Forty

 

Day darkened to night and I made love with Aidan. We felt no hurry, nor desire to stop. He was a sweet lover, for all his fire. Like mixing his fiery whiskey with cool water, our time together was enhanced by our joining. His every caress felt burned into my skin, yet I burned for more. Oh, Aidan...

I didn't sleep on the floor by the fire that night, nor barricaded in the bedroom nearest the bathroom. I shared Aidan's bed and slept beside him on satin, when we chose to sleep. And when we didn't...I ached for more.

That night, I woke in darkness, thirsty for water. I disentangled my body from Aidan's embrace and padded to the kitchen. Through the kitchen window, I spied movement on the edge of the lawn, where trees and bush met grass. I held still and watched. Keeping low, a large, striped cat, the size and shape of a greyhound, stalked the edge of the bush. Her ears pricked at the slightest sound and once her head turned so she looked right at me. She froze, as did the two tiny cubs at her paws. With such small young, I knew her den must be close by. As I met her gaze, I nodded slowly. Her secret was safe with me, as long as she did not betray any of my secrets. She and her cubs flitted between two trees and were gone. The Nannup Tiger lived and she was not alone.

I quenched my thirst with tap water, before returning to Aidan's bed. As I slid in beside him, he stretched an arm across me to stroke my leg.

"I thought you'd disappeared and maybe I'd just dreamed you." His hand curved around my thigh, slowly moving upward. "Would you like to inspire some sweet dreams to see us through 'til morning?"

I could take sleep or sex, but I knew that when morning came, I'd be driving home. The burning fire our passion kindled tonight would be cold soon enough. Fire could not burn forever. But it could burn for one more night. And oh how I burned for him now.

I stretched and spread out, as his fingers slid inside. My breath hissed out in response, as a far hotter snake thrust into a welcome home.

Sleep could wait.