"Yeah, I know." And he moved his hand to the side of my face. "That's why I put my sign around your neck. It's not a collar; it's a shield. It's a promise."
"But you don't want to kiss me?" I pressed, aware he'd avoided answering that.
And he shifted closer, pressing his brow against mine, his hand at the back of my head, holding us together under the moonlight. "Oh, I do. I want to kiss you every time those blue eyes meet mine, but I want to hold you more. To feel you relaxagainst me just like this. To know you don't tense up or pull away anymore."
"I'm not right now, Zasen."
"No, you're not," he agreed, shifting back to look at me again. "So come inside with me? Since we're not going to sleep, at least let us relax?"
"Or maybe I'd sleep if I wasn't alone in my room?" I said, the words coming out a little too softly.
"I do make a good pillow," he promised. "And you're my partner now. That means it's expected. Not required, but expected."
"Yeah?"
He stepped back, catching my fingers to tow me toward the door with him. "Holly can sleep on my bed too, since Kanik isn't in it anymore."
"But is it okay?" I had to ask.
"Ayla, everyone who sees that torc on your neck will assume we're having sex. I promise sleeping beside me is not wrong at all."
"No!" I said, a little giggle slipping out. "I mean because of Kanik and Rymar."
"Well, if you sleep beside me," he said, letting go of my hand to catch the door. "Holly, inside." And he held it while leaning toward my ear. "They might hope you'll do the same with them, and you should. Rules are for Moles, Ayla, and you're not one of those."
"But you're hard and lumpy," I teased as I followed my dog inside.
"And I still make a good pillow," he promised. "I also don't get grumpy if you can't sleep and want to talk about this more where my toes won't get so cold."
"Boots," I told him. "They're good for that."
"And still don't fit my feet comfortably," he pointed out as he secured the back door and gestured to his room. "But tonight, I'm all yours. Holly will keep guard so we can get some sleep, because tomorrow?"
"We tell everyone we're partners?" I asked, pretty sure that was what he meant.
"Mhm," he agreed. "Tomorrow, all of this becomes official. That means you can kiss us, touch us, or do anything else with us you desire." And a sly smile took over as his tail flicked wickedly. "Now go throw yourself in my bed, Phoenix."
I caught his hand, liking how it felt to do it, and pulled him with me. "You're bigger than the doll I had as a girl, but nicer to look at. Tonight, I'm going to cuddle, okay?"
"Completely okay," he agreed, but the words came out sounding like a purr.
Twenty-Four
Ayla
Zasen did make a good pillow. He'd also ended up in the middle of the bed, pinned between me and my dog. I'd reached across his chest to pet her as we'd talked a little more, and had fallen asleep that way. When I woke up the next morning, I found I'd rolled over, but so had he.
Now Zasen was pressed up against my back, holding me like a doll. His tail was twined around my calf loosely, and I liked it. I also really needed to use the facilities, but the twists made it impossible to slip away.
Gently, I tried to unwrap his tail, lifting the relaxed muscles enough to get my leg free. Sadly, I only made it halfway around before the blue tip tensed, then tightened slightly, hanging on.
"Mm, but I like you here," Zasen mumbled against my shoulder.
"I need to potty," I told him, using the same term I did for Holly. "I can't do that with your tail holding on."
And he sighed. "Fine. I'll let Holly out."
The moment I was free from his tail, I slid off the bed and hurried out of the room. In the hall, I could hear someone working in the kitchen, but I kept going toward the bathroom. While I was doing my business, the man in the kitchen beganto hum softly, proving it was Kanik - which was when Zasen must've entered the kitchen.
