Tainted by Cyndi Goodgame

looking at you like that again.”
    “Then maybe you should have thought first before you allowed my clothes to dissolve.”
    “Oh, I’ve thought long and hard on that, Grace.  Don’t doubt that.  But not anywhere else but in the privacy of a very secluded room like we shouldn’t be in right now.  And not on my sparring floor.”
    These thoughts were extremely fun to entertain, but couldn’t go anywhere until we were married.  So!  “Changing the subject, if I’m serious about the ladies learning to spar and lead off on the bow targets, will you overstep me and tell me no.”  I could’ve been smarter about the way I said that.  He stiffened and stayed quiet for a full minute. 
    “No, you can have that if that is what you need.  Just do it after dark so the men have their time and no distractions. Dissembling yourself from me will not work another time.  Is that a compromise you can live with?”
    “Why, my future husband surprises me at all times of the day.” I snuggled closer and concentrated on the way he felt against me.  I wanted him closer . 
    I heard you.  This surprised me.  Maybe he was concentrating hard like I have too.
    “How?”
    “Emotions speak louder than words it seems.”   He lifted my hair and kissed the back of my neck.   My ear.  Oh, this was new.  I was lost within seconds as he moved around.  “Don’t ever take your clothes off like that again unless you’re married to me and in the privacy of our bedroom.” His voice was a little too possessive.  Love it!
    “That’s not quite nice of you.” I pulled away.  Our bedroom?
    “I mean only that I can’t handle it and don’t care for anyone else to see what’s mine.  I will have to be married to you the next time so I can take you right out of there and…” he trailed off and kissed the corners of my neck moving on to my shoulder.  I got the picture.  We both seemed to refrain from ever putting it into words.  As if it was more sacred to talk after we were married.  Maybe that was the woman in me.  And maybe the man just couldn’t control himself if he said it aloud.  I have a long way from understanding my man, but I’ve eternity to do it.

Chapter Five
consume - v. strong and urgently felt; overpowering
     
    I found Ian and Pike “chatting” the following morning at the edge of the garden.  They were discussing Kin, that much I could tell.  I cleared my mind hoping to keep hidden and stayed put by the ivy wall and listened.  Pike was suspicious that someone was tracking him.  I gathered enough from the conversation that he didn’t know who and it made me wonder again why Pike was inside the court so much lately. I thought he didn’t come all the way in.
    “No longer private.”  He nodded his head to Ian in my direction.  Good morning, Beautiful.
    Guarding, I rubbed my charm heavily remembering that it was there hating that I let him in somehow.  I thought I was getting better at it.
    “Pike,” I nodded to him attempting nice.  The previous day’s events were playing once more in my brain as I watched him. 
    He nodded back. From now on, the charm, if needed, would be in my hand at the sight of him.
    “Any news?” I asked.
    “Nothing but Kinsler wandering aimlessly by your old home.  Can’t decide what he wants.”  Pike looked at me, reaching into me with his eyes.  He was intending to assume I would get his double meaning in the words he chose.  Wrong!
    Ian cleared his throat and I finally let go of Pike’s gaze wondering if he had some kind of side power of hypnotism or something.  Pike raised an eyebrow no doubt hearing me. 
    “He’s up to something.  We just have to find out what.  No need to worry yet, Grace,” Ian shared.
    “I think there is, but…” I started but tossed a look back at Pike.
    “But, Pike will stay on this.  He can handle this.”  Ian’s eyes were hinting at something else, but what that was, I didn’t have the foggiest.  I wanted to