He was quiet for a moment, but it felt contemplative instead of wary.A few minutes later he kissed my head.
“Not just like this,” he whispered, as if his words were just for me.“Not so new or urgent.But in five years we’ll have stories we can laugh about, memories to share.In ten years, we’ll have children who’ll ask how we met, we’ll tell them about our pasts and learn each other in new ways.”
“In thirty years?”I asked, liking the picture he was painting.
He laughed.“In thirty years I’ll convince you to let me gentle your feet and boast of my prowess to the young males.”
I giggled so hard I woke Sal up from his sprawl on my lap.He let out a sleepy honk and rolled onto his back, fat belly heaving as he fell back asleep.
“Forget thirty years,” I said, looking at the baby who’d double in size in just a week.“We’re going to have to figure out what to do with Sal once he’s too big to pick up.”
“Your war beast,” Tovis said fondly, reaching over to tickle one of Sal’s front feet until it twitched.“He came and found me, led me to you.”
“He did?”I looked up in surprise.“He’s so little, he could have gotten crushed in all the fighting.”
“Little, but protective.I wouldn’t have known you were in danger without him.”
“He called the boars,” I murmured, seeing Sal through new eyes.“How many lives did he save today?”
“Impossible to know.But the boars ended the fight before we could have.”
“Taz wants me to turn him into a guard dog,” I said.“He’s just a baby, but who knows how much he could help keep us safe when he’s grown.”
“You were wise to save him,” Tovis said.
“I didn’t do it because I’m smart,” I answered wryly.“I did it because I’m a softy.”
“I told you, I love your softness,” Tovis whispered in my ear, pressing a kiss to my neck.“Your kindness has saved lives more than once.”
“I love you,” I whispered as he trailed more kisses down my neck.There was no demand in his touch, we were both too tired to take things further.So, I rested against my mate and soaked in his touch and his murmurs of praise and affection as the fire burned low.
Epilogue
“Ican’t believe I’mback here,” I said, standing at the back door of the spa for the first time in a month.It took a few weeks before Tovis thought it was safe for us to venture so far from camp, but I’d been telling the girls about the spa and everyone was eager to see it.
“I’m excited,” Hope said.“I’ve never had a spa day.”
