To Make a Kinder Children's Tale

40: Forgetting

Althalos barely had his woman inside their suite when he was all over her-bracing her against the wall to more easily kiss her senseless. Not that it worked that well because she objected as soon as he moved on to her shoulder. "Althalos, wait. I'm not in the mood-not after all that."

"You think this is interest?" He growled out between nibbles. "I'm trying to forget."

"Of all the dumb..." that was as far as she got before he claimed her mouth again. His aggression shifted them over until he sat her down on the sideboard-not that he couldn't hold her forever, but parts didn't fit easily between them, where he could still claim her mouth while doing...other things, and he still had to strip her of her clothes. He worked on her blouse while he nudged against her, jostling the table under her until something fell off with a fairly metallic clink. Aelif hear better than humans, but they both startled at the sound. The Prince pulled back enough to look around for the source. Esme leaned forward and grumbled against his chest. "You wait until you manage to stir some interest before pulling away? Damn you."

He hadn't fully stepped out from between her thighs, not until he caught sight of the unopened package on the floor. He slid her down him to get her off the sideboard, holding her half-dressed form against his interest. "Did that package come in with the head?"

Esme remembered what it was that she had been staring at all week before this shock interrupted her self-debating. "No, I picked up something that last day I was attacked."

"Small, hrm...why haven't you put it with your things in the room?"

"I got it for you."

That thought softened his mood a hair. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, quite at odds with everything else he had done to that point. "Go grab it, come back to me and open it for me."

She couldn't read his face beyond his normal look of desire, but the whole juxtaposition of their midday made it harder to read subtleties. As she turned to go after the package, he managed to grab her banding at just the right angle to get it to come loose-he had her topless for this. The former thief shook her head, but moved to pick up the package, then turned towards him, intent on opening it where she stood. Her Prince, of course, had different ideas-picking her up and placing her back on the sideboard. Of course, he wasn't keeping his hands to himself as she opened his gift-nearly causing her to drop it and swat at him a couple of times. He stilled when she finally had the pendant free. His focus shifted to something other than her-the gift-as he absorbed it's details. "Why a duck pulette?"

"It suits us. Half-formed. Something is here between us, but whatever it is, it's not grown and may never be. I wanted us as we are. Everything else I saw didn't look like anything I would give to...whatever you are in my life. I wouldn't give any of it to the father of my child." The explanation was a tad disjointed, rushed, especially as he turned his attention back to messing with her. "Please do wear it."

"I will." He said this lazily, almost like he had finally relaxed after their already eventful day. "But right now, I want you to wear it, nestled between your breasts, as I make love to you. Can you do that for me?"

She nodded, as she allowed him to place it round her neck-and blushed furiously. She had no idea if it was because she was embarrassed, pleased with his interest, or whether it was the shock of hearing the physical act being called love for the first time. She didn't trust this accidental confession at all-was it even by chance?