Page 156 of Sun Warrior

“Well, we’re going to see for ourselves,” he said. “Won’t that be something?”

“It will.” Mari put the carving back on her desk and turned to Nik. “You’re leaving tomorrow.”

She didn’t ask it, but he answered anyway. “I am. As soon as I help you take the rest of your things to the birthing burrow. I didn’t know if you were going to stay here the next two nights.”

Mari didn’t answer quickly because her initial reaction was to say,Of course I’m going to stay here—it’s my home.But the more she thought on it, the more she realized that she should be with the Pack on the last nights in Earth Walker territory. They would need all of their Moon Women—and she would need them. Being here would just be too sad, especially if Nik was late getting back and she and Rigel were all alone.

“Tonight will be my last night here. With you and Laru and Rigel. Tomorrow, after you leave, I will, too. I’ll join our Pack at the birthingburrow, wait there for you. It’s the right thing to do. It’s past time Moon Women stop isolating ourselves.”

“I’m so glad you said that!” Nik hugged her. “I hated the thought of you being here, alone except for Rigel.”

“It’s going to be hard enough to leave. I don’t want to be alone. I’ve been alone too much,” Mari said. Then she took Nik’s hands and looked into his loving moss-colored eyes. “Nikolas, would you take me to bed?”

“Sure! You must be tired after…” His words faded away as he understood her shy smile and the excitement in her eyes. “Oh! Bloody beetle balls, yes, I’ll take you to bed! I mean, crap! That wasn’t very romantic.”

Mari giggled. “I think it was. I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

He took her hand and they walked together to the soft pallet that had been Mari’s for her whole life.

“Would you sit there for a moment?” she asked him.

“Mari, I’d do anything you asked me to. And that includes stopping if anything doesn’t feel right to you,” Nik said.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. There’s something you should know about Earth Walker women.” He sat, and she took a small step back. “Once we decide to share ourselves with our mate, we do so fully, joyfully, and without embarrassment. Or at least without much embarrassment.”

“That’s good to—” Nik began, but when Mari reached up and with a single motion pulled her tunic over her head and then untied her pants and let them pool around her feet his words stopped.

Mari stood before him, naked. She felt the heat of the hearth fire against her back and the heat of Nik’s gaze on the rest of her body. She’d thought of this moment often, imagining her nervousness and her excitement. But she’d never imagined the pleasure she felt as Nik’s eyes devoured her.

“You are so beautiful—so perfect.” His voice had deepened.

“Your turn,” she said, but when he started to yank off his tunic she moved close to him, stilling his hands. “I want to do it. Is that okay?”

“Mari, anything you want is okay.”

She dimpled. “Be careful with that kind of talk, Nikolas. It could get you into trouble later.”

“Well, my beautiful Moon Woman, do you know the trouble with trouble?” He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her wrist and then moving slowly, sensually, up to the inside of her forearm, to the pulse point at the bend of her elbow. There he stopped and looked up at her, a mischievous grin lifting his lips. “It starts out as fun.”

“Let’s see what kind of fun we can get into.” She pulled off his tunic, dropping it to the floor. Then she let her hands explore his naked shoulders and chest. “I like how you’re hard where I’m soft. And I like this, too.” She pulled playfully on the springy blond hair in the middle of his chest. Her hand drifted lower, caressing his muscular abdomen and finding the waist of his pants, causing Nik to suck in his breath. “Is what I’m doing okay?”

“More okay than you’ll ever know.”

“Oh, good. Would you stand up?”

He did as she asked, and she slid his pants down; then she stepped back, studying him.

“You look a lot different now than you did last time I saw you naked.”

“I was sick and half dead then. I hope you mean different as in better,” he said.

“Definitely better.” She reached out and touched him, feeling him tremble under her caress. “You’re shaking.”

“I know. I can’t help it. Your touch feels like sunfire.”

“Should I stop?”

“No! Never stop touching me.”