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"I’ve heard it said some women prefer it this way Let me know, aye?"

She was about to protest when he pulled out and pressed back in, one finger stroking her cleft Suddenly, everything fell into place She let out a strangled cry and closed her eyes, finding her rhyth him with every thrust Oh, the joy of it! That had to be how birds felt, flying into the sky With every plunge, he struck so like a song, pounding toward a crescendo His fingerspiraling on and on, until finally, she held her breath as the world stopped, the note spinning out inside her forever, higher and higher, until she saw stars against the inky darkness of her closed eyes

"Gods, wo out that last note, finishing his own song with a groan

When he collapsed against her back, her knees gave out, and they both tuh to know that he would be scared to crush her, worried about his weight

"Bide a while," she murmured, one eye on the stars "I like how you pinher with hi her yelp in surprise "I won’t pin ye down, but I’ll hold you close enough" Curling around her, he draped an arainst hi her head drop Cradled by the waric of the secret she’d shared with a tender man asn’t about to leave, she drifted off to sleep

14

Frannie peeked through her closet door, Thom a secure wall at her back All was silent and still in her rooht down to the puffball kitten curled on her pillow She pushed past the coats and walked confidently into the cool darkness, her body chilled beneath the wet places on her gown, now that she was beyond the garden’s ht warmth Now that she was out from under Thom

He shut both doors behind them and sauntered into the roo the ceiling

"We’ve still a few hours until ain, or" He jerked his chin toward her bed with a waro ahead I want to check on the shop first Make sure Casper didn’t break anything on his way in"

He had been drawing his shirt over his head, but he paused and let it fall "Let o with ye, at least I can’t keep ye safe if I’m curled naked in your bed, lass"

Hands on hips, she shook her head "If you’re going to be around, you’ll have to get used tounruly I’ve keptI’ll not tiptoe around my home The walls are solid The doors are locked And the ani’s amiss They’re silent, you’ll notice"

He cocked an ear and looked her up and down, and she wondered what he saisp of a wohtdress still stained with hisher own battles andher oay? The scales must have tipped toward the latter, or ood for him

"As you say, little love I’ll be here if you need

But that was his business He’d have to get used to it

Taking up her second-favorite but far less daht’s chill and opened Casper’s door a few inches It was too dark to seeShe rolled her eyes preadocio to come once he ake Plus, he’d probably want to knohere she’d escaped to at intermission The arrow had been wretched and unwelcoone rather well, and at least she hadn’t had to istrate

She shut his door softly and headed down the stairs and into the pet shop Everything was exactly as it should be, the room warm and sleepy, the silence broken only by the occasional tweet or the dry slither of scales on glass

The puppies were fine, too, although their cage was lected them, and she would make up for it tomorroith a couple of nice knuckle bones from the butcher The kittens’ straas empty, and she was startled for a moment before she remembered that she’d left them in a deep box in the warmth of the kitchen They were more independent and on solid food now, but they couldn’t keep theht

Satisfied that all ell, Frannie passed into the parlor and went to bank the fire a little more carefully, as the kitchen was still a touch cool She tripped on a bottle, sending it skittering into the corner

"Drunk bastard," sheabout the responsibilities of lodgers Just because he was the most celebrated musician in the world, that didn’tabout The bottle hit the ith a clank, and the kittens sprang intofro, lads"

She went to the icebox and doled out a bit of the round chicken and spread it around the plate so they’d all have a chance of a bite With such tiny stomachs, they still needed to eat quite frequently

As Frannie held her shaith one hand and set the plate of an to leap andover the others to reach it One took up hissing, and she let go of her shawl to swat it gently, saying, "Calm down, fussy There’s plenty for everyone"