“I didn’t know you cared,” Ceros teased.

  “I don’t want to have to carry your sorry ass into the council meeting,” Runihura said gruffly. “Extra weapons would be more helpful.”

  Ceros shook his head as he turned toward the hall, tea in hand. Behind him he heard Gehiji chuckling.

  When he opened the door to their room, he found it much lighter than when he’d left. The second sun shone brightly since there was little to shield it. He was surprised Danet was able to sleep.

  Danet? he called softly.

  Her legs moved under the sheet. She slid one arm over her face and burrowed deeper into her pillow.

  I have your tea. Gehiji said you thought you’d need it.

  Ceros? She sounded exhausted, even in his head.

  He sat on the edge of the bed. “I wasn’t sure how long to let you sleep.”

  She peeked from underneath her arm. “You look better. How are you feeling?”

  “A little wobbly but good. Whatever you did worked. Remarkably well.”

  Even with her face half covered, he could see her cheeks turn pink. Recalling their intimate encounter made him harden instantly.

  He set the cup on a nearby table. “Here.” He reached to help her. “Let’s sit you up so you can take your tea.”

  “Oh, my prince,” she mumbled. “There’s no need for you to do that. I can do it. I just need a moment.”

  “Danet,” he said her name softly and waited until she looked him in the eye. “Please don’t ‘my prince’ me. After everything we’ve been through the past couple of days there should be no formality between us.”

  “But my—”

  He placed one finger over her lips. “I’m quite serious. Unless you are using it as an endearment, you will only anger me. It’s Ceros.” Her eyes widened at the mention of endearment. “But not ‘my prince’. Never again. Do you understand?”

  Ceros held his breath until she nodded her agreement. He removed his finger from her lips without giving in to the temptation to trace the outline, and reached for her tea.

  “Drink,” he said, lifting the cup to her delicate pink lips.

  She automatically tried to take the cup from him, but he refused to relinquish his hold. Her tiny hands covered his and guided the cup.

  He was mesmerized by her mouth, especially when her tongue darted out to catch a wayward drop of tea.

  The red staining her cheeks was a bright contrast to the paleness of her skin.

  “Thank you,” she mumbled.

  He had to clear his throat to speak properly. “I assume this is some kind of herbal tea.”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes. It was my mother’s recipe. I use herbs from the garden at home.”

  “It smells pleasant.”

  “You are welcome to try it. There should have been enough for a whole pot.”

  He turned the cup and took a sip from the exact spot she had been drinking from. Her eyes widened once again at the intimacy his action implied.

  “Not bad,” he said without dropping his gaze. “I doubt I’d want it every day, but it has a soothing taste.”

  “I, uh…” Danet blinked, as if trying to clear her mind before speaking. “It’s not meant to be an everyday tea. I only have it when I’ve overdone it at the clinic or with my studies.”

  He held the steaming mug out for her to take another sip. Her hand closed around his wrist and she guided the cup to her mouth.

  “Gehiji has been catching us up on what happened over the last day or two,” he said as he watched her take several small sips in a row. “As soon as you feel rested, I’d like for you to come listen. You may have some thoughts we hadn’t considered.” He shrugged. “Besides, you know the palace and the schedules people keep better than any of us.”

  She seemed surprised by his invitation but quickly recovered. “Yes. All right.”

  Ceros put one hand on her shoulder to make her stay reclined against her pillows. “But not until you are rested.”

  Danet’s lips lifted in a half grin. “So you’re the physician now instead of the patient?”

  “Something like that,” he answered with a half grin of his own.

  She took a few more sips. “Ceros, about this connection—”

  The one where I can hear your thoughts and you can hear mine?

  Yes, that one. She continued, “I need to explain something.”

  “Yes, you do, but not now.”

  A frown creased her brow in a charming way. “But there’s something you need to know.”

  “I’m sure there is, but it will have to wait. We need to make plans to get into the high council meeting tomorrow. This,” he touched a finger to his forehead then touched hers, “isn’t going away and neither are you. But I need to focus on the council meeting. We will talk after.”

  Ceros silently gave thanks that Danet was intelligent enough to grasp the importance of what they needed to accomplish. Despite her instinct to argue, she relented and simply nodded.

  “Rest as long as you need. Gehiji will keep your tea warm.”

  “What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting too?”

  If he didn’t know how tired she was, he would think she was offering him more than concern. One part of him wished that were true. “As a matter of fact, Runihura suggested the very same thing.” He shook his head. “You don’t want to hear the rest of his thoughts on it, though.”

  “I can well imagine.” She looked around the room. “Do they have another room for you or am I in your bed?”

  “You are welcome to climb into my bed any time you wish,” he said with a wink then waited for her cheeks to turn that delightful shade of pink again.

  She didn’t disappoint. “Now you’re trying to embarrass me.”

  “Absolutely.” He grinned shamelessly.

  “I can move to one of the other rooms so you can rest.” She threw the sheet aside to get out of the bed.

  Once more he put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. “You will rest here with me.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be proper.”

