At first light, Quinn was up like a shot. Her stomach was full of nerves about the day's events, but still she felt anxious to begin the day. After securing herself some breakfast, she walked down to Belle's tables, which were crowded with others also desperate for last minute accessories. She picked out a necklace that held a single teardrop jewel which she hoped was the same green shade as her eyes. And she found a pair of black, flat slip on shoes in her size.
She carried them back to her room, dropping them next to her dress, and then wandered through the Great Hall. Small groups of people were bustling back and forth, setting up the Hall and preparing for the wedding. But she knew that while the wedding was the reason for all the guests in the first place, it was the celebration afterward that was drawing the most excitement.
She came upon Cassandra sitting at a table with a mug of ale.
"It's a bit early for that isn't it?" Quinn asked, seating herself beside her.
"Is it? I do not care," she said, "But I am glad you are here, I have been looking for you. I need your assistance."
"Whatever you need, Cass."
"It is a very serious problem," she said, her face grim and scowling. "I have nothing to wear to the festivities today. I do not like any of the dresses at Belle's shop. I refuse to wear frills and lace and all those colors."
"I had the same problem. Did Belle show you to the trunk she keeps behind the cart?"
Cassandra looked up at her in surprise.
"No, she did not." Cassandra answered sourly.
"I had to specifically ask for it myself."
"So she has more dresses?"
Quinn nodded.
"Well let us go. We are running out of time," Cassandra said standing up.
Cass lead her urgently toward the door of the Hall, dodging other panicked girls who were trying to curl their hair and walk on high heeled shoes. They passed some Orlesians who had set aside their masks, and some decorators that were trying to secure bouquets of flowers sections of the walls.
"How is our Commander doing?" Cassandra asked, giving Quinn the side eye.
"He is well I think. I won't see him until later."
"Yes, that figures. Duty calls. But you seem less melancholy," she said.
"I am," she said and she sighed. "But Cass, I'm a bundle of nerves. I was only supposed to be pretending to be his… whatever. But now I can't stop thinking about him."
Cassandra nodded. "That is not a surprise." she said.
"That's all you have to say? I need your advice, Cass! Please!" she turned to stand in front of Cassandra, stopping them.
"Advice? You want to know what you should do? All I can tell you is to have an honest conversation with him. I believe he will take it well, and will be kind to you if he does not return the feelings," she said. "I don't know why he wouldn't. You two are a good match. I know that he has not had a woman in a very long time. It has not been in his priorities, and he is a man who loves his duties. Unless he is truly ready to be with you, I fear you will always come second to his work."
Quinn nodded and turned to continue walking.
"Then again, he does seem to harbor desires to become a family man."
Cassandra stepped in front of her this time. "But be sure of your feelings before you say anything. If this is just a rebound from Solas, you could be the one who breaks his heart. And Cullen does not deserve that either. And what if Solas returns? What if Cullen tells you he wants you too, and then Solas walks right into Skyhold tomorrow? Would you have a difficult choice? Because if you do not know for certain that you would choose Cullen, then you should probably keep quiet." she said.
"Yes. Yes, you are absolutely right," Quinn said. "Thank you Cassandra."
"You would choose Cullen then?" she asked and they continued walking, almost to Belle's table. "Over Solas?"
"Yes." she said, certain of her answer, "I would."
"Well then I wish you luck with the conversation you must have with him. Do you plan to do it tonight?"
"Yes, if the right moment comes up." said Quinn.
"And if it does not?"
"Then, I guess, I will wait until one does. But I don't think I can wait long. Maybe I will have to make the right moment happen."
"That's my girl." Cassandra said.
Quinn led Cassandra around to the trunk and they rifled through the simpler gowns. Cassandra found a deep grey dress that she pulled out and put up against herself.
"Don't you want something that helps you look a little… softer?" Quinn asked. "Not that you're not beautiful. But I know behind that rough exterior is a romantic. Or do I have to have Varric remind you of that?"
"Don't you dare!" Cassandra said laughing. "Fine, what about this one?" the next one she pulled out was a royal purple, with long sleeves and deep crevice down the front.
"Hm, that looks more up Morrigan's alley than yours."
"Here, this one!" Quinn said and she laid out a dress that was black and emerald green.
