Charles Dickens had once said never to close one's lips to those whom one has already opened their heart, and as she stood there with Taylor beneath that blue-black sky filled with stars that glittered and danced like diamonds, the lights of Sacrosanct that lay stretched out below their little hillside to serve as a mortal reflection of all that had always been there since the beginning of time, the French woman could not have agreed with those words of wisdom departed onto the world by that wise man. There were many things that he'd once written, once said, and there were so very few of them that did not leave some sort of profound impression on her otherwise untamed and free spirit that surrendered those carefully guarded secrets to no one save for those she regarded as worthy of such fragile trust. Too many times, she'd been shown that the world was full of people that would take all that they could with little to no intention of ever giving in return. It left the dark-haired woman feeling foolish to ever think that just maybe there was a place, a world where she could trust easily and without fear or doubt finding her. She knew that one could never know if another was worth trusting until they were given the chance to prove true or false, but that was not a risk that Adelaide had been willing to take. That is, until she found the man that held her in those strong arms of his now. The thing of it was though, with him, it had never really felt like a risk, placing that trust in him the way that she had. As unexplainable as it was, there'd been something in those hunter green eyes, in that act of valor, in that easy smile and genuine warmth of his voice that had spoken to a part of her that had been hidden from the world. At first, she'd tried to reason with herself that it was simply because he'd come to her aide when no one else would, that it didn't go any farther than a gratefulness knowing that she'd been fortunate enough to be in the "right" place at the "right" time. It had been far from that "love at first sight", those first initial moments between the man and woman having been treated with the same guardedness that she treated all others. What she hadn't expected though was how quickly he would break through those thick walls she'd built around her heart.

All those childhood tales of that one true love had appealed to her at one point in her very young years, but as those hands of time so often did, they'd taken away that innocence and naivety she'd once held in those sage eyes when she slowly began to see the world around her for what it was; vain and materialistic. Growing up in this world, it was only inevitable that a heart which wanted so much more than things that sparkled and shone would become convinced that love was just not in the cards. Did she want it? Somewhere beneath that fire of defiant strength and unrelenting want to never need anyone to make her life rich and full in the way that she perceived such qualities, there was that still very much human want to know what it might feel like to connect with another in such a way. Yes, as with many women, she'd dared to explore a romance novel or two and she would be lying if she hadn't found herself entertaining the idea that there might be someone out there that would make her feel like she was the brightest star in the night sky, treat her well and give her all that he had to give of himself, whisper to her so tenderly that instead of simply hearing those words with her ears, she would hear them with her heart... Yes, she'd smiled wistfully then at those thoughts of waking up in the arms of someone that would walk through heaven and hell with her, someone that might bring her breakfast in bed and maybe even raise a family with. There had been a time or two in her life where she had wondered if there was anyone out there that could love her that way, but where she differed from other women was that the man for her had to be able to accept her as she was, never wanting to try and clip her wings and cage her as those men in France had tried to. Her heart would always yearn to see worlds untouched by the hands of man, to venture the paths less traveled, and that man would need to be willing to let her be that independent creature. Now, that was not to say that she did not want to be cared for, provided for, protected when she felt that rare moment of weakness and vulnerability. She knew that she wasn't invincible. No one was. No one could stay strong through everything forever, remain fearless in the face of life's trials, but she was not the timid and helpless mouse of a woman that some men seemed to desire. She was strong and she was fierce, and he would need to be okay with that.

It was hard for Adelaide not to try and picture what the future might hold for them as she lingers there against the only man that had ever seemed to see her for who she was and who she could be as time ticked onward in its ever-constant and continuous way. She dares to imagine him as the first thing that she would see when the sun would rise over the east and the last thing that she would feel as she when the sun would set and the moon would paint the world in her silver light. She wonders if this was that four-letter word that she had yet to feel dance over her lips even just once... She knows the name, what she believes that this bond, this connection between them was. She felt almost entirely certain that it was that place where those feelings stemmed from, the very thing that gave life to that flame of desire and yearning that brushed against her subconscious as those kisses still linger on her lips. It was too soon to know for certain... or at least that was what she told herself. How could it be possible to know in such a short amount of time? It wasn't, was it? The words he'd spoken to her, and the words she'd whispered in return from the bottom of her heart... they had to mean something in the end. She pushes these thoughts aside for the time being though, simply wanting to savor in this stolen moment with him. Sage eyes don't miss the darkening of those hunter green eyes that only encourage that impish smile upon her lips and she can hardly hide that glitter of mischief in her gaze as he moves to grasp her hands in his and brings them from the place that they toyed with and while he brushes her skin with that fleeting kiss, she could only imagine what would have prompted such an action. She sees the way that those eyes of his illuminate with a teasing light, accompanied by a playful grin as tenor tones speak of finding a way around that "chastity belt", but she doesn't dare to say anything back. She would save that for another day.

When she moves away from him and he gives chase, he chuckles and his words only bring that lilted laughter tumbling from her once more, as it so easily did with Taylor."Good. It'd be a shame for you to turn tame on me, after all", she teases lightly before dancing just out of reach. He catches her after a few failed attempts, and when he picks her up and spins around, she can't help but allow for that bright happiness to fill every part of her, and when his lips kiss the skin of her neck, she feels that warmth rush over her before it vanishes into the depths of her soul once again as she chases after him now. It was such a wonderful feeling, being able to just exist with him in the dark without worrying about a single thing â€" as Townsend surely was if he knew she wasn't sound asleep in her bed â€" as she reveled in the freedom still so new and exhilarating to her. And with Taylor, how glorious it truly was! When she catches him at last, he turns to run his fingers through those long dark chocolate locks, a soft sigh ushering unbidden from Adelaide at the surprising comfort with that simple gesture. She gives him a warm smile then as he kisses her hair before lacing his fingers with her own as they walk the rest of the way down the trail. It truly was moments like this that meant the most to the French woman. He gives her a gentle smile as he squeezes her hand gently, tenor tones only reaffirming that he was just as eager as she was to see where they would go next. She finds herself wishing that the walk would have been a little longer, but they're standing there beside it and he offers the helmet to her as he slides his legs over the quiet machine. When she takes it from him, fastening it as precisely as she always did, he pats the seat behind him, though his words that reach her, followed by a mischievous smirk, have Adelaide giving him an impish smile in return."Certainly another time, darling. I may be bold, but I'm not entirely too bold as to learn such a thing in the dark. I'll just have to bribe you into a lesson by daylight", she purrs daringly to him then as she slides easily into place behind him, all too content for the warmth of his strong back as she wraps her arms around his waist."Besides, I find this particular position quite enjoyable", she whispers impishly to him then as she runs her hands over his hardened core, perhaps enjoying a little more than she should the feel of the muscle beneath his clothing as she giggles teasingly then, waiting patiently to feel the rush of that ride home.