Chapter Forty-Six: As You Wish

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"You know I'm rather attracted to you," Alice murmured from her comfortable seat on her bunk.

It was dark outside the ship, with nothing but the sound of churning waves and the occasional bird squeak outside. Darkness had fallen hours ago, but neither Alice nor Ford had been tired enough to go to bed. Amusing themselves in their bunk had been an easy task, Alice had started reading while Ford sat at a desk looking over his research.

But it hadn't taken long for her eyes to wander away from her pages and to him, settled at his desk with a stack of notes and his glasses perched on the end of his nose.

"Is that so?" He replied, a hint of amusement in his tone as he glanced over his shoulder. Alice watched as he turned, his chair sliding on the floor to face her.

"Yes," She confirmed, gently shutting her book and meeting his gaze. She shifted, pushing herself upright and smoothing her sleep shirt over her abdomen. "It is."

"Any particular reason why?" He asked, eyes raking over her. Ford leaned back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest as he took her in. Alice couldn't blame him, she devoured every detail of him, down to the perfection of his hair.

"There are many reasons," Alice mused, letting her feet fall to the floor and pushing herself off the bunk. Despite the ship rocking under them, she'd come to expect the lack of grace. "You've proven yourself to be clever, deviously smart, and terribly handsome, just to name a few."

"Deviously smart," He repeated, raising an eyebrow as she moved. "Flattery, dove? Trying to get on my good side."

Alice chuckled lightly, pushing her hair from her shoulders and down her back, stepping across the room to meet him. Her fingers brushed lightly over his arms as she stepped between his legs.

"Only a little bit," She confessed, fire sparking in her chest. "Perhaps I'm trying to seduce you."

Ford's breath hitched, his hand lifting to rest on her hips.

"Is that what you're trying to do?" He asked, his tone slightly hoarse. "Seduce me, that is?"

"Only if you're interested," Alice offered, her voice soft. "I could enjoy myself watching you get lost in research for the rest of the night."

"Oh, I'm very much interested," He replied, his voice low as his grip on her hips tightened. "I just don't want to... push you if you're not ready."

"Your concern is very sweet," Alice murmured, her hands tracing up his arms until she was cupping his face. Her thumbs ran over his skin, his stubble scratching against her fingers and she gently lifted his gaze to look up at her. "But I am ready if you are. If it's a step you want to take with me."

She could feel his heart thrumming through his pressure points, his gaze burning into hers as he let her move him.

"I want to," He confessed, his voice laced with want and a hint of uncertainty. "I want to take that step with you. I just want it to be perfect for you."

"I don't want perfection, bee," Alice murmured, bowing her head and pressing her forehead against his. "I just want your love."

"You have my love," He whispered, his voice soft and earnest as he leaned into her touch. "You've had it for a long time. I just wanted to make this... special. For both of us."

Alice chuckled, pressing a kiss to his nose, "Every moment with you is special, even in the middle of the night on a boat."

Alice shifted, settling on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her heart thrummed in her chest as she angled herself on his lap, her feet trailing lightly on the floor. She could hear Ford suck in a breath, his hand resting on her thighs as he guided her legs around him.

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