Alys could have worn her oldest and shabbiest gardening clothes and Tal wouldn't have cared, or probably even noticed. This was the first time they'd had a date night in awhile, and all that mattered to him was that she was there, and her smile was as radiant as he remembered. He stopped tugging at his vest when he caught sight of her in the twilight, and his face split into a broad, happy grin as she caught him in a hug. His arms slipped around her to return the embrace, relishing once again the way she fit against him.
He might have stayed that way, perfectly content to extend the hug all the way through sunset and into night if she'd let him. Instead she pulled back far enough to look up at him, and he tilted his head down at her. He looked smugly pleased with himself at the compliments she granted, dropping his gaze down between them as his neck grew warm and the heat traveled to the tips of his ears.
When she leaned back into him her head was at the perfect height to tuck beneath his chin, and he did so with a sigh of contentment. "Missed you, too," he admitted easily. Sure, he'd said as much in the letters he regularly sent back to their home, but it never stopped being true or needing repeating. "An' you look pretty tonight, too. More'n y'usually do," he continued gallantly, tilting his chin enough so he could plant a kiss on the top of her head. His voice turned teasing as he squeezed her gently, smiling into her hair. "So did Boreal leave y'any flowers from th'bouquet I sent her with?"
He might have stayed that way, perfectly content to extend the hug all the way through sunset and into night if she'd let him. Instead she pulled back far enough to look up at him, and he tilted his head down at her. He looked smugly pleased with himself at the compliments she granted, dropping his gaze down between them as his neck grew warm and the heat traveled to the tips of his ears.
When she leaned back into him her head was at the perfect height to tuck beneath his chin, and he did so with a sigh of contentment. "Missed you, too," he admitted easily. Sure, he'd said as much in the letters he regularly sent back to their home, but it never stopped being true or needing repeating. "An' you look pretty tonight, too. More'n y'usually do," he continued gallantly, tilting his chin enough so he could plant a kiss on the top of her head. His voice turned teasing as he squeezed her gently, smiling into her hair. "So did Boreal leave y'any flowers from th'bouquet I sent her with?"
