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“Yes, but I thought that was just another of your pickup lines.”
“How cruelly my lady has judged me.”
“You seem to have survived the blow well enough.”
“You have no idea, my Gwynn.” He sobered, then pushed off the mood. “What does my lady will then? Food? A bath?” He flexed his hips, stroking inside me. “Me?”
I pushed at his shoulder with the heel of my hand. “Remember I’m mortal. And a bath sounds amazing.”
“I should have known.” He shook his head, sighing dramatically.
“Let me up.” I wriggled. “Now that a bath has been offered, I can’t stand to be without another minute.”
“Not if you keep moving in that distracting fashion,” he replied in an arch tone, but he uncoiled in his loose-limbed way and strode naked across the room. Mesmerized by his grace and the enticing play of his ass as he walked, I watched him go, somewhat befuddled when he returned wearing a black robe and carrying a deep green garment.
“What’s that?”
“My people call it a robe.” He held it open for me, borrowing one of my snarky lines too. “Unless you’d prefer to parade around the castle naked, which would be your prerogative as its new mistress.”
“As a mere houseguest, I’ll go for the robe.” I folded the curved side of the claws into my palms, which worked well enough to slide my arms through the sleeves. Rogue lifted my hair from under the collar, spreading it over my shoulders and leaning in to press a kiss just under my ear.
“That remains to be decided,” he reminded me, in a silky tone that nevertheless carried all the warning I needed regarding his determination on the subject.
He came around in front of me, fastening the buttons and tying the sash. All very thoughtful of him—but this being unable to do things for myself would wear thin soon. The robe, however, draped over me, plush and thick, so perfectly fitted, it seemed to have been made for me. As it likely was. The collar stood high around my neck then dropped dramatically open to reveal the upper curves of my breasts. The buttons and sash snugged it around my waist, where it then fell into a luscious full skirt of velvet folds.
“You look ravishing, Gwynn.”
“Thank you.” I found myself not quite able to handle this level of romance and tender care from him. It eroded the last shattered remnants of my will. Call me perverse, but I felt on more solid ground with him when we were at odds. I couldn’t help looking for the tricks and the loopholes.
“So suspicious.” Rogue ran a finger down my cheek and under my chin, lifting it a bit. He didn’t kiss me though. Instead searched my face for something. “Come with me. We’ll go the back way.”
“We’re going somewhere?” Duh. He’d said “parade around the castle.” Apparently phenomenal sex had the additional effect of addling my brain. Note to self.
He led me through another arched door, inset down below the wall of the dome, into a sort of vertical tube. We stepped into it, he pulled me close and told me to brace myself. The circular platform we stood on sank down, increasing speed in a controlled way. “Don’t be alarmed. It’s just an—”
“Elevator? You have a freaking magic elevator?”
He cocked his head at me, not quite hearing the word right. “Your world has this magic?”
If I could have patted him on the cheek, I would have. I settled for a condescending tone. “Honey, we have thistechnologyand much more.”
With a low growl, he squeezed my bottom and pressed me close. “You didn’t have me.”
This was true.
Before I could come up with a suitable answer—okay, I was a little distracted—the platform halted in a shadowy chamber with a set of stairs leading down. A shiver of recognition trilled across my skin, raising the tiny hairs. Tucking my arm through his, Rogue led me down into a torchlit bathing chamber.
The same one I’d dreamed of so many times.
Chapter 6
In Which Rogue Gives Me a List
‡
For the fae, the concept of “true love” seems to be an almost magical condition—more like a trophy or yet another commodity to be traded upon. The way they speak of it seems to have nothing to do with what I think of aslove.
~Big Book of Fairyland, “TrueLove”
