I opened my arms. He came to me and swept me off my feet. I kissed his lips, his stubbled jaw, his neck… He dipped his head and nuzzled my neck, his tongue hitting just the right sensitive spot. The burst of pleasure dragged a moan out of me. We landed on the bed. The platter with wine went flying and the inn caught the bottle before it shattered. His mouth slid lower… His tongue grazed my nipple, painting heat over it, the sensation so intense, my whole body tightened in response. An insistent, impatient ache built between my legs. I wanted him to make love to me. The anticipation was killing me. I sank my fingers into his hair and wrapped my legs around him.

“Do you need me to slow down?” he asked, his voice a ragged growl.

“No, I need you to speed up.”

“I can do that.”

He looked into my eyes and thrust inside me, into the liquid heat. Pleasure swept through me and I cried out, thrusting my hips up to better meet him. He kissed me and thrust again, straight into the center of my ache, turning it into bliss. He moved inside me in a smooth rhythm, each thrust stoking the fire until I couldn’t stand it anymore. My body shuddered and waves of pure pleasure swept through me. His body tensed, clenched, and I felt him empty himself inside me with a hoarse groan.

* * *

I lay my head on Sean’s chest and rubbed my foot along his leg. He was smiling in the moonlight. It felt so good to lay next to him. Like nothing in the galaxy could hurt me. So that’s what happiness felt like. I'd almost forgotten.

“Should we get dressed?” he asked, sliding his thumb along my shoulder.

“It’s our inn. They’ll wait for us.”

They would wait, but others wouldn’t. I raised my head and looked at him.

“What is it?”

“The Assembly summoned us.”

“Are we in trouble?” He grinned at me.

“Yes.”

He pulled me closer, his arm around me.

“I don’t want tomorrow to come,” I whispered.

“Why?”

“All the problems will come back tomorrow. The Assembly, the ad-hal, the corruption…” I was so happy right now. I wanted it to last a little longer. Just a few more hours.

“You won’t have to deal with your problems alone,” he said.

I hugged him tighter.

“We’ll look for your parents together,” he said.

I kissed him. A light sparked in his eyes. He pulled me on top of him. His mouth closed on mine—

Beast scratched at the door.

“Aunt Dina!” Helen called. “Mom said…”

I collapsed on Sean’s chest, face down.

“… to tell you that you should wrap around your private time because Orro’s head will explode.”

A quick patter of feet announced her running down the hallway. Beast whined at the door, putting extra sadness into her crying just in case I failed to notice it.

Sean patted my back.

I rolled off him. He kissed me again and we got up off the bed.

“One thing,” Sean said. “I’m not wearing a robe.”

“My father wore a robe. All innkeepers wear robes.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Sean Evans, don’t you start with me.”

He bared his teeth at me and bit the air, clicking them.

Tonight was the feast, tomorrow would bring problems, but it didn’t matter. Sean was right.

No matter what the universe threw at me, I wouldn’t have to face it alone.

The Ripper of Souls jumped on the empty bed and regarded us with his witchy cat eyes. Great. We’d had an audience all along. It was probably absurd to be scandalized by a cat, but I was still embarrassed.

Sean frowned. “Where did you get this cat?”

“He was trapped in a glass box in a PetSmart.”

“Did you notice he has a collar?”

“I noticed. I thought about taking it off, but he seemed to like it, so I let him have it. This is my first time owning a cat and I don’t want to damage our relationship.”

Sean grabbed Olasard and held him up.

“I don’t think you should manhandle him like that. I’ve just gotten to the point where he comes when I call him and lets me pet him.”

“Lights,” Sean said.

The electric lamps snapped on. Gertrude Hunt had obeyed him. Huh.

He held the cat out to me, parting the fur with his fingers to expose the collar. A small metal plaque embedded in the blue nylon caught the light. Two letters, engraved in elaborate cursive, shone on the plaque.

S.N.

Sebastien North?

THE END