Rhydian wants to stop me from ever having nightmares. It is the most romantic thing I have ever heard of and it is happening to me.
His amber gaze flicks over my shoulder and to the swing and my mother. His brow furrows.
“I can taste the truth of this dream,” he says.
I shrug. “My mum took me to the park all the time. It is probably an amalgamation of memories.”
His gaze flicks back to me, but now there is a strange look in his eyes. “Your mother was kind to you when you were small?”
Oh my sweet, sweet baby. He looks so utterly bewildered and lost. His words have punched me in the gut so hard it is making my chest ache. I want to hug him, but for some reason, I don’t.
“I guess fey mothers aren’t like that,” I say softly.
I’ll give him an escape route, and besides, I’m not stupid enough to criticise the queen. Not even in dreamland or whatever it is called.
Rhydian blinks slowly, as if pulling himself away from distant memories. “It is not our way,” he says. “Raising young is tedious. We used to trick humans into doing it for us.”
“Changelings?” I whisper.
He nods.
Are they going to start doing that again, now that they are back? I can’t remember what the tales say about what happens to the human babies that are swapped out. I can’t imagine it is anything good.
“I will leave you to dream in peace,” he says curtly and then disappears.
I stare stupidly at the spot he was standing in a mere heartbeat ago. Talk about uncanny. I’m unsettled that he left so dramatically. And I’m a little sad too. I wish he had stayed a littlelonger.
“Jamie!” calls my dream mother.
I turn towards her. Hopefully, it is time to feed the ducks.
Waking up smooshed into someone’s firm and manly chest is lovely. I could get used to this. It feels intimate and cosy. We had sex, he walked in my dream and now we are snuggling.
Sadly, Rhydian shoves me off. Very gently, but still. I bite back my squeak of indignation and yawn instead. I should have known that it was too good to be true.
Rhydian rolls out of bed with a grace that is frankly unnecessary at this time of morning. But at least I get a glimpse of his naked ass before his nightshirt slides down, and my, what an ass it is. It looks so very firm and peachy. The sight is making me a little dizzy. I’m such a pervert.
“Time to bathe,” he says, without looking at me.
Yeah, yeah. I know the drill. The morning routine is firmly etched into my soul. I yawn again as I head for my bathroom. Some of my muscles twinge in complaint and my ass feels delightfully well used. Not sore exactly, but I can definitely feel it. An echo of Rhydian.
A blush burns across my cheeks, and I pick up my pace. Funny how I don’t mind being naked apart from the cockbag and collar, but I really don’t want anyone to see me blushing.
But hey, I’m pretty now, of course I don’t mind if anyone sees me. Not that Pinky is impressed. And Rhydian has seen it all anyway. Damn it! Now I’m super blushing.Anyway, the point is, displaying emotion is way worse than showing off my beautiful new body.
I splash into the wonderfully hot water and sink in up to my chin. A happy sigh escapes me. I’ve made it. And now I’m all but floating in scented water. This is bliss.
A gentle swish behind me has me turning my head. Rhydian is walking into my bath. Still wearing his thin cotton nightshirt. He dips down to his chin in the water and then moves to the seat at the edge of the pool. The water comes up to just below his nipples and now that the thin cotton is wet, I can see everything. His pecs are gorgeous. His shoulders are well defined. His nipples are very pink.
I gulp and hastily look away.
“Come here,” he orders as he reaches for me.
I bob a little closer, and he takes my arm and pulls me onto his lap. His fingers go straight to my hole and I yelp in surprise.
“Hold still. I need to check if you are damaged.”
I huff and let him prod at me. Seemingly satisfied, he sighs and relaxes back against the blue tiled wall of the enormous bath. He doesn’t shove me off his lap, so I don’t move. I like the feel of his muscular thighs under my naked ass cheeks.
