A large step was taken at a ti, and in the blink of an eye, Canillas was now standing in front of Joanna, saying, "You are here?"
Joanna nodded her head with a smile. "Ready to go?" she asked, to which Canillas responded with a yes as he stared into her beautiful sparkling eyes.
Moving to stand by her side, Canillas wrapped his arm around Joanna’s waist, which took Joanna by surprise.
So far, before many eyes, the intimate gesture that they let them see was holding hands, except for one mont when he was angry at their first encounter with Clara de Lorn, which she would exclude from an affection.
With all her best efforts, Joanna tried to remain composed, as she wanted to show others that such an intimate gesture was not a novel thing that happened between her and her husband. However, it was not easy for her to be calm when Canillas’ thumb did not stay still like his other fingers. It kept moving to brush her waist, adding fuel to her fluttering, racing heart.
"We’ll be leaving. I’ll see you again later." With that being said to his n-at-arms, which was replied to with a nod by each of them and an extra smile on Luca’s beaming face, Canillas led Joanna to head toward the garden after she offered them a slight bow.
When they were away from many eyes, as they were now entering the woods, a loud gasp escaped Joanna’s lips when the thing that happened this morning was repeated. She could not feel the ground beneath her feet, as once again she was lifted in the arms of the man who previously walked closely by her side.
Letting out a sigh with her arms around Canillas’ neck, Joanna said, "Is it really necessary?"
Canillas humd as he walked with light steps. "It is. Otherwise I won’t bother to bathe." And his statent did not fail to make Joanna stunned.
How could she not if, in order to carry her in his arms, he took a quick bath, implying that he wanted to be presentable to her?
Joanna’s mind then flew to the mont when Canillas hesitated to touch her a few monts ago. She was confused at that ti, wondering why he acted that way. But now she knew why.
He might not want to taint her with anything that stuck to his body during the previous activities he did before she arrived to look for him.
Fixing her eyes on Canillas’ side profile, Joanna felt warmth twirl in her heart. The sll of fragrant soap that emanated from his body made the warmth intensify more.
It might be viewed as a little, trivial thing by others. But to her, it was not an insignificant thing.
It was a warm, full-of-concern gesture to appreciate. Hence, she held back from complaining, although she still felt it to be embarrassing to be carried by him, especially in an open place—a place that was way more open compared to when they were in the corridor of the building.
"Please put down when there are people," Joanna gently asked, still finding it hard to face many eyes, as she was not used to presenting herself in such a situation.
"You look unwell," Canillas simply stated, indicating that he refused to cooperate with her demand.
"Will you?" Joanna stood her ground, refusing to give in, but used a tender approach to make Canillas understand that she could not be ignorant like him.
She was calm, not wavering but holding his gaze when he turned his head to see her.
With a heavy sigh, Canillas nodded in agreent, which made him have no regret, as he was rewarded with a beautiful dimpled smile that belonged to him before his eyes.
"Now tell , what kind of help do you want to do in the garden?" He asked as he looked straight ahead of him, holding back from capturing the tempting lips that looked more radiant and plump than before he kissed her in the morning.
Joanna might not allow him to kiss her again if he made her lips beco more uncomfortable, like she complained to him at her first kiss in this lifeti. Thus, he should control his rhythm until she got used to it.
"There is nothing to do with the garden." Joanna began with fixing the misunderstanding in Canillas’ mind. "My brother is now in the garden, and he is going to the Mid-Autumn Festival. He has sothing to do with his study there. I wanted to help him, but he didn’t allow because he thought that I was not fit enough to help..."
"Good brother of yours," Canillas humd, comnting in the middle of Joanna’s explanation as a response of agreent and satisfaction.
"That’s why I looked for you." Imdiately, Canillas ca to an abrupt halt.
It was not hard for him to realize what kind of help Joanna asked from him based on her explanation. Since it was not plowing, digging the soil, or gardening as he first thought it would be, the agreent and satisfaction turned into a double-edged sword for him.
Staring into each other’s eyes in the middle of the woods, with her sitting on his arms, there was only silence settled between them.
"Brother said he would only allow soone that is in good shape to help him. And you are the most qualified person for that," Joanna broke their silence by calmly answering Canillas’ silent question, holding his bewildered gaze in her calm one.
Sohow, Joanna felt amused with the sudden flip of Canillas’ expression, which caused her to work hard to hold herself back from laughing.
She should boost the spirit of the General, not let him be deterred before the war was begun.
On the other hand, Canillas blinked his eyes as he gazed at the lady who was looking at him with a serene expression, like a calm current of the stream in the winter. Yet, to him, she was way too calm, as if she was telling him that sugar was sweet and salt was salty.
In his mind as well, she looked like she was venting a grudge on him, who had made her his amusent so many tis.
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