“No,” Brynn whispered. “You’re not.” She searched his face, watching him with a coiled intensity.
Cenric brushed a kiss on her chin, at the corner of her mouth. He gently suckled her lower lip, urging her to open for him.
Brynn leaned into him, her breath coming faster. She returned his kiss, despite the tension shuddering through her whole body.
Cenric wanted to devour her. He wanted to taste her secret places and hear his own name gasped from her sweet mouth.
He slid his arm around her waist, drawing her close against him. She let off a little yelp of surprise, but rested her hands on his shoulders, continuing to return his kiss.
Even through their woolen mantles, Cenric could feel her warmth. She was soft in his arms, melting against him as her mouth welcomed him.
He shifted, kneeling on the grass in front of her. Brynn whimpered at his withdrawal, then met his kiss again as he drew close.
Brynn kissed like a young colt learning to run—awkward, but no less eager. She let off a little moan, her fingers stroking the back of his neck.
Cenric had only ever known nightmares, but kissing Brynn must be what dreams felt like.
She framed his face in her hands, her breath coming faster. Cenric kissed her harder, drinking her in.
He found her boot and slid his hand up to her ankle. Brynn shuddered, but didn’t break their kiss.
Cenric ran his fingers up the woolen wrap around her calf, past her knee. All the while, Brynn kissed him as if she couldn’t get enough, as if she wanted it. As if she enjoyed it.
Shifting closer, Cenric touched her bare thigh under her skirt.
Brynn jolted, her palms slamming against his shoulders. In an instant, her whole body was rigid, eyes wide with fright.
“Brynn?” Cenric dropped his hand, head cocking as he watched her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” Brynn gasped, her breath still coming in heaves. “I’m just not used to…” She shook her head. “It’s fine.”
Cenric rested a hand on her knee, carefully, on top of her skirt this time. “I’m sorry.”
Brynn tensed for just a moment, but relaxed when he didn’t go any further.
“It’s alright.” Cenric was ready to take her on top of their mantles and among the graves of his ancestors. His own need pounded through him hot and greedy, wanting to know if the rest of her felt as good as her mouth did.
But Brynn’s fearful tremor was all he needed to know.
“We have time,” Cenric said. “We have all the time you need.”
Brynn sucked her lips between her teeth. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to stop.”
“Don’t be sorry.” Cenric shook his head, rising to his feet. “It’s late. We should be getting home.”
Brynn let him pull her up. She collected the puppy and tucked her under her mantle.
They walked back to the longhouse in silence down the path, back through the trees, and into the soft warmth of his home. Neither of them spoke, but when they returned to their room, Brynn stopped at the threshold and kissed him one last time before retreating to her side of the bed.
Brynn
Life in Ombra was…strange. In a good way.
Brynn worked from early morning until after sunset. The days were growing shorter, for which she was grateful. It meant less time to work.
Cenric found her with Guin again the next night and they walked to his family burial mounds again. He did the same the night after that and the next. It became something of a ritual as the days wore on.
Brynn had thought it morbid the first time. She didn’t want to be shackled with yet another man who idolized the dead at the expense of the living.
