Hæra gasped and rolled to her side, bringing Madeleine with her. She turned her head, angled her mouth, and kissed Madeleine. She kissed her with the same mouth she used to laugh, to eat, and to say I love you. She could do a hundred other things with her lips and tongue, but she wanted to kiss Madeleine the most.

The kiss was a homecoming, one that spread warmth through Madeleine’s limbs as surely as the fireplace on a chilly night. Hæra didn’t kiss Madeleine like she wanted to eat her up, though. Rather, she invited Madeleine in, and when she surged into Madeleine’s embrace, she made a soft, plaintive noise. Not her usual possessive growl. And when Madeleine pulled back for a look into her eyes, Hæra’s face was slack and vulnerable with desire.

“I need it,” she said hoarsely. “I need to feel good.”

Madeleine realized: Hæra didn’t want one of their usual rough, passionate encounters. Her eyes begged for tenderness and care. And every cell in Madeleine’s body sang out that she was ready to give it.

She couldn’t swear to stay on Jorsay or make any other unkeepable promise, but she could give this to the woman she loved.

When she tugged at the top button of Hæra’s pajamas, Hæra whispered, “I thought you were exhausted.”

“I am.” Madeleine traced her fingertip down Hæra’s warm throat and then back up and over the line of her jaw. Hæra was every bit as rangy and muscular as she’d always been, even if those muscles had less supernatural strength. She seemed to consider this a downgrade. Madeleine had to disagree. “I’m in no shape for vigorous shenanigans. We’ll have to take it slow. Nice and gentle.”

Hæra’s eyelashes fluttered, and for a second, longing was naked on her face. “If—if you’d like that, I suppose we could give it a try.”

Madeleine suppressed a chuckle as she leaned in for another kiss. “Wow, try not to give me an ego, okay?”

“I’ll give you something else.” Hæra threaded her fingers into Madeleine’s hair. Her body was taut with an eagerness Madeleine knew well by now. Straining at the bit.

But there weren’t any hickeys or scratches tonight. Nobody got picked up and flipped over or held down. For the first time, Madeleine explored Hæra at her leisure.

Hæra’s flesh was a treasure to be cherished and protected. Her mouth too. They kissed and came closer, undressing each other layer by layer until they were twined together, naked. The rub of Hæra’s breasts against her own, Hæra’s body beneath her hands, Hæra’s soaked heat around her fingers.