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“Where do you think Dude is?”

“He has likely gone tae the kitchen tae beg a meal and is wonderin’ why we haena joined him yet. But I want tae take my time.”

“True, that was intense. Speaking of, how’s your shoulder now?”

“Better, twas jarring, but I dinna hurt it.”

To prove it he raised his arm briefly, but winced. I could tell it hurt.

“And your hearing is better.”

“Aye, I can hear much better, I feel my old self.”

“Except for this weird buzzing, do you feel it? Honestly?”

“Aye, it feels like there is a beehive under the bed.”

“But I can’t hear it, I feel it.” I sighed. “Honey… yum… I’m hungry, does this hotel have room service?”

He said, “If the room is any indication, the food inna goin’ tae be anythin’ we want tae eat in our bed. We ought tae eat it sittin’ up tae make certain we survive it.”

“It might kill us?”

He said, “I think twill be heavy, thick, dry and bland at once.” His stomach growled. “I am greatly looking forward tae it.”

I kissed the bit of his chest closest to my mouth. “I love you, Albannach, thank you for the heave ho.”

“I did plant m’standard verra firmly in yer field.”

“Your standard, like your flag?”

“My banner, ye ken, with m’full family colors. I carried it high, taking ye on a campaign with a full charge of m’cavalry, I rammed yer gates and stormed yer keep.”

“So you’re going with a complete war metaphor?”

“Och aye, I was victorious, Princess, vanquished ye hard. Ye ken tis true.”

“True, though I did think you were defeated when you hurt your shoulder during it.”

“Nothing can defeat yer Torin in his mighty conquest of yer field.”

“Well, I feel vanquished, to carry on the metaphor, you dropped your cannonballs on my mounds of⁠—”

He shook his head, laughing. “Och, ye arna doin’ it right.”

“I know, but you love me anyway.”

“Tis true, I love ye though ye daena ken how tae use a war metaphor for sex.”

I kissed him and lingered there for a moment, tongue and lips, deep and sensual.

Then I said, “How was that? You liked that?”

“I do like what ye do with yer tongue, aye.”

Then both our stomachs growled.

“We need to get up, wash with that pitcher of water, put on clothes and go eat.” I rolled from the bed.