Dreamer

Chapter Seven

            Dominae lay with her head propped against Torrin's chest. She sighed contentedly, then tilted her head so she could smile at him. "How's that?" she asked. "Happy?"

"Fine," he rumbled. "But Perry's not going to be happy about it."

"Why tell him, then?" she asked. "It's not as though we decided to become lifelong mates, or something, is it?"

"No," Torrin agreed, hugging her. "But even this is forbidden."

"I think," said Dominae, "that's part of the problem. Forbidden things are often the most tempting."

"You did not do it just because it was forbidden?" he asked, brows creasing.

"No!" Dominae said. "To tell you the truth, I wanted to the other night, but I'd gotten the feeling you didn't want me to-- and that Perry wouldn't approve."

"He still won't."

"Ah, but I was happily wrong on the first count," she said, smiling, "so who cares what Perry thinks?"

"Indeed," Torrin murmured. "Domi, you know that we can't let this go on, don't you?"

She sat up and looked at him. "That's what you've said, yes. But how can it be wrong for us to explore the option? I mean, not to have sex, or be mates or whatever, but to lay here and hold one another and kiss? How can that be wrong, Torrin?"

"Because it leads to other things," he said.

"But this time, it won't. We'll make sure it won't."

Torrin shook his head. "I wish it were that easy."

"It is! All we have to do is keep in mind that we can't go any further than this line."

"Like I did by kissing you?" he asked.

Dominae looked away. "That wasn't all your fault."

"Then whose was it?"

"Mine."

He touched her face. "Domi," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "I am the one who knows the consequences of such a thing. You're an innocent. This must be the only time. We should not even have this, but I'm glad we do. It will be enough. It will have to be."

"Why?" she asked, tears falling onto his hand. "Why should we be responsible? Why shouldn't we have a little bit of happiness? A little love from one another? I'm not asking you to take me as your wife, or to let me have your child, Torrin. I'm asking why you can't hold me. That's all."

"Because," he said, "it wouldn't be fair to either of us. You would want only that and I'm not sure that's what I would want. But while I was tied to you and you to me, neither of us would see those around us who would make more suitable mates. Don't you see that?"

Dominae nodded. The tears continued to creep down her cheeks in silence. They'd only known each other a few days, but she felt a connection with the werewolf; one she had to pretend didn't exist. "It's not fair," she whispered.

"No," he whispered back, his breath warm on her face as he pulled her down, to kiss her lips. "It isn't."

###

"How do you suppose Perry's doing?" Dominae asked. "Do you think he's there yet?"

Torrin shrugged. "He can travel a lot faster without us slowing him down."