Stepping outside the inn, Crow felt a cold draft of air wash over him right away, and he shivered. Taking the winter weather into account, he and Penelope might not cause Otto to keel over in a panic by staying out for too long. He didn’t expect that they would wander off for as much time as they had in the past anyway. Honestly, he had just wanted to have a moment alone with her before they parted ways tomorrow. It was funny. They were officially courting now, but they barely spent more time with each other now than they had when they were still keeping their relationship a secret from everyone else. He hoped that would change after he got back from Younis and the war was winding down to end.

With a shake of his head, he turned toward Penelope, who looked like she had been waiting for him by the front of the inn. “Of course,” he grinned back at her. “The trick was just walking out of the room before he had a chance to tell me ‘no.’ He couldn’t argue with me when I wasn’t there.” Shrugging with feigned nonchalance, he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek and took her hand in his. The opportunities they had to share casual touches were still few and far between since they spent most of their days on horseback recently, so he relished being able to get close to her for a little while tonight.

When he pulled back again, he smiled at her cheekily. “So, did you have something in mind when you lured me out here after dark?” he asked her with a joking nudge. Even though he was sure she had just been trying to get away from their stifling companions like he had, he couldn’t help teasing her a little. A part of him was even tempted to turn their secret rendezvous into a steamier getaway, but between the brisk air outside and the promise they had made to John that they would stop fooling around before they were married, he wasn’t going to push for anything more than just enjoying her company.