“You should go back to sleep,” I said.
“It is daylight.We’ll pack to be ready if the chance to leave presents itself.”
I rose and went to the window again, surprised when I moved the curtain to see it really was past dawn.Unfortunately, the Hollows had not scurried away.The same half dozen still stood about, though most had moved closer to the tree line, where they would be in shadow when the sun rose higher.
I felt rather than heard Taio come to stand behind me.Without being asked, I moved aside, careful not to wiggle the curtain or be seen from the outside.Taio took my place and studied the clearing.I studied his back.He’d tied the blanket low on his hips, and I admired his lower back, where the curve of his spine dipped into the blanket.He had what looked like a series of lines and dashes in an intricate pattern down his spine.The tattoo disappeared beneath the blanket, and from my brief glances of him, I knew it ended at the seam of his buttocks.I had the urge to lick that tattoo, from the back of his neck to the base of his spine.I wouldn’t mind licking all his tattoos.
“Are you well?”he asked, turning to look at me.
“Yes.Why?”
“You were breathing fast.”
I felt my face heat and was thankful for the low light so he couldn’t see my blush.“It’s hot in here.”
“Is it?”
No, it was not.It was actually quite cold.I moved away, leaving him at the window and beginning to gather my things.My bedroll and clothes were dry, and I left one set of clothes out and packed everything else.Taio had pulled out one of the jars of preserves, and I joined him near the hearth to eat them.These were some sort of orange fruit I wasn’t familiar with.It tasted slightly sour and tangy, not unpleasant but not my favorite.The food silenced the rumbling in my belly for now, and I washed my hands and the bowl then went to draw more water.
“Still too many,” Taio murmured.I turned and saw he’d gone back to the window.
“How many?”I came to stand beside him, and he moved so I could count.The Hollows still numbered six.We could take on six, but there were almost certainly double that in the trees and on the other side of the cabin.Still, their numbers were dwindling as they lost interest in the cabin and wandered away.We’d see how many moved out into the open tonight and perhaps in a few days, we could attempt to flee.“I count six,” I said.
“I saw eight.”
“Eight?”I looked out again and spotted one on the ground by a fallen log.“I see seven.”I pointed to each one.
“By that tree there,” Taio whispered, coming to stand directly behind me.
“Which tree?”
From behind, he took my chin and moved my head to the left.“The cedar tree with the split trunk.”
I found the tree, directly in my line of sight, and narrowed my eyes.He was correct.A Hollow stood partially behind it, almost out of sight.And then, though I didn’t move, I wasn’t looking out the window any longer.Very slowly, I lowered the corner of the curtain, not moving away from Taio.My back was pressed against his bare chest, and after he’d shown me where to look, he’d rested his hand on my shoulder.Now he slid that hand and his other to my waist, wrapping his arms about me.He rested his chin on top of my head.“We cannot leave,” he said.
“Not right now,” I agreed.
“What shall we do to pass the time?”
My breath hitched as I realized what he had in mind.Or perhaps it was only whatIhad in mind.“We could talk,” I said.
He made a non-committal sound.
“We could play a game of Xes and Os.”
“I know that game.It will take two minutes, and we will come to a draw.”
“We could take turns sleeping while the other keeps watch.”
“Is that what youwantto do?”
I turned in his arms and linked my hands about his neck.“Not even a little.”I pulled his mouth to mine and kissed him.As soon as our lips met, I felt as though I’d been starving and finally a feast of all my favorite foods had been laid before me.I wanted to devour him, starting with that soft, full mouth.He yielded to me, his tongue tangling with mine.That first taste of him made me want him even more.I ran my hands up and down his bare back then pushed at the blanket at his waist until it dropped to the floor.I slid my hands down to cup his taut buttocks while his hand skated into my hair and angled my head so he might kiss my neck.I did not want gentleness this time, and he seemed to know that.His hands on my breasts and hips were demanding, his touch making my breath come fast and hard.
We took two steps away from the window, and my back hit the wall of the cabin.My hands glided from his bottom to his hips and then his erect cock.I wrapped my hand around him, and he drew in a breath.He braced himself on the wall with one hand and opened his eyes to look down at me.His hair was down about his face and his eyes impossibly dark in the dim light.My hand slid over his velvet hardness even as my body ached to feel him between my legs.
“It’s too soon for you,” he whispered, reading my mind.“You must be sore.”
My cheeks heated, and I was thankful for the dim light.“I want you anyway.”