"I do like that." Cassandra said. She took it from Quinn and held it up. It was mostly black, with cap sleeves and a shimmering emerald bar running down each side from under the arm to the bottom of the dress. There was no defined waist or skirt, it just looked like it would cling to her body the whole way down.
"I bet your gentleman friend would like it very much."
"My gentleman friend prefers me in no dress at all." said Cassandra.
"Of course he does," Quinn snickered. "Well, anyway, don't forget shoes and accessories like I did."
They gathered up their items and Cassandra followed Quinn up to her quarters.
There was still two hours until the wedding, so they opened up a bottle of wine and lounged around her room until it was time to dress.
Quinn went to the washroom to bathe, and then did her best to make her hair lay flat as it dried. She swept most of it off the to the side and secured it there with a small clip.
After powdering her face, she put a small dab of color on her lips and pinched her cheeks. Her stomach was roiling with apprehension. She couldn't wait to see Cullen's reaction, but she also was not looking forward to the talk they had to have. What if she had just been misreading everything? What if after being given more time to think, she just wasn't what he wanted?
Cassandra and Quinn left the room together and walked out to the Great Hall. She checked over her room before she shut the door, knowing that she would not be able to return right away since the musicians and ceremony would be blocking the way.
People were already starting to pour into the Hall, with family members occupying many of the benches that had been set up. The stage where she had sat in judgment throughout the early day of the Inquisition was to be used for the wedding ritual, while the rest of the Hall would hold all the guests.
Cassandra quickly found her gentleman friend and introduced Quinn. But soon they parted ways, as Cassandra wanted to visit the dining room for a quick bite to eat.
Quinn's stomach was too full of nerves for food. She acquired herself another glass of wine, but drank it slowly, not wanting to upset her stomach more.
Several instrumentalists that were stationed behind the stage area began to play a haunting melody. People seemed to assume that the ceremony would be beginning shortly, and some friends of the bride came through asking that people clear the pathway to the stage.
The hall filled with hushed throngs of masked, ornately dressed guests, while Quinn stood alone feeling ostentatious in her simple red gown.
She found a spot along the wall, close to the door that led to the gardens, in case she wanted to slip away. Many of the guests eyed her as they took their seats. She did not know what it was they were thinking. But as the Inquisitor, she was used to being watched.
Her heart was pounding as she waited for Cullen to make his appearance. She scanned the crowd, and kept her eyes on the door, but each time the door opened the guests who appeared were not him. .
She felt shaky, her stomach roiling and uneasy, so she decided to step into the garden to center herself and get a few breaths of fresh air while she had time. She slipped past the dozens of guests milling about along the wall, and quickly exited the large wooden door.
She was met by the sweet, floral scent of the garden flowers and she took a deep, calming breath, feeling the soothing energies of the lush, green space come into her. She took a few steps out toward the grassy lawn, and realized with a jolt that standing only a few meters away, in the pathway that ran along the perimeter of the gardens, was Cullen.
He was dressed in a suit of solid black that buttoned all the way up to base of his throat, and which accentuated his broad shoulders and slim torso. He was speaking seriously to three men in guard uniforms, who were hanging on his every word and nodding. His brows were drawn slightly, his amber eyes focused and fierce. From where she stood she could hear the deep melodic music of his voice as he gave detailed instructions to the two men.
Quinn was stopped cold, and for a moment she forgot why she was there. He hadn't noticed her yet, but it only took a few heartbeats before his eyes flicked in her direction and then landed on her.
She swallowed with great effort, and gave him a little wave. He stopped speaking mid sentence and his face seemed to take on an even more intense seriousness, but his only real response was a brief nod in her direction. She didn't want to disturb him since he was obviously still working, so she decided to continue on with what she had planned out here to begin with, now that she could remember what that was. Fresh air. Peace. Quiet. All things she felt she needed even more now that she had just had the breath sucked out of her.
Slipping her shoes off, she walked barefoot out into the thick green grass of the garden and wiggled her toes around between the cool blades. She looked up into the sky and breathed in deep, smelling the scents of Elfroot and Embrium swirling in the air around her. She wanted to sit, but decided not to risk getting green stains on her dress.
"Maker's breath." she heard Cullen's voice behind her. She turned to see him walking in her direction, his face looking even paler than usual.
"You… " he started, he was looking her up and down, his face expressionless. He cleared his throat and shook his head, "You look so beautiful," he said softly.
