. He brushed away the hair that had fallen over her eyes. "Something did happen," he said in a low voice.

"What?" A look of concern fell over her face.

"Something was stolen from me."

Leslie's eyes squinted in confusion.

Dominic took her hand and planted a soft kiss on the palm and placed it over the left side of his chest. "My heart," he whispered.

Had he been anyone else, this corny declaration of love would have inspired Leslie to raise her knee swiftly into the groin of the man saying it. But beneath her trembling fingers she could feel his heart racing. She suddenly grew nervous. Fear gripped her tightly. Just last night she flirted promiscuously with him. She wasn't even sure where that behavior came from but now he was saying to her that she had stolen his heart? What was this?

"How?" She stammered. "When?"

"From the moment you shoved that pitch fork into my face," he smiled.

Oh, that smile.

And damn sensibility! Leslie's mind was becoming clouded. Voices of reason were echoing within her. She couldn't look Dominic in the eyes any longer and pushed away with an insistent shaking of her head. "No! No, no, no! This is too fast! I don't even know you. We just met. This doesn't happen. Not to me! I…"

She turned away, her right hand covering her lips where his had just been. Dominic reached for the fingers of her left hand and gripped them firmly. "What does it matter the when or the how?" He asked in that low breathy voice that had quickly become something that drove her crazy. He gently tugged at her hand and turned her back to face him. "Answer honestly, Leslie."

He said my name!

"Who is the authority on feelings?" He asked with his eyes piercing through her. "Your father? Society? Who? There's nobody around. It's just you and me."

Leslie could feel her heart pounding. The pulsations were rising in her throat. The words "It's just you and me" kept replaying in her head. Her throat had gone dry and her hands began to sweat. She pulled her clammy fingers from him and wiped them along the sides of her skirt hoping he wouldn't notice. He kept looking at her with those eyes.

"I – I don't know what you want me to say," she finally uttered quietly.

"Just tell me what you feel."

She looked at him with pleading eyes, her mouth quivering. "I don't know how," she cried.

Dominic reached back for her hands and took them both in his. The light from the fireplace reflected in his eyes. Leslie felt as if he could look right through her. And then he said it – three words that stopped her heart.

"Then show me."