The gentle gesture from her was as good as an order. He went straight to the bed and took the place she clearly meant for him to have. Rather than lie down, however, he sat with his back straight against the headboard. It was a better position to be in, should he need to move quickly. Plus, he could watch over Ariel a little better.
She'd asked him to lie down with her, before. Were he not so tired, he might have trusted himself to do it, too, despite a voice in the back of his head telling him that it wasn't proper to be with her like this. In the low light of the lamp beside the bed, her hair turned darker - like she were underwater.
In any light, she was exquisite. He tried to think of something to say to her in answer, but could come up with nothing. Instead, he nodded. It wasn't the truth, but it seemed like the thing to do.