She was much better at magic than him, he noted as she managed to light the twigs. The fire was small, but the warmth could be felt from feet away. He'd never take the feeling of sweat dripping down the back of his neck for granted, that was for sure. He crossed his arms over her chest as he watched her seat herself a good six feet away from him. I felt so odd—sitting here, freezing cold in the middle of a cave in the arctic tundra, and yet they still sat far apart with a tension beneath them. Isn't this the part in most stories where the tension began slipping away? Only here it was worse than ever.

The suggestion that they get closer did not provide any relief from the tension. He was very particular about who he touched, women especially; he disliked touching as a rule, even without the physical affection he was so averse to. Yet he understood the necessity from a survival standpoint and beckoned her over.

"Come," he said quietly, hoping the addition of body heat and extra furs would provide momentary relief from the sting of the arctic cold, "I'm not certain, but I think sleeping beside an unmarried woman would be the least scandalous thing I've done today."

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