But I woke to the dark.
It was still night and the fire had gone out.
I slid away from him and out from under the covers. Then I pulled on my flowy top that dropped all the way down to my upper thighs, covering my silky, lacy underthings. Then I slipped on my satin slippers.
Then I went to spend time with a being that I was pretty certain actually liked me.
Walking on tiptoe and being careful to be quiet, I ducked under the pelt curtain and approached Salem.
“Hey boy,” I whispered as I got close.
He jerked his head up, greeting me but being quiet like he knew Tor was sleeping and he didn’t want to wake him.
I got close and he let me curve an arm under his jaw and stroke the length of his nose.
“I’m not sure he’s this kind of guy, so I’m not certain Tor has told you, but you should know from someone that you’re unbelievably beautiful,” I whispered.
He gave a gentle snort, nuzzling his nose closer to me and I smiled.
I moved to his side, stroking him along the way and I leaned into him, snuggling his neck and stroking his chest. I could swear he took a teeny horse step sideways to get closer to me too.
I liked that.
“I want to go home,” I whispered to him.
This got me a soft whinny.
“It’s beautiful here but I don’t like it.”
A careful jerk of the head, done so as not to dislodge me.
“I should like it. I’m a princess married to a handsome prince and the rivers are clean and the horses are sweet…”
Another soft whinny and I smiled then sighed.
“But I wish I could get home,” I said wistfully.
Another gentle snort to which I replied with another quiet sigh.
His head moved to the right and then he took another teeny sideways horse step into me as I gave him a horse-hug and kept stroking his chest while looking out into the moonlight at the mouth of the cave.
Then out of nowhere a steely arm closed around my ribs and another one closed around my upper chest as I felt a face bury itself in my neck.
Holy crap!
“Noctorno?” I whispered, let the horse go and my hands went up so my fingers could wrap around a hard forearm.
“Stroke me like that, I’ll take you to a castle,” he murmured into my neck.
I closed my eyes tight.
Jeez, how did he get across that stone without making that first freaking noise?
“Please, let me go.”
His mouth moved up to my ear. “Let me stroke you, swear to the gods, sweets, you loosen up just a hint, I’ll make you come so hard you’ll think you’ve exploded.”
Oh God.