Page 121 of By the Horns
“Piss off,” I tell him affectionately. “My friend needed a hug.”
“When do I get mine?” he replies.
“Later. In private.” And I give him a suggestive wink. Gods, I’m feeling better by the moment. Well, as long as I don’t touch my wrist, or any of my bruises, or think about how mucking tired I am.
Raptor just grins at me, his smile wide. “You might want to take your innocent little wife home, Hawk,” he drawls, striding toward me. “Or she’s going to see me do some absolutely filthy things to my mate.”
Sparrow lets out an alarmed squeak and releases me as if I’m on fire. “We’ll catch up tomorrow! Come and visit if you can find the time! I’ll be at the archives!”
She races away, waving a hand, and moves to Hawk’s side. Amused, Hawk just shakes his head and puts an arm around his wife before leading her away.
Hands on hips, I eye Raptor. “ ‘Absolutely filthy things,’ eh? Out in public? You shameless Taurian.”
“It was a lie,” he drawls, pulling me to his side and then heading down the street once more. “If Sparrow started talking, we’d never get away. It made them run, didn’t it? And besides, I’m far too wounded to handle much touching tonight. I think the ratlings bit off every bit of skin on my lower body.”
I cluck my tongue, letting him loop his arm over my shoulders. It’s good to be snuggled up against his side. It feels like it’s where I was meant to be. “They have good taste, those ratlings. I guess I’ll have to wait for you to heal before it’s my turn to bite every bit of skin below your waist.”
“Well, when you put it that way, I wouldn’t mind a bit more biting in certain…locations.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.” I snort with amusement, and then the reality of what we’ve just gone through hits me. It takes everything I have not to sag against him, to keep putting one foot in front of the other. “Is this really over? Am I truly safe?”
“Rooster’s not one to pass up an opportunity, sweetheart. You showed him firsthand how valuable you can be to the guild. Does it mean staying quiet about your ability? Yes. But think of all the good you can do. Think of all the treasure you can find. I know Rooster’s thinking of both.” He chuckles and squeezes me against him. “I’m just so mucking proud of you.”
“You are?” My voice catches. I don’t think anyone’s ever said that to me. Not even Ma.
Raptor looks around, and then grabs my hand, sprinting toward the nearest alley. Surprised, I trot alongside him, and when we get into the shadows, he pulls me up against the nearest wall, my feet dangling, and presses his muzzle to my mouth in a tentative kiss.
I make an excited noise, cup his face, and make him kiss me again. Is it a little awkward? Yes. Is his tongue much bigger than mine? Yes. Is it the best kiss ever? Also yes. He licks into my mouth as if he wants to devour me, and it sends a bolt of heat straight between my thighs. Moaning, I grab his horns and—
Hot pain flashes through my wrist. I jerk backward. “Shit!”
Raptor recoils. “What’d I do wrong?”
“It’s my wrist.” I cradle my hand against my chest even as he lowers my dangling feet to the ground.
“Oh, thank gods.” At my annoyed look, he explains. “I thought I’d been too enthusiastic and nearly choked you with my fat tongue. Your mouth is quite small. Hot and delicious and wet…but small.”
“For what it’s worth, I would never complain about the size of your tongue,” I tell him loftily. “But perhaps a dark alley isn’t the best spot to kiss.”
“You’re right. It’s far better for under-the-skirt touches.” He grins at me, and then winces, holding up a bandaged hand. “But perhaps that needs to wait, too.”
“Surely there’s some part of you I can ride that isn’t too beat up,” I tease.
He taps his long nose with his bandaged hand. “I know just the seat for you, sweetheart.”
Heat scorches through me, and I want to wriggle with arousal. I’m forgetting all too quickly about how tired I am, especially in light of his playful flirtiness. “Your knot must be aching something fierce right now,” I coo at him. “I’m happy to be of assistance.”
Raptor just gives me a long, hard look that makes me shiver with delight.
I wait for him to do something, to say something. If he pushed me against this wall and jerked my pants down, I wouldn’t turn him away. I know he must be hurting, as it’s been days since we’ve touched, and I know he gets uncomfortable when he’s aching. Instead, he sends a thoughtful look down the alley. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” I take the hand he holds out to me and follow him.
“To a secret hiding spot. Naiah never gives me her potions in person. She always deposits them in a hidden location.”
Oh. His potions. The ones where his knot—and the rest of him—goes down for days on end. Is he going to take that now? Not the ending to this evening that I had in mind, but if he needs it, he needs it. I’ll be a supportive partner no matter what. And maybe it’s best that we rest anyhow.
I guess.
