A Midwinter Fantasy - Leanna Renee Hieber [59]
Sally ate some of the food she’d brought, consuming it in small bites while she sat with her knees drawn up before the fire. Mace called Ruffles over and the dog lay beside him, her furry head on his knee, as he drew out some of her energy to feed himself. No one spoke, so there was no sound save that of the crackling fire and the clumps of snow periodically falling out of the trees.
It had mostly stopped snowing and the woods were peaceful. He’d find a squirrel for Ruffles in the morning, Mace decided. The dog wasn’t hungry for now, but more interested in sleeping.
Sally finished her meal and wrapped her arms around herself. Now she was feeling nervous, thinking of her son and being worried for him, and concerned for herself as well. Probably she was wondering what would happen to them after this. His mention of needing a master hadn’t sounded like a promise to either one of them, since it wasn’t.
The evening passed. Sally sat across from Mace, watching the flames and smiling at him periodically, her emotions nervous and uncertain. Ruffles moved away and curled up on the edge of the clearing, her tail over her nose as she went to sleep.
Slowly, Sally’s emotions started to change, shifting toward desire as she continued to sneak glances at Mace that she hoped he didn’t see. Her breathing quickened, her breasts and lower regions beginning to tingle, as she thought about something Mace couldn’t know for sure but at which he could certainly guess. She was remembering their night together, without regret and with longing. She wanted him to come around the fire to her, but for all her bravery had no idea how she was going to gain the courage to ask.
With a battle sylph, it was never necessary to ask.
Mace shifted onto his knees and went around the fire. Sally’s nervousness surged, as did her desire, her entire body screaming for him. Touch her breasts, touch her thighs, touch the burning lips between them. Mace did, whispering his hand across her breast as he pressed his mouth against her neck, kissing the bare skin as she leaned her head back, her fingers frantically clawing her scarf off.
“Oh, I’d forgotten how good this feels,” she gasped, reclining back. Mace followed her down, opening her clothes and his own as he did, savoring her pleasure and lifting his kisses up until he was moving his mouth against hers, their tongues gently touching.
Sally stroked his cheek, feeling the bones of his cheek and jaw. “The one thing I missed,” she said, “was being able to kiss you. And talk to you.”
“Now you can do both,” he assured her. “And I can take on any shape you like.”
She frowned, studying him. “I like this,” she told him. “I like this form. Did you pick it yourself?”
“Yes,” he said. He had, before he became Lily’s. The only change she’d made was to tell him to remove all stubble.
“Then I like it,” she said.
Mace smiled and bared her breasts, moving his hands in other ways he remembered her liking, filling her with the desire he felt inside himself, the way he’d let her know his want when he first saw her. It had been a long time since he’d done so and Sally had in fact been the last person he’d done so with. It was a natural part of lovemaking to a battler, a way of strengthening the bond between them and their partner, but Lily had never allowed it—she didn’t like the surrender of control it meant for her. Mace shuddered as he let his lust go at last. He’d missed this more than he’d realized. From her gasps, he found that Sally had as well, and he bared her lower, moving down to show her just what he could do now that he had a mouth. This had her screaming, tensing against him for a long moment, before finally he moved upward again, kissing her as he gratefully slid himself inside.
They moved together, thrusting and gasping and holding each other close, Mace buried deep in her emotions even if she couldn’t feel his . . . not yet. She still reacted, though, part of her recognizing him, and he shook as he felt that connection, unexpected and sweet, carrying him deeply into her soul as though she