Given the chance, there was no question in the French women's mind that she would have happily stayed there wrapped in those warm blankets with the man that had somehow managed to touch a part of her that had once been considered lost for the rest of her life. He had come into her life, too that buried and almost entirely forgotten piece of her heart, and breathed new life into it - so much so that just feeling his arms around her seemed to erase the bitter and deep scars that marred her soul in a degree once thought to be too far beyond repair. Falling asleep in his embrace, surrounded by his scent and the sound of his heartbeat, it chased away those demons that haunted the dark-haired woman when she was alone, much like the way the warm flow of candlelight pierced through the dark. All this time, she had been so certain that she could defend herself against the monsters that always seemed to be lurking somewhere over her shoulder, and yet it was in that night as she slept peacefully pressed into Taylor that she had found a place that allowed for her to feel... safe. That did not mean that she did not feel secure with Townsend, did not have a sense of safety within that manor in Dupont Circle knowing that the Englishman and her canine companions were no more than a call away, because she truly did. She knew that her dead William would never let anything happen to her, but with Taylor, she had found something more. In his arms, enveloped in his warmth, she had found sanctuary. It was almost startling, how finding the very last thing one's soul was searching for in this life could make one realize how much more complete everything could become. What's more, just as Taylor had torn down any and all of the walls that had guarded his own heart to reveal to Adelaide a man who wanted nothing more than to make something of himself that he could find pride and confidence in, the French woman had broken down her own heavily guarded barriers to show a part of herself that she'd never allowed for even Townsend to see but once, a part of her heart that she had denied the existence of to even herself... No one would ever think that there was a vulnerable creature beneath that quiet grace and confidence with which she always carried herself, hidden from the depths of glittering sage, and yet with Taylor that night, all those walls of hers had crumbled and she allowed for herself to surrender each and every piece of her to him and the loving comfort that simply being near him gave her. His touch, his deep tenor tones, his smile... she was able to lose herself completely in all that he was, able to let go of the past and all the pain so all that existed in that moment was him and the future they could take for themselves and make into something they would both be proud of.

Leaving him, even for those brief two days, had been spent working at the bistro and preparing Killian for the tasks that she would be entrusting him with. And yet, while she had always been skilled in keeping herself focused on the duties at hand and all other thoughts held at bay in the back of her mind, she had quickly discovered that she could not with him. Those hunter green eyes followed her always, that roguish smile often coaxing a soft smile to her own lips as she tended to her guests at the Beachside Bar and Bistro. It would spear upon her elegant features out of nowhere, and there had been a time or two where she would meet the glacier blue eyes of Elain and the young honey-blonde woman would give the French woman a cheeky â€" if not knowing â€" smile as she went about taking orders and carrying out food to her designated tables. Being the refined and driven spirit that her entire staff knew her to be, it was hard for Adelaide to hide the flush that would find her cheeks when Elain would give her that look, and perhaps even say in passing "Gosh, Miss LaBelle, you're in an awfully good mood this afternoon", a twinkle illuminating the young woman's gaze. Adelaide would hide her astonishment as best as she could, but the sharpness of the honey-blonde's observations had flustered her ever so briefly the first time such words had been spoken to her. She would typically counter with something along the lines of "perhaps it's the increasing hours of sunlight" or "it pleases me to see business going so well', simply to try and keep things as professional as she wanted them to be, and yet the two women knew better than to believe the accented words that would fall near effortlessly over dusty rose-colored lips. It was clear that despite her best efforts to keep her mind focused solely on business matters while at the bistro, the roguishly handsome man made such a task almost impossible. Then again, she wouldn't be entirely truthful if she said that she was trying her absolute best to keep the memories of that night, his embrace, those words of love and devotion they'd whispered to one another in their throws of passion at a metaphorical arm's length. In all honesty, she couldn't help but revisit each and every moment from two days ago, even the difficult farewell that came with the following morning. It was so new, this pure captivation and adoration that she held for Taylor. Just remembering the taste of his lips on her own made her heart ache for more. Recalling the way that he made her feel as he held her after they'd made love, it had almost driven her to stopping by that small, cozy apartment just so that she could steal another kiss or two... or more. It took more willpower than she would ever have expected to keep herself from stealing away to his apartment each night thereafter, but in the same moment, it had become imperative for the dark-haired woman to do what she could to "butter up" the Englishman so that he wouldn't be able to change his mind. Not that he would have truly stood a chance, but all the same, she hated seeing him so anxious and discontented.

