A hand brushed her cheek and Jo woke feeling warmer than she had in years. Pulling her eyes open she blinked across the toughest pillow she'd slept on. Memory filtering in like sand through a glass she slowly recalled where she was and who she was on.
"Goodness!" she sat bolt upright, hands on her chest.
"Well that's thanks," Laurie pulled his own hands under his head as he looked up at her with twinkling eyes. Jo frowned at his easy grin and carefully put a space between them, her mind waking to the way of the world and the situation she'd put herself in. although it was rather good to see him smile so again.
"My parents!" she cried suddenly, scuttling off the bed, tying her gown tight around her. Leaping for the door she was stopped by a quicker hand.
"Jo, can't it wait?" she pulled her hand from his and opened the door with her face awash in worry.
Laurie laughed merrily as she stood only a step into the hallway realising she'd no way to leave without calling attention to herself. Finally taking pity on her he pulled her back in. "Come on, then."
"Oh," Jo sighed impatiently. She followed powerlessly as he dragged her to the window beside his dresser. Propping the frame open he helped her through, steadying the lattice as she descended as quick as she could without breaking her neck.
"Jo slowdown! It isn't a race!" he whispered loudly climbing out after her when she glared up at him from the ground. Jumping off the white vine-crawler he faced her cross look with a grin.
"Well I'd rather not get caught!" she whispered smacking his arm when he laughed, passing her to head for the fence.
Both jumped easily across from much practice and Laurie led the way to the tree that stood tall against the side of Jo's house. "Up you go," he said lifting her up without warning to the closest branch. Jo shrieked in surprise before clamping her mouth shut as she grabbed the tree and hooked her ankle over the branch she gripped. Laurie followed her up with a cheeky smile but she'd as soon as wiped it off his face than thank him for the leg-up and so they climbed on to the garret window.
Laurie wedged the window open and held it so as he placed a hand on Jo's back when she scrambled through, thinking not when his hand slipped lower at her bent knee. Sparing him one last glare she shut the window in his face though he waited for a kiss. Undeterred he grinned widely and waved before making the climb down in his long-johns.
"Incorrigible," she mumbled heading for the garret door hoping her parents slept heavily and a little later than usual.