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When Ōkaed slivers

"Don’t stop," she said without thinking

His response was a wicked s her beneath hisher with his body He slid lower Watched her face as he blew a cool stream of air across her bare stomach A thread of molten amber raced down her spine

When Mariko trehed softly

Then he kissed her again, and it was a controlled fire on her tongue The type that threatened to burn into a crashing, thrashing ache The type of kiss--the type of boy--Mariko had thought to avoid at all cost The unpredictable type The dangerous type

Her hands slid inside his soaked kosode to his chest To feel the rise and fall of sertips

"Who are you?" Ōka how the Wolf could speak in such a cold and exacting voice Yet kiss as he did

With such abandon

Mariko knew Ōkami heard each beat of her heart Felt each of them as she did

"I’ll tell you if you tell me," she said, her words as bated as his

"You’ll lie"

She nodded "Then we can both be liars" Mariko waited for Ōkaht back Or leave the truth alone

For now

With a blistering look, Ōkas Then he kissed her beneath the chin, so softly, so gently, that it ain under his breath Made her realize that nothing was in her control

That everything was in her control

She tangled her fingers in his hair as their lips met As their kiss deepened In that moment, Mariko wanted to believe Ōkami would not tell

At least for now

--

They lay beside each other in silence, staring up at the newly uncovered stars

Close enough to touch but fatho Her breath had only just settled All that passed between the of substance

Ōka half a sh he was both amused and at ith himself all at once

"Ōkami--"

"What is your naht for an instant Trust was not an option Not when sosecrecy "Chiyo"

He inhaled, the sound laced with irritation "You’re lying Again"

"I a on hers "Don’t draw a line Unless you wish for me to cross it"

"Well then, don’t cross it" Mariko’s voice was even, though her pulse skipped

"You knoell enough to know that is not an option"

An uncomfortable silence stretched between theh to know that Yet she still knew nothing about hi of note But--as usual--the Wolf hadonly a few simple words And it only made her want to draw that line and push him past it

But it was far too risky Not when he held her secret in his grasp And not when she’d foolishly entrusted him with a piece of her heart, if only for a moment

As if in reminder of that fact, Mariko’s chest hollowed She had to redeem herself for such reckless behavior Behavior so unlike her These stolen kisses beside these hot springs would have lasting value if she could learn soreater cause After all--even if Ōkaht out a wild, uncontrolled part of herself Mariko had not even known existed before--he was still a ender trust

Strike when they least expect it

"What should we do aboutthis?" she asked in a simple tone Detached Much like his typical de within One she hoped would prod hi--of value

Ōkao, ichi-e"

Mariko took a deep breath "For this time only"