Lovers Not Without Sin | Dutch van der Linde x OC

Chapter 4

Usually, Ada's insomnia-filled nights follow the same pattern and pace every time. Last night, however, she found herself urging time to tick on faster than usual and bring this new day around. She's an expert at sleepless nights, managing to find a sense of peace as she lies still in her bed. It was something she had no choice but to learn to do. At first, she'd pace and be up and down all night, shifting positions, even shifting rooms to try and find that sweet spot that allowed her to rest.

Lying in bed last night, she felt an itch underneath her skin that urged her to move every time she began to slip into comfort. Her mind raced with the possibilities today could hold, perhaps she can finally prove herself. She can gather all the information, lay it right out in front of Andrew Milton and make the job of catching the gang as easy as ever. She'll finally get a promotion and finally get taken seriously.

As soon as the sun's rays peek over the horizon she bounds out of bed. Her home is all one room, the bed in the corner with a small kitchen and living space. She walks over to the kitchen counter and uses the percolator to prepare some coffee. As it warms, she opens her wardrobe to pick out some clothes.

Running her hand over the two dresses she owns, she thinks about how she'd prefer to wear trousers, supposing that originated from wanting to be taken seriously at work. In all honestly, she finds it comfier and has never enjoyed the attention that comes with a nice dress.

There've been times when she's tried to date; even laying with people before now. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how nice the person was, she could never bring herself to formulate any genuine feelings for them. When she says she's void of emotion and incapable of feeling, she means it. Anytime she's gone out on a date, her mind ends up wandering elsewhere. It's not something she's proud to admit, but she can't help getting bored.

All the books she's read about romance speak about a spark that lights inside them when they lock eyes with the love of their life. Now, she's not that naïve to believe she's destined for a fairy-tale romance, but she seems to get nothing. Every time was exactly the same. Eventually, she gave up. It's not something she minds too much; she enjoys her own company and if she wants to be taken seriously with her work it's probably for the best that she allocates as much time as possible to it anyway, without the distraction of romance.

However, today's success at work may well depend on her ability to charm a cowboy. And she's sure that may be an easier task if she's wearing a dress.

Her choice is a mostly plain, dark green dress. It's simple with sleeves cut at the elbows and a trail of buttons over the front of her torso. Since it's floor-length, she can still wear her boots and retain some form of comfort. She's also able to holster her gun to a strap on her thigh, keeping it concealed while also providing herself with some protection. Her satchel is dark brown and doesn't stand out against her outfit as she fastens it to sit on her hips.

Of all the files and notes in her possession; she decides her notebook and pen will be all she needs to take. Anything she can't retain in her head, she can jot down and come back to at a later date.

As she's packing, she takes a look at her pocket watch. It's only 06:25, and she told John she'd be there in the afternoon. Yet here she is, already dressed and packed up. Shaking her head, she removes the dress and pulls on some work trousers and a loose shirt to keep on while she waits.

The coffee is ready, and after pouring it out she turns the cup round in her hands to warm her fingertips and lets the steam rise onto her face. Coffee in the morning is more of a ritual than anything. Since most people know their day is starting when they wake up; she needed her own indication to tell her body it's time to function.