He prayed she was with child. His hand splayed her stomach, thumb and pinkie resting on the bridge of her hip bones. A babe would be irrefutable proof of their union.
He dismissed the knowledge that this war might tarry too long and he might miss seeing her grow round with his babe. She would give him many children.
She stirred slightly, a soft sigh escaping her. He smiled down at her.
A child. What a joy that would be.
A child would add weight to this marriage. Galenus was an honorable man. He’d be offended by the secrecy of their marriage, of that Ariston had little doubt. But Galenus would be appeased with the gifts he received. He would be pleased to know that Ariston was not just an Ekdromoi leader and servant to Athena, but heir to his oikos and his family basileus. These would serve Medusa’s family well.
Since Poseidon was not her intended and Athena had released her, Galenus and Phorcys should find him a mighty addition to their family.
His worries could wait. Time with her was slipping away.
His eyes drifted over her form, soft and limp in a deep sleep. He lifted a finger to smooth a single curl from her face. She shifted in her sleep, her arm slipping across his chest as she stretched. She pressed herself against him as she did so, stirring him again.
He kissed her, lingering over her lips until they parted for him. And his tongue slipped in, teasing her until she moaned in the back of her throat. His hands and mouth slid over her, kneading and cupping, kissing and licking the planes of her. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.
When would he next make love to her? When would he next hold her in his arms or gaze upon the curve of her face? Urgency gripped him. His chest seemed to press against itself, collapsing upon him and his heart and lungs with a leaden pain.
He stilled, letting his eyes look their fill.
“You’re staring at me,” she whispered as her hand settled on his cheek.
“I am.” He held her hand to his cheek. “I cannot stop.”
“I see the love in your eyes, Ariston.”
He would hold this moment dear, to warm him on nights when they were far from one another.
“I love you.” His voice reverberated in the quiet. He wanted his declaration to be heard. He needed her to hear him say, “More than my life.”
She rolled onto her side and gazed at him, eyes bright, cheeks flushed. “My husband,” she whispered.
His hand cupped her cheek. “My lady.”
He rolled, sliding her beneath him. He wrapped his arms about her, pressing kisses to her throat, her breasts. He drove into her, his groan echoing within the small cabin. He would remember the smell of her, the taste of her, the feel of her, on those nights they were apart.
He felt her hands tangle in his curls, felt her pull his lips to hers. She gasped, her body tightening around him, and yet he pushed on. The cries of their release, guttural and ragged, were caught in their kiss.
He held her to him, listening to each breath and beat of her heart.
“Oh how I love you, husband,” she whispered, holding his head to her heart.
His arms tightened, pressing her into the shelter of his arms.
The gentle roar of the ocean, the call of the gulls and Thea’s coo, even the wind through the sparse trees rooted to the hillside could not ease the ache threatening his peace. He knew that time would separate them, if only for a while.
Fear rose, shooting up his spine. It grew, stealing his breath and churning his stomach. He was loath to release her, to let her leave the safety of his arms. He held her close, and breathed her in.
He’d never known such fear. But then, he’d never had something he was fearful of losing.
She looked up at him, kissing him on the lips. “Come.” She slipped from his arms and stood on unsteady legs. “Swim with me. Elpis will be here shortly.”
Ariston took her hand, grabbed their clothes, and followed her to the water, determined to reveal none of his apprehension to her. They had enough to endure. This unnatural panic would lend nothing good. He must be strong, for them both.
She distracted him, pulling him into the water with a bright smile. Her nakedness was a dazzling sight, beauty amidst the blue waters and the warm sun. She stooped, collecting handfuls of sand to rub him, cleansing him.
He closed his eyes, allowing her touch to soothe his troubles. And then he washed her, gently scrubbing her with handfuls of sand until her skin seemed to glow.