“You owe me a kiss.”
She yawned.“You wait until now?”
“It suddenly took on importance.”He smiled.“But as you are settled, I will come to you.”
Never looked at him as he approached and knelt at her side.He gripped her arms and pulled her up toward him, threading a hand through her hair as his lips pressed against hers.
She bent her arms and gripped his shoulders.The kiss started sweet and got hotter as he tasted her, and she pressed against him.
She felt the hand not controlling her head moving down her back, stroking her skin.Shivers ran through her as the touch was soft, careful, and delightfully warm.
He slowly calmed the kiss and lifted his head.“You still owe me another kiss.”
Never frowned.“What?”
“Well, obviously, that was my kiss to you.”He smiled.
“Oh.Right.I am sorry.Too sleepy.Catching jackasses really takes it out of you.”
Tam-or eased her back into her pillow and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders.He smiled.“I have never seen an orc with no tattoos before.”
She laughed.“I am not technically an orc.”
“I know, but I am thinking of all the designs I would want to see on you and how it would be enthralling to be there as they went on.”
“Marks would bind me.”
He stroked her jaw and neck.“They would tether you.Not a binding, just a link.Like your bracelet.”
He pressed soft kisses along her jaw and kissed her again.“Think about it.The Darings would gladly have you as a member.”
She smiled sleepily.“What does that tattoo look like?”
He grinned and pulled his shirt off.She blinked.He took her right hand and traced over the glyph for his clan.“This is for the Daring Claw.Should I turn the light on, Never?”
She smiled.“No.Not necessary.It has ridges?”
He smiled.“That depends on the artist that you use.”
She leaned forward and licked her tongue along the ridges and could almost hear the blood surge in his veins.“Daring Claw.”She leaned back.“Anything else of note?”
He swallowed.“This is my speaker mark.”
She looked at the long descriptive mark that went from the rightmost collarbone to the left.Never traced it with her finger, reading the words as she went.“He who speaks for his clans to ensure fairness and harmony.”
When she went to trace the words with the tip of her tongue, he groaned, and his hands braced him over her, making her bed swing.She finished the tracing and said, “Yes, that’s what it said.”
He was shaking.“Was there a reason for that?”
“Well, I was born blind and lived like that for several years.The tongue is fairly accurate at learning textures and tastes if it’s trained.I am going to rest now.”
He smoothed her hair off her forehead.“That was torture.”
“I know.Good night.How long will it take you to get home?”
“Using the easement?About five minutes.Your house and garden back up against Daring lands.”
“I am going to give Cora the biggest wedgie.”She smiled and snuggled down in her bed.“You might want to put your shirt on.”
