Someone Like You

Chapter 3

Simon paused, letting Emmy's words sink in and noticing that, while his front warm and currently pressed to Emmy's soft body, his backside was, in fact, cold.

"I always sleep this way," Simon said, trying for an indignant tone but he sounded squeaky even to his own ears. "Did no one ever tell you that you're not supposed to wander into other people's rooms? Particularly men's bedrooms?"

"Of course I know that! But I was looking for the cat and I figured you would be in one of your drunken stupors so…"

Emmy didn't know how to finish that sentence, so she didn't and silence fell on the room. In the tense quiet, Simon realized that he was in a very compromising situation. Were Emmy not the biggest pain in the neck he had ever encountered, he might even consider seduction. Not that his body seemed to mind that it was Emmy under him – with everything that implied – and it seemed to be enjoying itself just fine. And, if he didn't remove himself quickly, Emmy was likely to become aware of that fact.

"Mmm… are you…"

"Close your eyes and don't move."

"Modest?" Emmy asked, surprised she found it in herself to tease him when only the thin fabric of her nightgown separated them.

"Fine, get an eyeful!" Simon snapped as he rolled away and stood up to drag on his trousers that, until then, lay discarded by the foot of the bed. He was quick about it but Emmy still squealed, blushed and covered her eyes with her hands, but not before she got to see his bottom.

"You could have at least warned me! Count to three or something!" Emmy complained.

"Fine, next time I'm laying naked on top of you, you'll get ample warning."

Emmy blushed and stumbled a little as she got up and was relieved to see Whiskers sitting next to the bed, tail twitching. Wordlessly, Emmy picked him up and hurried from the room, stopping only to close the connecting door behind her.

"You're a very naughty cat." Emmy said to Whiskers once she was back in the safety of her room.

Emmy felt hot and restless and she could still feel the imprint of Simon's body against hers. She had never been that close to a man ever before. Not even Mathew Davies, her former fiancé, had gotten that close, regardless of his fumbling attempts to gain intimacies once they were betrothed.

But Mathew had been a boy of nineteen, all skinny and lanky; Simon's body was entirely different and the fact that she had noticed bothered her and amazed her and she wasn't sure which one scared her the most.

-00-

The next morning, Simon was not in a good mood. He wasn't hung over and it didn't have anything to do with the death anniversary of his wife looming closer. No, the reason of his foul mood was sitting across from him at the breakfast table.

"Good morning," Emmy said in greeting as he sat down.

Simon turned to glare at her but when he did he realized that Emmy didn't appear to have slept any better than he did, her hair was a little untidy and there were faint dark circles under her eyes. "Good morning," he mumbled and took the cup of coffee Emmy passed him.

"Do you have any plans for today?"

"Lock myself in my study and work toward one of my, what do you call them? Drunken stupors?"

Emmy blushed, "Sorry, but you have to admit you're drinking too much."

Simon glared but didn't comment as a maid came with his breakfast. Fresh eggs cooked in butter, toast with blackberry jam, and a side of bacon.

"Anyway, I thought that, perhaps you could show me the house today. Before the whole drunken stupor thing."

"You could ask Mrs. Daniels, I'm sure she'll me glad to show you around."

"She's the one who suggested you as a tour guide."

"Did she, now?" Simon said, not amused. "I suppose I can show you around quickly after breakfast." He agreed grudgingly. He wasn't thrilled about it but knew Emmy enough to know that if he didn't agree she would just continue to nag until he gave in.

"Lovely," Emmy said with a smirk. "How long will we be staying here anyway?"

Simon paused, he never planned his stays at Dressden Castle, he just stayed there, good and drunk, until the guilt he felt eased and he was able to be around people again. "I'm not sure. You can go any time you like. I don't care."

"I've told you before. I'm not going anywhere." Emmy said and her voice dropped to a sad sigh. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

There was something in her voice that felt like a pinch to his heart. Simon didn't know what it was exactly but he didn't want to find out, so he finished his breakfast quickly. "Come along now." He said as he his mind went over the rooms of the house that might interest her.

Simon took Emmy though the library, the grand drawing room, the ballroom and the smaller sitting room – which is mother had done in appalling shades of brown and an odd sort of orange-red – and the garden room, where his mother used to serve high tea every day when he was a child.

"I like this room." Emmy said. "It feels loved."

"It was my mother's favorite room." Simon said, a bit of surprise coating his voice.

He always associated Dressden with the bad things of his life, and now he was surprised to find these little pieces of happy memories, centered on his mother. He remembered being very small; sitting on his mother's lap and eating biscuits while his mother chattered with Mirabelle's mother and other local ladies, back when the family used to entertain.

"I can tell." Emmy said and twirled, taking in the soft green and yellow of the room and the French windows that opened directly into the garden.

Simon allowed himself to smile, Emmy looked kind of lovely with all the sun catching on her dark hair and making it shine like fine mahogany. "Well, that's it for downstairs, unless you want to see the gallery, but we don't have any important works of art. Only portraits of past earls of Dressden and their children."

"What's in that room?" Emmy asked, pointing to the room exactly across from the Garden Room.

"Nothing." Simon said all too quickly, which obviously made Emmy race past him to see what was it that he kept hidden behind that door. "I said it was nothing!" Simon snapped but Emmy was already pushing the door open.

"A music room." Emmy said surprised. Even though the room was clean and everything was polished to a shine, everything inside felt neglected. There was a Grand Piano in there and also, on a case of it's own, a violin. "Do you play?" Emmy asked in delight as she turned to Simon.

But the smile died on her lips when she saw the stony expression on Simon's face. "Let's go." Simon ordered.

"But-"

"No one comes here, and I would appreciate if you didn't either." Simon said as he took Emmy's arm, tugging her toward the door. "Consider this room off limits."

Emmy nodded as he closed the door with a loud bang before storming off. Emmy stared at the closed door, wondering what it was about this neglected music room that had set him off.

-000-

End of Chapter 3