"Thank you. You look… well, that suit. That suit is better than I know how to even describe," she stammered, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry.
He looked down at himself and then laughed her off.
He offered her his arm, and she stepped forward and took it.
"I am going to be the envy of every man in there. And you the envy of every woman," he whispered into her ear. She felt a hot blush climb up to her cheeks, and she looked down at her bare feet. She was tempted to throw out her shoes completely and just stay barefoot. The dress was long enough that no one would know. Until it was time to dance, that is.
"May I?" he asked, motioning to the glass of wine in her other hand.
"Of course." She held it out to him and he tossed back most of the contents in a single gulp, and then handed the glass back to her with only about a drink left. The dull thrumming of the music changed, and she figured the ceremony must be beginning so she slipped her shoes back on. They walked toward the door to the hall, but Quinn decided she didn't want to hold on to an empty wine glass for the next half hour, so she walked toward a bench along the wall to set the glass down at the nearby table.
When she turned and walked back toward Cullen, he was frozen in place, watching her. Those eyes… deep, golden pools that were so full, so warm, and yet a little bit guarded and mysterious. They pierced her deeply, riling up a profound need from somewhere deep in her soul. She held his gaze for several steps, but had to look away, unable to handle the intensity.
Sliding her hand back into the crook of his elbow, she bumped against the hard bulge of the muscle beneath his coat. She thought she felt a gentle tremor in his touch.
"Cullen you're shaking. Are you alright?" she asked, knowing he had issues with Lyrium withdrawal.
They were right at the door, with the music pulsating through the wood. The ceremony was definitely beginning, and she knew they needed to get out there. But she slowed her steps to the door, wanted to prolong every last second that it could be just the two of them. She had been hoping for a big reaction to the dress, and while he had had little to say, the way he was looking at her was sucking the breath right out of her lungs and making her feel weak. The butterflies in her stomach grew into sparrows, and began banging against the bars of her ribcage.
"Yes," he said, "I am alright."
They stood at the door silently, seemingly soaking in each other's company before joining the rest of the crowd. The moment was quiet, but full.
Finally she pulled open the door, and they crept between the guests standing along the wall to an open space.
She held onto his arm, and he placed his hand over hers. His hand was definitely quivering, and his palm felt a little sweaty. He was watching her with every step they took, his eyes taking on the deep, glazed look that they had the first night at the tavern, when they were both a little drunk and she had brushed his earlobe with her lips. She recalled the sensation of him clutching at her waist with both of his strong hands, pulling her to him. That couldn't have been for show, the way that the urgency and desire pulsated through her with his touch. She wanted so badly to feel that again. She needed to. She felt herself internally beginning to soar, knowing that he was reacting to her, wanting her. He hadn't needed to say much, as his eyes and his body was giving him away.
They found a spot to stand against the wall, and slid into place. He put a shaky hand on the small of her back, but she decided that she wasn't going to just stand there with him, with free license to touch him affectionately however she chose, and not indulge herself a little bit. Besides, what if, after she confessed her feelings, he decided he wasn't ready to get close to someone after all? Or what if, as Cassandra said, he wanted to put his work first? Or what if he decided he didn't want someone who had so recently been in love with someone else? What if his feelings for her were such that he would bed her, but had no interest in loving her? Her mind ran through any possibility for her rejection and she found herself worrying. She knew what she thought could happen, or might happen. But she didn't truly know anything at all, not for certain. Her mind kept going back and forth between what she thought she knew and yet she couldn't stop reminding herself that she didn't know Solas was going to disappear like he had, didn't know that he would push her away and stomp on her heart.
But still, he was there and their charade was still on. Nothing was over yet. She placed her body as near to his as she could, until she felt warmed by the body heat radiating off of him.
The ceremony droned on. She couldn't see anything over all the heads in front of her, and she could barely translate the words being spoken, so her mind wandered for the whole of the ceremony. She leaned back against the wall and let herself get overtaken by her thoughts.
"Are you alright?" Cullen eventually leaned down to whisper into her ear.
She leaned into him, and found her lips dangerously close to his own. She inhaled deeply, and he smelled faintly of leather and cedarwood.
She nodded, and gazed up into his searching eyes. Almost without any aid of her own, she felt herself pulled even closer toward him, the already small gap between them closing. She could barely feel it happening, and didn't know if it was the result of her own movements, or his. He wrapped a solid, comforting arm around her and she felt the tips of his fingertips dig lightly into her back.
