Disclaimer: I don't own the Mummy. Duh.
Where Love Leads
Chapter Three
The sun rose, and with it, so did Rick O'Connell. The first thing he noticed upon regaining consciousness was that the smell of sunflowers and something distinct and pleasant lingered around him. His eyes slid open and he frowned, not realizing where the warmth at his side was coming from, until he remembered the night before.
A slow smile rose to his lips as he rolled over gently, and looked at the small woman lying next to him.
Evelyn Carnahan had to be the most beautiful thing Rick had ever laid eyes on, yet she looked so innocent resting there, her hair mussed slightly and pooling around her head in dark waves. Her eyes were closed, of course, and a small smile rested upon her lips, her body twisted, and arm curled next to her head.
Rick watched the slow rise and fall of her chest beneath the blankets, knowing that beneath them lay a soft, beautiful body, unmarred by scars or imperfections. Looking down at his own flesh, he saw a myriad of scars and winced. How Evelyn could find him attractive in any way escaped him, but he felt lucky. For once in his life, he had someone worth living for, and he wasn't about to question it.
He reached out and caressed Evelyn's cheek, smiling when her eyes fluttered, and dark hazel orbs peered up at him sleepily. A broad smile reached her lips when she realized where she was, and she rolled slightly to face Rick.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty." He said softly, brushing his fingers through her hair. She blushed, leaning forward and kissing him quickly, surprised at how just that tiny contact could stir her blood again.
"Good morning, Mister O'Connell." She replied, a teasing expression on her face as she curled against him, laying her head on his chest. His eyes slid shut at the warmth of her cheek on him, and he wrapped his arms around Evelyn, holding her close. He dropped a light kiss on the top of her head and relaxed, concentrating only on the feel of the woman he loved pressed so tightly against his body.
Their comfortable cuddling, however, was broken by the sound of the phone ringing next to Rick's bed. Groaning, he sat up, Evelyn rolling over and giving a disappointed groan. He smiled fondly at her, while picking up the receiver.
"Hello?" He asked, sounding a bit irritated.
"O'Connell, I can't find her anywhere! I just came home a little late and she was gone, no note, nothing! I've looked around, really I have, but I can't find any signs of a struggle! Where could she be? Oh God, if anything's happened to my baby sister while I was out drinking, I just don't know if I could forgive myself, what have I-"
"Jonathan, calm down." Rick butt in, rubbing his temple and trying not to get too angry at being interrupted from his cuddle time with Evelyn for this.
"She's here. She couldn't sleep last night, and she's here."
Jonathan was silent for a moment, and then the interrogation began.
"And what, may I ask, did you two do last night?" He demanded, sounding very much like the over-protective brother he was. "Where did she sleep? What did she sleep in? What-"
"JONATHAN." Rick shouted, at the end of his rope. Then, he began to answer the nosey Englishman's questions in the order they were so frantically posed to him. "None of your business, in my bed, her pajamas, and relax. She's a grown woman, for Christ's sake." Rick ground out, rubbing Evelyn's arm to sooth her when he saw the distressed look on her face.
"Let me talk to my baby sister." Jonathan demanded, and Rick sighed, and handed her the phone.
"Yes?"
"Evy, what were you thinking? He's much too...too...surly for you." Jonathan finished lamely.
"Oooh! Jonathan, don't worry about me! It's none of your business who I choose to spend my time with!" Evelyn exclaimed, her eyes narrowing. "And I believe you're the one who wasn't home on time. I needed to go somewhere, I couldn't sleep, I was too worried about you." Two could play at the guilt game, after all.
"So while you were sick with worry for me, dear sister, you slept with O'Connell?" He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he said the wrong thing, but before he could take it back, Evelyn was speaking, and her voice was hard, but thickened with emotion, which Jonathan knew to mean that she was hurt.
"Good bye, Jonathan." Was all she said, before hanging up the phone.
Slowly Jonathan hung up the phone, putting his head in his hands. "Bloody Hell..."