least that wasn’t all he wanted to play out to the end tonight.
“Hmm.” She hummed her response, arched and came down on him again. Her hands explored the button on his pants. “We’ll go all the way to the end…and then some.”
He smiled and reached up to claim the next button on her blouse. Three to go. “Now we’re not even anymore.”
Nayari folded the top of her dress down around her waist and soaked a cloth in cool water for bathing. It felt good to wash away the dust of their hurried journey through the marketplace, and the prospect of spending a night safe in Horeb’s home made her feel something close to contentment. Though she’d expected to live out the rest of her days under Baakah’s rule in Ammonptah’s home, Nayari had never felt as comfortable there as she did now with her stomach full of a hearty meal prepared by Setma and the knowledge that Horeb would hide them in his cellar if anyone came looking.
Despite her newfound calm, she stiffened when she heard footsteps behind her. She felt Khanu’s gaze on her bare back.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. The sound of it made her skin tingle and her nipples rise to hard peaks. She remained still, resisting the desire to turn around and face him.
“For what?” She held her breath after the question, fearful of his answer.
“I’m sorry I did not tell Horeb and Setma that you are not my wife. I would have, but perhaps it’s better if they know less of the truth. No one can force them to tell what they do not know.”
Nayari sighed. “Of course. I agree. That’s wise.”
“Tomorrow, before sunrise, Horeb will take us to a cave in the desert where we can hide safely for a few days. From there we can join a passing caravan and journey to Wa-Set.”
“Horeb is a good friend. You’re lucky to know him.”
Khanu bowed his head. “I am fortunate he remembers me. I’ve been gone from here a long time and when I left, I believed I would never have cause to return.”
“I can see he’s honored by your visit. He respects your strength.”
“Yet I’m the one who is envious of him. I would not have expected to find his life appealing after all these years in service to Ammonptah.”
Nayari stared at her warrior. He’d achieved a position many men would have risked death to attain. “You would trade your station for a life like Horeb’s?”
“I have already traded my life away. To have one such as Horeb’s in return would be a great gift.”
Nayari nodded. She barely heard the words. The longing in his eyes stirred her, and his voice carried her like a caress. Her body began to ache for his touch.
Khanu dismissed his melancholy mood with a wave. “We must share this room tonight, but I will sleep on the floor.” His voice became tight. “I will return when you’ve finished bathing.”
“No.” Suddenly bold, Nayari turned. “Stay.”
Khanu’s eyes locked with hers, but she felt him everywhere. His heat enveloped her body, chasing away the chill of the cool water. She dropped one hand and loosened the belt at her waist. Her dress fell silently around her feet, and she held her hands out to him.
“If Horeb and Setma believe we are wed, then we must behave as such.” She wondered if Khanu saw her trembling, if he heard the thundering of her heartbeat as well as she did.
He closed the distance between them with one step and drew her against him. “It will not be for just one night,” he whispered against her ear. Nayari’s legs became weak. Her body molded against his, and she felt the hard shaft of his cock against her belly.
“Do you want me, warrior?” she asked, stroking the back of his neck and pressing herself against him. “Do you want me as your wife?”
“I could not ask the gods for anything more.”
“Then I am yours.”
“But what can I offer you except a life of hardship? All I can promise you is that we may never be able to stop running away from Ammonptah.”
Nayari bowed her head
“Hmm.” She hummed her response, arched and came down on him again. Her hands explored the button on his pants. “We’ll go all the way to the end…and then some.”
He smiled and reached up to claim the next button on her blouse. Three to go. “Now we’re not even anymore.”
Nayari folded the top of her dress down around her waist and soaked a cloth in cool water for bathing. It felt good to wash away the dust of their hurried journey through the marketplace, and the prospect of spending a night safe in Horeb’s home made her feel something close to contentment. Though she’d expected to live out the rest of her days under Baakah’s rule in Ammonptah’s home, Nayari had never felt as comfortable there as she did now with her stomach full of a hearty meal prepared by Setma and the knowledge that Horeb would hide them in his cellar if anyone came looking.
Despite her newfound calm, she stiffened when she heard footsteps behind her. She felt Khanu’s gaze on her bare back.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. The sound of it made her skin tingle and her nipples rise to hard peaks. She remained still, resisting the desire to turn around and face him.
“For what?” She held her breath after the question, fearful of his answer.
“I’m sorry I did not tell Horeb and Setma that you are not my wife. I would have, but perhaps it’s better if they know less of the truth. No one can force them to tell what they do not know.”
Nayari sighed. “Of course. I agree. That’s wise.”
“Tomorrow, before sunrise, Horeb will take us to a cave in the desert where we can hide safely for a few days. From there we can join a passing caravan and journey to Wa-Set.”
“Horeb is a good friend. You’re lucky to know him.”
Khanu bowed his head. “I am fortunate he remembers me. I’ve been gone from here a long time and when I left, I believed I would never have cause to return.”
“I can see he’s honored by your visit. He respects your strength.”
“Yet I’m the one who is envious of him. I would not have expected to find his life appealing after all these years in service to Ammonptah.”
Nayari stared at her warrior. He’d achieved a position many men would have risked death to attain. “You would trade your station for a life like Horeb’s?”
“I have already traded my life away. To have one such as Horeb’s in return would be a great gift.”
Nayari nodded. She barely heard the words. The longing in his eyes stirred her, and his voice carried her like a caress. Her body began to ache for his touch.
Khanu dismissed his melancholy mood with a wave. “We must share this room tonight, but I will sleep on the floor.” His voice became tight. “I will return when you’ve finished bathing.”
“No.” Suddenly bold, Nayari turned. “Stay.”
Khanu’s eyes locked with hers, but she felt him everywhere. His heat enveloped her body, chasing away the chill of the cool water. She dropped one hand and loosened the belt at her waist. Her dress fell silently around her feet, and she held her hands out to him.
“If Horeb and Setma believe we are wed, then we must behave as such.” She wondered if Khanu saw her trembling, if he heard the thundering of her heartbeat as well as she did.
He closed the distance between them with one step and drew her against him. “It will not be for just one night,” he whispered against her ear. Nayari’s legs became weak. Her body molded against his, and she felt the hard shaft of his cock against her belly.
“Do you want me, warrior?” she asked, stroking the back of his neck and pressing herself against him. “Do you want me as your wife?”
“I could not ask the gods for anything more.”
“Then I am yours.”
“But what can I offer you except a life of hardship? All I can promise you is that we may never be able to stop running away from Ammonptah.”
Nayari bowed her head
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