  “I don’t care what’s proper and what’s not.” He pushed her back against the pillows as she tried to rise. “I will not relax if I don’t know you’re safe and sleeping comfortably.”

  “What will Gehiji think?” She tried to sit up once again.

  “He’ll know that we’re resting, as we both should be, and he’ll think nothing more than that.”

  “I am an unmated woman and you are an unmated man. We cannot share a room, much less a bed.”

  “People do it all the time and think nothing of it.”

  “I’m not most people.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I like that about you.”

  “And neither are you.” Danet caught him by surprise by sitting up then poking him in the chest. “You’re the prince.”

  “A fact I am well aware of,” he mumbled as he rubbed the spot on his chest where she had poked him.

  “You can’t just go around sleeping with anyone you want to.”

  Instead of replying, he lifted one brow.

  “Yes, well,” she became flustered and waved her hand back and forth as if to brush away what she had just said. “You know what I mean. Propriety must be maintained.”

  “Propriety be dammed,” he growled. “I’m not letting you out of my sight unless I know you are safe. So, lie down so we can both get some rest.”

  Her mouth fell open in shock but she recovered quickly. She took a deep breath as if to argue but he narrowed his gaze in warning.

  Even though he could tell it was a struggle for her, she simply flopped back against the pillows and crossed her arms over her chest again.

  Ceros got up and walked around to the other side of the bed. It wasn’t as large as his, but it would do. Besides, it forced them to lie closer to each other.

  He lay down then rolled onto his side so he was facing her. She squeaked in alarm when he reached across her waist and pulled her snug against him. The faint smell of berries wafted up from her hair. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  Unfortunately one part of him was attuned to the fact that Danet was in his arms. And that part was now pressing against her hip. Given the way she stiffened and held still, she was aware of his discomfort.

  “Relax, Danet,” he mumbled. “We both need to rest.”

  It was a gradual process, but eventually she softened and fell asleep again. In her sleep she burrowed closer. A telling sign of her trust and level of comfort with him.

  Why then was she so anxious to go to another room? After making love to her in their minds, he was ready to do it with their bodies. Meanwhile, he was loath to let her get very far away until he was able to claim her.

  She indicated she was concerned about propriety, but there was no one around except Gehiji and Runihura. She may not realize it but they would never call anyone out by claiming a lack of decorum. There had to be more that worried her.

  Sleep crept over him as he held Danet. His reality faded into dream.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The second sun was high in the sky but their oasis was lush and green without a hint of the desert heat.

  Danet turned her head to the side when the shadow of a swaleena bird flying over the water caught her attention. She let her fingers trail across the carpet of lush grass she was lying on and wondered if Ceros would appear as himself or as her beast.

  As if thinking of him summoned him, his shadow fell across her body.

  She allowed herself the luxury of drinking in his beauty. Sunlight glistened on the hard lines of his body. The linen he wore draped around his waist hid little from her view. Not that she was complaining. In this dream world Ceros was a man, not a prince or patient.

  She marveled at how godlike he appeared. Gold sparkled in his hair. His skin glistened with freshly applied oil. Perhaps he had been touched by the Gods when they gifted him with the beast.

  “It’s strange how I was never able to see your face until now,” Ceros said.

  Danet shrugged. “The Gods must have had their reasons for hiding it.”

  Ceros dropped to his knees next to her. “Perhaps.”

  She sat up then mirrored his kneeling position. Her eyes roamed across his shoulders and chest. Before she could stop herself, she reached out to touch him. It was mesmerizing to see muscle ripple beneath her fingertips.

  She didn’t make it as far as his shoulder before he grabbed her wandering hand and brought it to his lips. He held her gaze as he turned her wrist and pressed a kiss to her palm. She shivered as his tongue skimmed across the surface up to the tip of her middle finger.

  Ceros didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath before he reached for her and pulled her against him. His desire burned hot in his gaze. He gave her no time to think before laying siege to her lips.

  Her insides turned to putty as he deepened their kiss. With the tip of his tongue he teased and tantalized. She was helpless to resist his urging.

  It had been years since she had been with a man, but her body instinctively knew what it wanted. The thin layer of silk covering her breasts was no barrier to the heat rolling off Ceros. Her fingers trailed across the ridges of hard muscle in his arms as they moved up his shoulders to his neck.

  The urge to lose herself in his kiss was great but she held out, wanting to memorize every inch of him while she had the chance. Her palm scraped against Ceros’ cheek and chin. The rough patch tickled, making her fingers curl into a light caress.

  She hooked one hand around the back of his neck and pulled herself even closer against him. Their breaths mingled into one. Each fed on the other. Their lips stroked, nipped, pulled and soothed.

  Shifting her weight backward, she showed him what she wanted. What she craved. He followed readily, but caught their joined weight before he fell upon her. Slowly he lowered himself onto her body.

  Danet reveled in the feel of his hard, masculine form above her. It shielded her from the suns and the grasses blowing nearby in the breeze. Everything except him.

  The silk wrap she wore felt heavy against her skin. She wanted no barriers between them. Nothing except the combined sweat from their bodies. She squirmed and tried to get closer.