"I think so," she said.
Her stomach was aching, the same sort of aching that she had curled herself around for months, laying in bed trying to smother pain with unconsciousness. It was physical, spiritual, emotional, with no single root and no medication except… except what? More of Cullen's touch? A kiss? A promise to love her in good times and bad?
She let her body fall completely into his, her arms finding their place around his him, holding him. The curve of her hips fit into his, and let her breast press into his chest. His hand ran down the exposed flesh of her back, causing goosebumps to emerge all over her, and a shiver to ring through her skin.

She knew it probably didn't look terribly appropriate the way they were clutching at each other. This was supposed to be a wedding and a celebration, but here two not yet lovers were holding each other in ways normally reserved for private moments. But they were far in the back of the hall and no one seemed to be paying them any attention. Quinn was having a difficult time focusing on anything but the man in her arms anyway.
The almost full contact between them lit a fire in her that began to smolder. His hand continued to travel up and down the bare skin of her back, alternating between firm, warm, caresses with his whole hand, and gentle, teasing tickles with just his fingertips. It caused her breathing to go ragged, just like how he breathed in her ear the previous two nights. She felt like her body had become a live wire, ready to come alive and burn them both if given just the right spark.
"Come," he whispered to her and laced his fingers through hers, pulling her toward the exit of the Hall. She followed, feeling in a daze.
Cullen quietly unlatched the great door to the courtyard, and held it open just wide enough for her to slide through. He emerged behind her and they both turned, almost knocking down a man dressed in formal wedding attire.
"Oh, I am so sorry!" Quinn exclaimed, grabbing the man's elbow and steadying him so that he didn't fall down the stairs.
He was a man of very advanced age, and was moving slowly up toward the door.
"My great niece is getting married today." he said in a shaky voice.
She looked at Cullen and they both turned to help the man quietly through the giant Hall doors. Quinn waited as Cullen walked the man slowly through the standing crowd at the back of the hall, toward the benches where the rest of his family was sitting.
By the time Cullen had finished and was making his way back to her, the music was changing and people at the front of the hall were standing.
"I think the ceremony is over," she said to him when he reached her, and clasping hands again they both turned and slipped through the doors, wanting to make it out in time to give the bride and groom, who were surely on their way out of the building, a wide berth.
She wondered where it was he was going to take her, before they were interrupted.
They made their way down the stairs, and crossed the grassy yard toward the tavern, but they did not go inside. They waited, hand in hand, and then arm in arm, for the long procession of bodies now streaming out of the Great Hall to cease.
It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly. Quinn felt the warm rays of the sun on her back and her cheeks. Cullen was beaming down at her with a gaze almost as hot as the sun itself, and Quinn smiled. She felt beautiful, desirable, and completely alive. She was a different person than she was just a few weeks ago.
It didn't take long before the courtyard and Great Hall were bustling with merriment, and once it seemed the crowds had fully emptied, Cullen was pulling her back toward the stairs to the door.
The musicians were setting at the stage where the ceremony had taken place, and items were being cleared away to make room for the dancing. There were tables in almost every corner of Skyhold, holding large casks of wine and ale. But Cullen seemed to be following the smell of the food that was coming from the dining room.
A great banquet was being laid out including a rack of lamb and roast chickens, roasted potatoes, carrots and onions, and a huge table filled with bread and cheese platters.
"Let's dig in before everyone else discovers this feast or we'll be waiting in queue all night." he said.
Quinn laughed, and they piled a plate high with food, grabbed two large mugs that they filled to the brim with the deep, purple wine and dashed out the door through the hall, and back to the garden.
They sat on a little wooden platform under a pergola, that was draped with creeping vines sprouting tiny blue flowers. Quinn felt her stomach rumbling. She realized that her nerves about the day's events had caused her to completely forget to eat. She dug in, with a hunger that she hadn't felt in a long time. Cullen watched her with an amused expression, and they sat in companionable silence while they emptied their plates and their mugs.
Then they were finished, Cullen picked up her hand.
He looked like he had a million thoughts flying around behind his eyes, and like he couldn't get a good handle on any one of them.