Counting down the hours had been almost torturous for the French woman. It seemed as though time were taunting her with each and every glance that she would take at the clock. Why was it that minutes always seemed to take hours, and hours days when one was looking forward to the impending evening with such anticipation that it was hardly tolerable? She knew that the eternal flow of time neither slowed or sped up for any being, but it always seemed to in such moments when one would will with a fury to rival the intensity of the sun that it either stop altogether or quicken. It had taken many a steadying breath for Adelaide to force herself into a state of fragile calm as she'd sat there watching the sun set over the seemingly endless expanse of saltwater and foam-created waves. Oh, how cruel Father Time could be when he so desired to appear as such. Had it not been for the serene symphonies of waves crashing against the soaked golden grains of the beach, the voices of seabirds that surfed the salty and swirling zephyrs overhead that would gently tease and play with the French woman's long and elegant brunette locks that cascaded over her slender shoulders and down to the middle of her back, and the soft warmth of the sun as it touched her face even as it set to the west, there was little doubt that she would not have been able to wait as... patiently as she had to practically force herself to. And those texts that she and Taylor had been exchanging over the past two days certainly didn't help to quiet the eagerness that nearly consumed the French woman. Gods knew how close she had been to being unable to stand waiting any longer, how very tempted she had been to arrive an hour early so that she could finally be with him again. How unlike herself it was for Adelaide to struggle against such pulls, and yet she had never felt anything like that which Taylor made her feel. There was nothing that could ever hope to compare to the intensity that filled her heart and her thoughts when they would happily allow for the roguish man to fully and entirely occupy. And, when at last the time had come, she had wasted no time in departing from the bistro and making her way to his apartment. Never had such a short drive seemed to take so long, but when finally the yellow sedan had pulled to a gradual stop in front of the very place she wanted so badly to stay within forever, all that anticipation melted away as she then became overwhelmed with that fusion of bliss and excitement that found her as she made her way across the paved parking lot, past the Harley â€" pausing briefly beside it and trailing slender fingers over the seat as she remembering the first time she'd ridden on the back of the machine with him â€" and up to the doorway where she knew the man that filled her every sleeping and waking moments anymore lived behind.

Even as she came to stand on the "welcome" mat laid out in front of the door, she could smell the dinner that Taylor was preparing for them, and for a moment she realizes that she hadn't eaten anything all day. Eating had been the absolute last thing on her mind ever since the moment those dark lashes fluttered open and sage eyes first found that daily calendar on her nightstand. Yes, a part of it had been the fact that Adelaide wanted to be on the edge of ravenous when she arrived, but perhaps the biggest reason for her lack of appetite since this morning was that deep and almost aching want to be with him. He hardly leaves her waiting long, the sound of the doorknob jiggling slightly as a hand on the other side grasped at the brass and began to turn it nearly having the dark-haired woman's excitement sky-rocketing to such a degree that she had to force herself to draw a breath in hardly registered realization that she'd been holding her breath to begin with. The wooden door creaks from its years of wear and tear, and it opens to reward her hours of almost painful patience with him standing there in the entryway. Immediately, a coy smile dances across her lips as dark lashes blink slowly over eyes of glittering sage that near-instantly lock with those of hunter green. She can't help the impish look that she gives Taylor as she watches his gaze wander over her slender frame, first brushing over the opened leather jacket that hugged her just right, followed by the stark white tank top that complimented her figure enough to tease him before his gaze traveled further down to those form-fitting faded blue jeans and finally touching on black leather boots. She does not miss the way that his brow rises in curiosity when they notice the backpack, but only when his hunter gaze finally returns to glittering sage do his tenor tones reach for her and she cannot help the way that her impish smile grows ever so slightly as s soft note of lilted laughter tumbles from lightly parted lips."Me? Run away from home? Never", she purrs playfully to him then, her eyes taking on a subtle yet sultry gleam as she moves into the apartment only to pause there in front of him, a slender hand then extending out and resting upon his chiseled chest as she leans in, batting those dark lashes up to Taylor."I am pleased that you enjoy this look. Although, I'm sure I could find something you might like much more", she teases before walking the rest of the way into the cozy living room, allowing for her hand to trail across his chest before finally falling down to her side. She moves to stand there beside the cough, moving to drop her backpack beside it before turning to face Taylor."It smells amazing, mon amour", she remarks in those silken accented words, that impish smile still playing across her features as she allows for her gaze to trail over his own much large and well-muscled build. After all, he was hers and she his, no? She takes her time drinking him in, slowly closing the distance with kittenish satisfaction as she leaves little to no space between them, sage melting into hunter green."Perhaps I should have brought dessert?", she teases once again as she trails a slender finger along his strong and defined forearm idly up and down its length. Something sweet sounded fine and well, but she was perfectly content without, considering that there was nothing sweeter to Adelaide these days other than the taste of his lips on her own. Ah, but she said no such thing, wanting to wait and see exactly what he might have to say in return.