Stuck in a Fantasy

Chapter 12

My arm tightened around Cato's throat as he struggled underneath me. He tapped on my arm, desperate for air, and kicked his feet about. The king sat on the ground stretching his legs as he looked up at us with amusement. He made no move to help his brother who was turning bluer in the face by the second. "What's the Taylor problem?" I asked him again.

He tapped my elbow twice and I released him. He slumped to the ground and took greedy breaths of air. "Man you're strong!" He exclaimed in a croaky voice.

"Taylor," I reminded him as I walked around him.

Our eyes met and he let out a sigh as he rubbed his throat. "She's been asking to see you for days now. She's been a real thorn in my side," Cato told me.

I rubbed some of my sweat off of my arms and asked, "Then why haven't I seen her?"

"Because," the king said making me turn to face him, "You wanted to be alone. I told the girl to come back in a week or so, and that if you were ready to see her, I'd let her. You haven't been ready though."

My muscles loosened as the information revealed no harm done or intended. I didn't argue that I had been ready. Because I wasn't. I didn't want to see anybody. Not even the person I had done all this for.

"I'll see her," I told them.

The king gave a nod and said, "I'll arrange for her to come to the castle tomorrow."

"You mean I'll arrange for her to come to the castle. Don't act like you do those kinds of things," Cato piped in.

The king got up and ignored his brother. His body was just as sweaty as mine and his dark clothes clung to his body. He offered me his arm and I froze.

He's my soulmate. I can touch him without that voice in the back of my mind saying that it was all too risky. Maybe I can't trust him fully yet... but I can touch him.

Hesitantly I reached my hand out and took his arm. I wove my arm through his and couldn't help but stare at our joined arms. His arms were much bigger than mine. While both arms had muscle definition, his were muscles you can only get from hours in a gym. My arms had the kind of muscles you get when you've lived a hard-working life.

His body was warm, edging on feverish. I could feel his heat and I had to hold in all the reactions I wanted to do. I wanted to gasp, I wanted to gaze in awe, and most of all I wanted to run my hands over his skin and bring him closer to me. I wanted to be close to someone again. Instead, I maintained my emotionless mask and stayed rigid.

The king, my husband, led me out the door. I kept my eyes straight forward. I didn't want him to know how much this interaction was affecting me. How inexperienced and giddy I felt.

"Wait!" Cato yelled making me come back to reality, "When should I tell her to come?"

We turned around and the king looked down at me. He shrugged and gave me a look that said 'it's up to you. "I've heard dinners in a castle are supposed to be something special. I think Taylor would rather enjoy it," I replied.

"Yeah... but Baylor's son is going to be there. He's been off helping human refugees for a year now. We need to give him the thank you that he deserves," Cato informed me.

I put my free arm on my hip and asked, "When were you two going to tell me about this important dinner?"

The king grunted and I looked up at him. "I was going to tell you an hour or so before," the king admitted.

I glared at him and he gave me an unapologetic shrug. I returned my attention back to Cato and he gulped. "Taylor helped me when I was in a very bad place," I told them, "Does that not also require a thank you?"