“In the morning and along the bloody trek to Notting Thicket. We’ll have fucking weeks to come to some accord, my princess. And this we’ll fucking do. And not only to have an accord, but for there to be a time, hopefully very soon, where I’ll do a variety of other vastly more enjoyable things with you when we’re abed. But now…sleep.”

I felt it prudent at that moment to give in.

So I did and I did it saying, “All right. Now, will you let me go?”

“No.”

I stared at his shadowed jaw. “No?”

That jaw tipped down and I caught his eyes through the darkness.

“No,” he confirmed.

“Cassius—”

“Elena, you feel good and you feel alive. Give me that without a bloody argument. Especially tonight. I beg you, please.”

I felt alive.

Unlike, very obviously, his dead wife.

I closed my mouth.

Thoughts tumbled through my head, the most imperative of which was what happened between us that morning.

Therefore, I opened my mouth.

“I should have thought things through…er, this morning,” I declared. “Discussed those issues with a clearer head and without anger.”

“Yes, you should have,” he agreed.

Hmm.

“Though I’ll state now we should discuss those eventually and have an understanding.”

His chin tipped back but his hand at my neck moved so he could wrap his arm around my shoulders, and both arms squeezed as he muttered to the headboard, “Oh for the gods’ sakes.”

“I’m simply saying—”

His chin tipped down again. “I heard you. Now bloody sleep.”

“But tomorrow, are we going to—?”

“Elena, you can be quiet and sleep or I’ll kiss you quiet then I’ll kiss you elsewhere in a way you will not be quiet, but you won’t be speaking words, at least not lucidly, and after, we’ll both sleep. My guess, most thoroughly.”

I fell quiet.

It was then, it occurred to me I’d never lain in the arms of a man.

Well, I had, after Cassius and my activities at the fountain.

But not in a bed.

He felt good too. Solid. Warm.

Good goddess.

I was quite certain there was no way I’d find slumber, but I’d had very little of it the night before, a full day, and he was warm.

His arms were also strong, even lying abed.

I’d relaxed into him after sliding an arm around his waist (for comfort only) when he muttered, “Too bloody good.”

“Sorry?” I mumbled.

“You feel.”

I blinked repeatedly at his chest.

He stroked my back and I could not deny it, it felt marvelous.

“Go to sleep, my princess,” he murmured.

“You’re very annoying,” I told him.

“As are you. The perfect match,” he returned.

I sighed.

But within minutes, I fell asleep.

Not long after, Cassius followed me.

And not long after that, four lovers abed in each other’s arms, the earth trembled.

41

The Reinforcements