Virtual Reality (Sue Thomas FBEye / Murdoch Mysteries)

Virtual Reality - Chapter Eleven

Sue glanced at the clock, and then at the sheets of paper in her hands. "It's late, Jack. We should wait in the morning."

"Are you sure?" The slight peek in her intonation had betrayed her eagerness to finish the story. "It's already 3am. It's not like we'll get much sleep anyway. Come on. Find the right page."

Briskly, she discarded sheet after sheet.

"Let's see... They'd just spent the night together, and Murdoch had decided to marry... Here it is."

With Sue snuggled in his arms, he read above her shoulder, peppering tiny kisses on her neck after each sentence.

As she stirred, Julia became fully aware of the warm presence beside her. Clinging to the fuzzy haze clouding her brain, she snuggled against him.

His hand caressed her back as his legs tangled with hers, rekindling the passion they'd shared during the night. "Would you marry me, Julia?"

His question shattered the mood. Her eyes flew open, and she blinked the early rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains. "What?"

A smile tugged on Jack's lips. Like he'd rightly envisioned, Julia had no intention of making it easy for the poor detective.

Dark brown eyes gazed seriously at her. "You're a doctor. You know there could be consequence to... to..."

Jack cringed. Bad choice of words and bad time to hesitate.

Did William think she'd trapped him into proposing? Upset, she pulled from his arms. "I can take care of myself, William. You don't owe me a ring for the night."

His shoulders dropped and his gaze wandered around the room. "This isn't what I meant."

"Really?" Feeling self-conscious, she pulled the sheet under her armpits. "Do you expect me to marry you just in case I got pregnant?"

"It's the proper course of action." His attempt to move closer hit a brick wall when she crossed her arms over her chest.

"In my book, William, that's a lousy reason." It upset her that he made it sound like the night had been a mistake he needed to fix.

His jaw hardened. "Julia, if you carry my child, I—"

She'd heard enough before breakfast. "Time to get up, detective. We have a train to catch."

Sue flipped to the next page. "Murdoch better change his approach if he wants to win Julia over."

Jack couldn't agree more.

~ * ~

The engine or whatever had been wrong had been fixed, and the train was back on track, many hours late on its schedule. In a private compartment, he sat opposite the stubborn doctor who'd kept ignoring him since they left the inn.

For reasons Murdoch couldn't even begin to fathom, Julia was mad at him. "I'm not one of your patients, doctor. The silent treatment won't work on me."

If the daggers in her eyes could kill, he'd be lying naked and dead on her table. "What would you like me to say, William?"

Sorry would be a good start. Jack's lips brushed her neck and small tremors coursed through her body. Come to think of it, kissing Julia senseless might work, too, for Murdoch.