Waiting for the Moon

She pressed a finger to his lips. "Do not begin a sentence with this word. It is the beginning of no. I shall not accept a no."

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He stared at her, lost himself in the dark pools of her eyes. As always, she was asking the best of him, the most honorable, most honest, course of action.

So simple, Ian.

Slowly he felt himself begin to smile. "I suppose I could try with the kid. ..."

"Yes," she whispered.

At her quiet voice, so filled with love and certainty and honesty, he began to understand what it truly meant to love someone. Magic, he thought again, drawing her close for a kiss. "I love you," he murmured against her lips, tasting the sweet nectar of peaches.

She slipped on top of him and smiled down at him, her hair a reddish brown curtain that framed her face and tickled his arms. "Now I should like to have sex again," she said in a throaty whisper that sent a shiver rippling down his spine.

257

"Oh, really?" He ran a hand along the naked curve of her back and cupped her fanny. "I can see I'll have to teach you how to talk like a lady."

"I know this already, Ian." She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled. "Please may I have more sex?"

He laughed. God, it felt good to be here, with her, to lie in bed with the woman of his dreams, with shadows and candlelight stacked around them, the sweet smell of peaches and sex in the air, and to dream. So good to dream.

"Do ye think they're all right in there?" Edith hissed, cupping her mouth with a fleshy hand.

Johann laughed softly. "Probably a damn sight better than any of us are."

Andrew frowned, his wide-eyed gaze fixed on the closed door. "I don't think so. They haven't been out in days."

Lara started to cry. "I miss Selena."

The queen snorted. "That much screwin' couldn't be good for a body."

There was a moment of prolonged silence as they all stared at the door. This was the fourth time in as many days that they'd gathered outside Ian's bedroom door. They'd waited breathlessly for the first day, each one of them excited beyond measure to see what would be changed when Selena and Ian finally emerged from the room. On the second day, their excitement had lost its shiny glow. The first concern had been voiced. And now, by day four, only Johann remained calm.

Queen Victoria had voted three times to burn down the door.

Andrew wanted to knock.

Edith brought a glass to sharpen her eavesdropping.

And Maeve hadn't noticed until yesterday that either Selena or her son was missing.

But she noticed now, and she was determined to find out what had happened.

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She pushed through the crowd and strode up to the door. "Enough is enough." Lifting a pale fist, she rapped hard on the door.

There was a shouted curse from inside, then a giggle, then a loud crash.

Maeve wrenched open the door and went inside. Everyone squeezed in behind her.

They found Ian stark naked, lying on the floor, laughing. Selena, also naked, was sprawled on top of him. Peaches and apples were scattered across the hardwood floor. A dozen candles had burned down to the nub. Hazy tails of smoke wafted along the ceiling, clung to the corners.

Selena snapped to sit up on Ian's lap and waved brightly. "Hello!"

Ian snatched up a wrinkled bit of sheet and plastered it to her breasts.