It was worth it when his cambion smiled at him as he entered the kitchen.“You’re the best, Arkas,” Oaklie said.
“That’s what my brothers tell me all the time,” he joked.She snickered and he was relieved that her black mood was finally lifting.“Is there anything else you need?”he asked.
“You could box up the food that’s in the pantry so we can take it with us,” she suggested, stirring her meal so it didn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Glad to have something to do, Arkas searched the house and found some large plastic containers.He piled all of the food and beverages from the pantry into it.Oaklie sat down at the kitchen table to eat her meal.She’d used an old kettle on the stovetop to boil water for tea.The sun had gone down, but they didn’t turn their flashlights on.The house was visible from the road and they didn’t want to draw any attention to themselves.
“I’m beat,” Oaklie said when she finished her meal.“I’m going to crash early.Maybe we can get back on the road once the sun comes up.If it doesn’t storm again, that is.”
“I suppose there’s no point asking you to lock the doors,” Arkas said wryly, glancing at the broken windows in the living room.
“I can lock our bedroom door if it makes you feel better,” she said teasingly.
His entire body went rigid.“You wish for me to sleep in the same bed as you again?”he asked.
“The other beds are wet and moldy, aren’t they?”she pointed out as she rose to her feet.
“They are,” he confirmed, glad the table was hiding his unruly hardon.
“Come on, then,” she said, crooking her finger at him.“I’m too tired to hump you into submission, Knight of Order.”
He let out a raspy chuckle, grabbing the duffle bags he’d brought inside.He held them in front of his body to hide his reaction to her comment.It wasn’t easy to banish the mental image of her humping his brains out as they climbed upstairs to the second floor.
Oaklie used the bathroom while he quickly changed the sheets.She didn’t need to see the empty clothing that the raptured former owners had left behind.He stuffed the sheets into the closet and fluffed up the pillows.He got changed while she was still occupied in the ensuite.He’d opted not to ask her to lock the bedroom door, just in case they needed to leave in a hurry.
Emerging from the bathroom, Oaklie stopped dead when she saw he was shirtless.His sweatpants were too small and hid nothing from her view.“I hope you’re not going to poke me in the back all night long with that weapon you’re hiding in your pants,” she said with a smirk.
“Have no fear, female,” Arkas said instead of the dozen inappropriate comments about poking her in other places that sprang to mind.“I’ll be a perfect gentleman,” he vowed.
“Remember what I can do with wood if you forget to keep your hands to yourself,” she said, then broke into laughter when he glanced down at his jutting shaft.The room was dark, but her night vision compensated for it.
“A lesser man would be emasculated by his female laughing at him,” Arkas said wryly.“Fortunately, my ego can withstand it.”
Oaklie pulled the sheets and blankets back and climbed into bed.“All joking aside, I’m glad you’re here, Arkas,” she said.“I don’t want to be alone tonight.Not after what happened at the motel.”She was silent as he joined her beneath the sheets.“Will you hold me?”she asked hesitantly.
“For as long as you like,” he vowed, rolling over to tuck one arm around her.He curled his legs up, cocooning the tiny cambion in his embrace.He also made sure he wouldn’t accidentally poke her in the back with his stubborn wood that refused to deflate.
“This is nice,” she said, already sounding like she was drifting off.“I could get used to this.”
“As could I,” the knight said beneath his breath, feeling sharp pain constrict his heart.It was agony knowing he would only be here for a short while.Once the war was over, he would return to the Void no matter whether they won or lost.