She wondered if now might be the right time to start the conversation she knew they needed to have. But that little nagging voice in the back of her head, that little insecurity she still carried, told her that perhaps they should wait until they at least enjoyed a few dances, just in case things didn't go the way she hoped. The longer she looked into his eyes, the smaller that insecure voice became, but she didn't want to take any chances.
He stood and helped her to her feet. They laced fingers and walked across the garden, which had begun filling up with other people.
Opening the door, she walked almost right into Cassandra and her gentleman friend.
"Oh, there you are. Marcus, this is Commander Cullen, and you already met Quinn earlier."
"Yes, we met once before, back in Kirkwall." Cullen said shaking Marcus's hand. "Welcome to Skyhold. I trust Cassandra has given you the full tour." he said.
"Please excuse us," Cassandra said and led Quinn several steps away. Cassandra looked stunning in her dress, the long clinging fabric revealing a womanly figure usually hidden under her shiny armor.
"Apparently several of our visitors had run ins with some bandits on their way here, mostly on the roads coming from Redcliffe. I am planning on riding out early tomorrow and seeing if I can track them down before the guests all begin leaving. I hope to apprehend them before too many people are on the roads, so then I can just return to Skyhold. I would like your assistance if you have nothing else planned for tomorrow."
"Of course Cassandra." answered Quinn.
"But if we do not find them I would like to stay out until we know that all our visitors have safely crossed the mountain passes. And then a few of the traveling men who are going to Redcliffe anyway will keep watch for the rest of their journey, riding along the caravans until they reach the village. "
"That sounds like a good plan" she said.
Once all the arrangements were settled, Cassandra and Marcus departed toward the dining hall, leaving Quinn and Cullen standing amongst the rising flood of Orlesian masks and gowns. Looking around at all the hidden faces, she found herself feeling grateful that she wasn't at the reception alone. Even setting aside the thrilling developments with Cullen, she was glad not to be staring into this sea of porcelain masks without a familiar face she could turn back to.
"I wish I could join you tomorrow." Cullen said offering her his arm and leading her toward the stage of the hall. "I hope you put that matter to rest quickly so you can come back home." Quinn smiled at this.
"So..." he started softly, and then paused. "I suppose we should probably talk." he said.
Instantly the nerves that had finally started feeling calmer were buzzing again. This is it, she realized. Internally, she began to panic. The night had barely even begun and she was dreading the possibility, however small, that their talk might end their evening together.
"We should, I agree. But could we have one dance first?" she asked him.
He looked caught off guard. "Well, yes, of course. I must warn you though, I am not practiced at dancing. Templars never attended balls."
As if on cue, a gloved hand tapped on Cullen's shoulder, and he turned to reveal his three admirers.
"Good afternoon Cullen, you are looking handsome." said Keliva. "My that is an interesting choice of dress Quinn."
"Isn't it lovely? She's the most beautiful woman here." answered Cullen.
"Of course it suits her quite well. But how bold you are to dress so contrary to the popular fashion," said Keliva. "In Halamshiral you would not see any dresses like it in the city markets."
"Real beauty does not need all those artificial embellishments." Cullen said, looking warmly down into Quinn's face. She beamed back at him. "At any rate, I am afraid I must decline your request for a dance, as I already have a dance partner. Do enjoy your evening, and have a safe journey tomorrow." He said and gave a parting nod to the three ladies who stood speechless in their wake.
Cullen led her up to where only a handful of couples were dancing. The sun was still streaming through the stained glass windows and casting the floor in a warm, golden glow.
Cullen was visibly nervous as he took her in his arms and together they took the first few tentative steps to the music.
"Thank you Cullen, for what you said back there." she said.
"I meant it." he said. They were face to face and she allowed her eyes to wander over his features, lingering on his lips, his scar, his creamy skin. Despite his recent shave, his chin was already stubbling up with little dark hairs. She loved his strong brow and cheekbones which framed his deep, honey colored eyes. They always looked darker than they really were, she noticed. From a distance of a few feet they could appear almost dark brown, but up close, like she was now, they were flecked with a brilliant gold.
She wished she could reach up and caress his cheek.
The music was upbeat, and they circled together, matching the dance steps of those around them. Quinn could feel his chest rise and fall as he breathed.
"Quinn, these last few days have been, um, very nice." he said. "At times a bit difficult to bear, but only in the very best way." he said. "The truth is, I am grateful to those ladies. Without them, our time together these last few nights wouldn't have happened."
