Arc 4: Chapter 16: A Cold Warmth
Cat gasped into my mouth, my kiss taking her by surprise. She relaxed after a moment, her eyelids drifting together to narrow the red orbs within to slits, not quite closing. She lifted a hand to curl her fingers into my short hair. I tasted her satisfied sigh.
Encouraged by this response, I leaned in. She pressed closer to me, so we folded together. I pulled back to take a breath only for her fingers to tighten into my hair, dragging me back with an impatient hiss. My lips parted more in that second kiss, letting her tongue slip into my mouth.
She tasted very faintly of copper.
Catrin pressed closer to me as we held one another. Without thinking about it, my hand drifted down to her waist, feeling at the thin, flexible leather of her leggings. They softly crackled as she slid her thigh against mine. Through the thin material of her camisole, I felt the tips of her breasts harden.
She pulled back, leaving me breathless and letting out a quick, nervous laugh. “Sorry,” she said. “I get excited easy.”
“You could give me some credit,” I complained lightly.
She didn’t seem to hear me. Her eyes were fixed on some point below my own, almost hidden beneath her lashes, her lips slightly parted.
“Cat?” I asked, still holding her.
She licked her lips, though the gesture seemed more nervous than seductive. “Get that coat and your boots off. I… I’ll be right back.”
She slipped out of my arms, to my disappointment. There was another smaller room connected to the bedroom, probably for washing — Garihelm had very nice inns. She vanished into it.
Sighing, still feeling my heart pound in my chest, I stripped out of my coat, tunic, and boots. This left me in my long undershirt and trousers. There was a draft somewhere, drawing a shiver from me. I lifted up my axe, for a moment unsure what to do with it. I hung it on one of the wall hooks meant for cloaks and coats. It emitted a hard, decisive clink as it settled into place.