Helen had tea made and the fire burning in the hearth. Sam stumbled out of her room as the sun rose, the rays glistening through the drawn curtains. Helen sipped at the small mug and watched as Sam moved to get her own.
"Coffee?" Sam's voice was gravelly with sleep.
"Never."
Nodding, Sam started the pot of coffee, but sipped at her own mug. "For Jack, he's grumpy without it."
Sam's seriousness caused Helen to smirk, an expression she covered with the edge of her mug. "Will Jack be waking soon?"
"Soon enough. He needs to go out and get more wood." Sam nodded her head toward their dwindling pile. "How much snow is there?"
She quickly moved to the window and pulled back the yellow curtain to stare out side.
"Oh my."
"A lot," Helen answered. "And it still seems to be falling. I don't think that Will and I will be able to leave today."
"Yeah, I'm thinking not." Sam responded. "He might have to shovel the roof off."
Sam turned back to Helen and moved to the kitchen island where the woman was seated. She leaned against the marble countertop and held her mug tightly in her two hands.
Cocking her head to the side, Helen smiled before taking another sip. She was staring at Sam. "We look alike." She said it as a statement, trying to determine where Sam was in her thinking and if it was an appropriate topic to bring up.
"Maybe we're related." Sam shrugged and took another sip of her tea.
"Perhaps." Helen's eyes crinkled in the corner as she smiled. "Will can help with the shoveling."
"I don't want him to do that." Sam moved her hand around her head. "Head injury and all."
"He'll be grateful for it. Besides, it's punishment for getting us into trouble." Helen finished her tea and moved to the sink. "Are you planning on turning the generator off at all?"
Sam nodded her head, sipping at the warm mug. "Yeah, we don't have enough gas to last more than two full days. We'll turn it off for a few hours, but tonight we're really going to need to sleep out here. It will be far too cold in the rooms."
Giving in, Helen nodded. "William will be sleeping for hours to come. He had a restless night."
"Oh?" Sam took another sip of her tea. Helen leaned back against the countertop, her hands holding her body up.
"His bruised ribs. He couldn't find a comfortable position."
"Can't be because you punch and kick in your sleep." His voice was low as he stumbled into the room. His hips swayed until he plopped down at the center island.
"I do not kick, William." Helen scoffed.
"Coffee."
His one word response stirred Helen to action. She reached for the mug she had just cleaned and filled it to the brim with hot and black coffee. Knowing how he liked it, she slid the drink in front of him and watched as he chugged half of it.
"How are you feeling?" She swung around the counter and started to take his vitals.
"Better with coffee." He held out his right wrist for Helen to take his pulse while he sipped at the elixir of his life.
"Why are you awake?" Her fingers carded through his hair and over his cheek, tilting his chin so he had to look her in the face.
Will shrugged.
"William?"
His cheeks were stained red, and his eyes flickered over to where Sam was standing. Sam knew instantly why Will was no longer asleep and found it quite amusing that Helen did not. He turned back to Helen and shook his head.
"Tell me."
Will swallowed. Mumbling, he said, "Because you weren't there anymore."
Helen's lips formed a perfect O, and she turned her head to glance back at Sam. Giving in, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Will's temple. "Go back to the room."
"Magnus," he whined.
"Go back to the room, William." She plucked the coffee mug from his fingers and moved back to the sink. Will scuttled off, throwing a glare over his shoulder.
Sam was already cleaning the used coffee mug. "We'll probably have a late brunch," she started. Turning to look at Helen, scanning the woman, she made a decision. "I can come get you when we eat."
"I don't—"
"You haven't slept a wink all night." Sam gave her a sweet smile.
Helen's brows knit together. "How did you know?"
"Intuition." She twisted back to the sink before Helen could see the look on her face. "Go on, I'll come get you."
Nodding her head, Helen made out of the kitchen area and back toward the bedroom. She didn't bother knocking on the door and slipped inside. Will was a lump on the bed. She moved over and sat on the edge of the mattress, her hand rubbing into his back. His face was pressed into the pillow. Slowly, he turned over. Her hand flitted to his side where his bruised ribs were. She started tugging up his shirt so that she could observe the injury.
"Does it hurt at all?"
"Hurts to lay on my side." He grimaced when she pushed two fingers into his skin. Hissing, he slid closer to her body and away from her fingers. Magnus stopped and gave him a stern look. Pressing her fists into the mattress on either side of his body she leaned down and hunched.
"Then don't lay on your side."
He had to swallow before answering. "I wasn't planning on it." Will drew in a deep breath, the air filling his lungs as he stared up at her.
"Good." She winked at him.
Will blinked, remaining as silent as possible. He didn't want to spook her. The tension was rising; he was having trouble breathing. They stared at each other. Helen bit her lower lip and let her lids droop. Will didn't wait any longer. Reaching up, he cupped the back of her neck and started to drag her down. Helen complied. Pressing a hand onto his stomach, she supported herself. Their lips touched.
She drew in a sharp breath and relaxed into the embrace. His lips were gentle against hers. Wet and silky. She felt as he tangled fingers in her hair and held her close. He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising, and her hand moved upward in response. Her fingers were on his bare skin. She was surprised by how hot his flesh was against her.
Her tongue slipped over his lips as she slowed the embrace. She took deep breaths, her fingers moving back and forth against his chest. She kissed her way to his ear and nibbled on his lobe.
"You should be sleeping."
"As should you," he countered.
"In a bit." She was kissing him again. She couldn't get away from his lips; they were intoxicating. She quickly became addicted to kissing him. Her tongue swirled around with his, her chest rising and falling unevenly, and her cheeks flushed.
She moaned when Will's fingers worked under the hem of Sam's tank-top that she was still wearing. His fingertips were cold. They pressed into her skin, and her body rocked forward. Will broke away from her and planted gentle kisses down her neck.
"Lay down." He whispered.
Helen took a moment too long to oblige. He gave her a gentle nudge with his hands, and she moved fully down onto the mattress. She was on her side, facing him, running her fingers over every inch of skin that she could find.
"Not the concussion."
Will snorted. "It was never related to a concussion."
Blue eyes turned up to him, wide and scared.
"Helen," he whispered her name and trailed a tender finger over the curve of her cheek. Conveying as much emotion as possible into the look, he stared at her. "There was never an excuse behind what I feel for you."
She nodded.
Leaning his head down, Will pressed a long kiss to her forehead. "Turn over."
"What?"
"Turn over. We need to rest."
Helen licked her lips, but turned onto her other side. Will sidled on up behind her and wrapped his arm over her stomach. Helen twisted her head up so that she could kiss Will's lips. She didn't want to stop kissing. Cupping the side of his face, she held him close until he had to move away. Slipping behind her, his hand trailed up and down her side. He kept moving it as long as possible.
Moving in closer, he pressed his lips along her shoulder line.
"You taste good."
Helen started giggling. Her voice echoed in the room. His tongue flicked out, and he licked her skin. The air stopped in her lungs.
"Rest now," he whispered it again. "We always have later."
He waited until he was sure she was sleeping. His hand never stopped the gently motion along her side. His body pressed firmly against hers; their lips aligned. He closed his eyes and allowed the gentle caress of sleep to take over.