  She freed her leg from the fabric and wrapped her foot around Ceros’ calf.

  His hand cupped her breast. He squeezed gently then flicked his thumb across her nipple.

  She arched her back, silently begging for more.

  Ceros shifted his body and kissed his way down her neck to her breast. He suckled her through the silk.

  Danet moaned and sank her fingers into his hair, trying to hold him in place.

  He moved to the other breast, pulling the silk aside as he did. His warm breath sent shivers down her spine. When his lips clamped around the nipple, quivers rippled through her lower belly.

  He lifted his head. “You know this isn’t real, don’t you? That we’re dreaming again.”

  “It is real. We just aren’t using our physical bodies.” She squirmed beneath him, urging him to continue.

  “I want more, Danet. I want you. All of you.”

  He captured her gaze. His need for her was clearly written on his face and in his eyes. She sensed there was more to what he was feeling than physical desire. It mirrored her own needs.

  Danet knew it was pointless to resist. She was destined to make love with Ceros. She would deal with any consequences later. For now, she would gather these precious memories and hold them close to her heart.

  Reaching up, she touched her hand to his cheek. When she lifted to press her lips against his she whispered, “Then wake, my prince, and take what you want of me.”

  Darkness fell around her like a curtain.

  When she woke, it was to the feel of Ceros’ hand cupping her breast as he nuzzled her neck. She arched her back, forcing her breast farther into his palm and her rear into his crotch. His erection pressed against her.

  She smiled knowing he was awake too.

  His hand slipped beneath her tunic then found her breast again. Anxious to feel his skin against hers, she wiggled and pulled the bunched fabric over her head.

  Ceros rolled her to her back. Leaning up on his forearm, he admired her bared breasts. She blushed under his scrutiny. Almost reverently he caressed first one and then the other.

  “So beautiful,” he murmured.

  When his lips closed around her nipple, her breath caught in her throat. The flicks of his tongue alternating with suction drove her wild with need. She pulled helplessly at his shoulder, trying to draw him closer.

  His hand slipped beneath the waist of her pants and found the delicate folds between her legs. The dual sensations fractured her thoughts and sent her desire spiraling higher.

  Her hips jerked when his finger found her sensitive bud. With slow, deliberate strokes he drew small circles on and around the peak. Danet’s breath came in short gasps.

  She moaned his name.

  He kissed his way down her ribs to her belly then lifted his head and adjusted his position. Danet opened her eyes a fraction and saw he was kneeling next to her. He reached for her pants and pulled them down to her thighs. She raised her knees to help him slip the garment the rest of the way off.

  As soon as he dropped the pants to the floor, he grabbed her leg that was closest to him and drew her ankle up to his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he licked and kissed a trail down her calf and thighs. Before she could catch her breath, he buried his face in her curls and found her clit.

  His talented tongue danced over the sensitive nub, making her writhe on the bed. Her fingers dug into the sheets beneath her as she struggled to hold on to reality.

  Ceros pulled her legs over his shoulders then he raised her hips off the mattress. Blood rushed to her head when he lifted her even higher and increased the laps against her clit. When he sucked the swollen nub into his mouth, Danet stiffened and a hundred stars burst inside her head.

  The last of her mental shields dropped and her pleasure flooded Ceros’ mind.

  He groaned then grabbed her behind the knees and pulled her legs around his waist. He aimed his cock at her entrance and slid into her silky depths.

  The feel of him buried inside her made her want to weep with joy. The friction from his cock sliding in and out reset her orgasm and sent her spiraling upward again.

  Ceros came down on top of her, changing the angle of his penetration. He dropped his own shields, allowing her to feel how close to the edge he was.

  Their blended passion was more than she could process. Danet clung to Ceros as the stars fell from the heavens once more. This time she didn’t fall alone. Ceros groaned then collapsed against her.

  Afterward, they both struggled to catch their breath as they tiptoed around the oddness of having another person in their heads at such a vulnerable moment.

  As soon as he was able, Ceros rolled to the side to take his weight off her. He collapsed on the mattress then reached over and pulled her into his arms.

  She snuggled against his chest and listened to his heart beating against his ribs.

  Her exhaustion weighed heavily upon her and she struggled to keep her eyes open.

  With the last of her waning strength she touched the edges of his mind, curious to know if he enjoyed their coupling half as much as she. She felt a deep sense of satisfaction and calm. Beyond that feeling she thought she detected a low rumble.

  A sound much like a purr.

  She smiled to herself. Apparently her beast enjoyed it as well.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ceros used the rest of the water in the basin to clean both of them. After he was dressed he held a hand out to Danet. “Have you recovered sufficiently or do you need to rest longer?”

  She took a deep breath then slipped her hand into his. “I suppose I can get up if you can.”

  He smirked as he helped her sit up. “Why does that sound somewhat insulting to me?” He brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back.

  The faint blush that stained her cheeks was charming.

  “I only meant that you’ve been ill for the last three days.” She tugged the sheet tighter around her ribs. “Even I’m surprised you’ve recovered so well.”

 

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