"True. We wouldn't be dancing together now." she said.
"Well, I would have asked you to dance no matter what" he said.
"You would have?" she asked, "Even though you don't like to dance?"
"Absolutely. I have admired you for a very long time." he said. "To be honest I went into a little fog of my own when you and Solas got together. And I wanted to hunt him down when I heard what he had done to you."
"You did? I had no idea Cullen."
"Yes. But I have thought on it a lot since then, and now I see that, well, obviously that just wasn't my time yet." he said, and then cleared his throat. "I am sorry, I don't mean to be presumptuous."
"Actually, Cullen, I…" she stopped.
"The truth is, many times over the past few nights, I have forgotten that this was all supposed to be a show. And it has made me really happy, those moments where I found myself believing that this was real." he said. "I now find myself hoping, perhaps foolishly, that maybe it could be."
It took Quinn a moment to register the meaning of his words, and she began to feel overtaken by a curious lightness. She felt the skirt of her dress flow around her legs bringing with it a cool breeze, and with each turn of their bodies she felt more and more like she was floating.
He was still looking expectantly into her face, trying to gage her reaction.
As they danced nearer and nearer to the stage, she clutched his hand and pulled him off the dance-floor, darting along the wall to the door of her Quarters.
She pulled him inside and slammed the door behind her. And then they were together, lips pressed to lips. They seemed to have mutually moved toward each other, as naturally and unavoidably as magnets. At first the kiss was soft, his lips warm and dry. His hands were at her waist, and then on her back, touching the exposed skin and causing her to shudder. As they moved together with increasing intensity, his mouth opened and their kiss grew deeper and more urgent. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her tightly, pressing her body against him in the way she had been dying to do the last two nights in the tavern. She caressed up the side of his strong neck, and then ran her fingers through his hair as she unleashed her desire for him. She kissed him with the energy of all the things she had been wanting to say. One of her hands came forward and pressed up his chest until it was at his face and then caressing over the stubble of his strong jaw, over his scar and back around his neck. She tasted his sweet, cupid's bow lips and fell completely into him, immersing herself in his strong arms and chest. Their hearts were pounding together, with only a couple inches worth of bone and flesh separating them.
When the kiss was over they both had to catch their breath.
He smoothed down her hair and let his hand linger over her cheek. She turned and kissed his palm, and then rest her cheek inside it again.
A giddy laugh burst out of him, inciting the same from her.
"I don't think I have ever been kissed like that before." he said to her.
"Cullen, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Yes, at first it was pretend, but that ended quickly."
"How quickly?" he asked, his face beaming at her.
"Probably within the first hour. I had thought that it was just a natural reaction to being so close to you after having felt so alone, but it didn't take long for me to be certain. I want to be with you."
Her sentence was almost cut off by his mouth on hers again, hot and full of need. She kissed him back some more, feeling that great abyss of desire opening up inside her again, and she let it wash over her. It was boundless and intoxicating, causing her body to respond to him in her deepest places. She felt awash with joy, and could hardly believe that this was finally happening.
She calmed herself, with great effort, and reached up to hold his face in her hands. She wanted to savor him, to be fully present for every single second that their lips were touching. She thought Solas' kisses had thrilled her, but what was happening now was so different. She felt something deep down in her soul being satisfied with every movement of his arms around her, pulling her closer, caressing. She let her body rest against him and together they kissed tenderly, breathing each other in.
"Quinn," he whispered finally. "I want to do this right. I want to court you properly, the way you deserve."
She smiled. "But I am already yours."
"And I am yours. But, still. If we rush into something that you end up regretting then I will never be able to live with myself."
"I couldn't imagine any world where I would regret being with you Cullen."
"Humor me, Inquisitor" he said softly as he brought his hand up to her face and caressed the outline of her lips with his thumb. "You deserve the very best. And I… I want to build something real with you, despite our inauspicious beginnings."
"Well it sounds like your mind is made up, and I won't deny that the prospect of being courted by you makes me feel a bit weak in the knees," she kissed his thumb.
"Well, weaker than they have already been for two days now."
Cullen leaned in and rest his forehead against hers, nuzzling her nose with his.
"I hope you find quick success tomorrow. If I have to be apart from you for several days so soon I fear I might go mad."
"I hope so too," she said and moved her lips into his again.