Tuesday Truth May 6, 2014: Wolf’s Lady Part 18

This is almost –but not quite!– late. Thanks for being patient. It’s been a pretty crazy week. I wrote this quickly, so there are probably a ton of errors in it. Please be gracious and overlook my typos.  Enjoy!

Amanda put another spoonful of ice cream and strawberries into her mouth, gaze lingering on Sky’s face for a moment before going back to Sand’s. Both of them had been silent during supper, almost grim. She directed her eyes at Sky again. “Is something wrong?”

“No.”

She didn’t believe it. “Sand?”

The man beside her opened his mouth, but Sky sent him a commanding stare and answered. “No, Mandy.”

Sand frowned at Sky. “Amanda,” he said, in a pointed tone.

Sky frowned back at him.

“Her name is Amanda. Ah-Man-Dah. Don’t call her Mandy anymore, okay?”

With a blink, Sky nodded. “Okay.”

He remembered, Amanda thought, feeling warmth slide around her heart in a tender hold. Sand was so sweet. She took another spoonful of ice cream. “What’s got you so down, Sky?”

The smile he gave her was almost fake, close to the kind he gave visitors. “Nothing. It’s been a long day. Beautiful weather today. I suppose we should enjoy it while we can. Winter is only a few months away.”

He was lying. She knew it. Sand looked down into his bowl without speaking. She couldn’t say she knew him as well as she knew Sky, but except for the light that lifted his face at the sight of dessert, his face had been grave since he came to the table. She liked the expression of delight at the sight of the ice cream. Her suitor must have a sweet tooth. A wicked smile curved her lips. He liked ice cream. Maybe he would like to lick it off her breasts. Desire, so easily aroused when she thought of Sand, flooded her as she imaged cold ice cream and his hot tongue against her breasts…

His hand seized her wrist. She looked up into dark eyes staring at her with the same hungry delight he’d shown the ice cream. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. He opened his mouth for the spoon she lifted to his lips.

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Sky groaned. “Not at the table!”

Amanda glanced around at the others eating supper. Some studiously ignored Amanda and Sand, others watched frankly. Paint had an expression of stark longing on his face, but it vanished as soon as he saw her watching him.

Sand leaned close. “Are you done eating?”

She nodded, and followed him out of the dining room to her room upstairs. He slammed the door shut behind them and dragged her against his chest. He had showered before supper. She could smell the shampoo on his still damp braid and the scent of soap tickled her nose where she pressed it against his throat.

“What are you thinking of?” he growled.

“You,” she murmured, dropping her head back to look up at him under her lashes. “Licking ice cream off my breasts.” She felt his cock stir against her belly. “You like ice cream, don’t you, Sand?”

His voice was slightly hoarse. “Yeah.”

“Kiss me.”

His lips were soft, gentle against hers. Chaste. That wasn’t the kind of kiss she wanted from him. She wanted him hot and demanding, and she got that for several long minutes before he pulled away and held her at arm’s length. His unsteady pants put a smug smile on her face.

“You can’t be done kissing me,” she pouted teasingly. “Don’t you want to kiss me again?”

“Only—” His voice broke and he had to clear his throat. “Only as much as I want to breathe. But we need to stop before I forget myself. Unless … Have you decided to be my mate?”

The hope on his face brought shame to hers. “No.” She made her tone gentle. “I haven’t decided yet.” To keep herself from pouring out excuses, she turned the subject. “What has you and Sky looking so glum? He wouldn’t tell me. Will you?”

He dropped his hands from her shoulders and looked her right in the eye. “Maybe Sky wants to protect you from worry.”

“But you don’t want to protect me?”

“From anyone who would hurt you, yeah. But you’re grown up. Keeping secrets from you seems wrong. Do you want to know, even if it’s something you can’t do anything about?”

He really seemed to want to know her feelings. “Yes.”

He nodded. “Peter Vann was here today. He says me and Sky have to go to an investigation of a complaint that Askup made about me.”

Hot rage welled and was chased off by cold fear. “Terry went to the Mayor to complain? That asshole.”

“Yeah. So tomorrow morning me and Sky go to the Mayor’s house for an investigation.”

“Oh, my God.” She couldn’t help but grip his arm. “Sand.”

“I have to wear one of Sky’s suits.” He sounded disgusted.

“You’ll look wonderful,” she assured him. She shoved alarm away with a forced smile. “You’re handsome in jeans, but in a suit you’ll be devastating. I’ll help you get ready. At last, I’ll get to play with your hair!”

Sand gave her one quick kiss. “You can play with my anytime you want.”

They shared her bed that night. He tried to sleep on the floor again, but she had a strangely fierce desire to hold him. Surely, the mayor would be kind. The tax Sky and his house provided the city was sizable, and the mayor liked Sky. He wouldn’t offend Sky, even to keep his friend Terry Askup happy. And, if worse came to worst, she had the promise the mayor had made her on her eighteenth birthday. He’d exercised his right to be her first lover, and afterward, when she’d cried, he had patted her head and told her she could ask him for a favor anytime and he would grant it. She had never used it.

But for Sky —and especially for Sand— she would claim his promise. How had he become so important to her so quickly? She burrowed her nose into the nape of Sand’s neck and breathed his warmth in.