I could feel Ariv grin as he kissed my neck, right before he pushed me onto the bed, pulled the shooter from behind his back, and pointed it at me. The rope pulled against my skin as I froze, staring at his hand holding the shooter. His fingers clenched around the handle. I could barely wait for the zing of the shooter, the scent of magic, and Ariv's hands on my body.
Epilogue
IT FELT GOOD to get back into my training routine—running laps, practising my stance, my punches, learning kicks and rolls and feints—even if I tired more quickly than I had before. I was soaking with sweat when we finished and ready to take a midday nap.
"You should," Ariv said when I complained about it. He pulled me against him and held my wrists, rubbing his thumbs across the fading lines of the rope. I pushed my hips against his, and Ariv grinned. "Later. I promise." He kissed me. "I need to go."
I didn't want him to leave, but Ariv shook his head and pushed me towards the showers. "Go shower. And take that nap."
I would rather take a nap with him. I turned to tell him that, but Ariv was already walking away. He turned when he reached the doorway, and as the sunlight glinted off his well–toned shoulders, I remembered wanting to paint him like this, leaning against the sunlit doorway, shooter hanging loosely from his hand, looking strong and gorgeous. I stared at him as I waited for him to disappear, memorising the pose. He didn't. He just stood there and looked at me.
Before I knew it, Ariv was back at my side again, wrapping his arms around me, sighing. "Stop looking at me like that, I really need to go." He kissed me again, the barest brush of his lips, before resting his forehead against mine. "Meet me at the gate at the dinner bell," he whispered as he pulled away from me.
Fingers against my lips, I pushed down the thought of what happened last time he uttered those words to me and focussed on the sliver of excitement coursing through me. We were finally going out together as a couple and let the world see that I was his.
Ariv grabbed my wrist. A spark shone in his dark eyes as he put his lips to the fading rope marks. My breath hitched and shivers—memories, anticipation—shot through my body.
"Be a good prince, and don't let anyone abduct you today. Mum's expecting us for dinner." Ariv winked and walked off. "She insists on meeting the one who managed to tie me down."
Acknowledgements
A big thanks to:
My critters—Anne, Jordan, JRose, Kaje, Kari, LC, and Taylor—for helping me iron out the kinks,
Josh, for the beta and the fresh insight,
Simoné, for the gorgeous cover art,
Yana Goya, for the wonderful illustrations,
KJ Charles, for the editing, and for making me hate the term 'first date' :p,
Tami Veldura, for the proofreading, and catching a bunch of unchecked turnings and pullings ;),
Meredith Bond, for reminding me how much fun coding can be with her self–publishing course,
Kari, Josh, and Aleks, for being there for me,
Jarsto, Dorinde, and Jasper, for putting up with me asking the strangest—mostly out of context—questions, and answering them,
My Men, for supporting me.
About the Author
Blaine D. Arden is a purple–haired, forty–something author of gay & trans* romance mixed with fantasy, mystery, and magic who sings her way through life in platform boots.
Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent many hours of her sheltered youth reading, day dreaming, making up stories and acting them out with her Barbies. After seeing the film "An Early Frost" as a teen in the mid–eighties, an idealistic Blaine wanted to do away with the negativity surrounding homosexuality and strove to show the world how beautiful love between men could be. Our difference is our strength, is Blaine's motto, and her stories are often set in worlds where gender fluidity and sexual diversity are accepted as is.
When not writing or reading, Blaine has singing lessons and hopes to be in a band some day. Supporting Blaine in pursuing her dreams and all matters regarding household, sons, and cairn terrier, is her long–suffering husband for over twenty years.
Blaine has been published by Storm Moon Press, Less Than Three Press, and Wilde City Press. Her scifi romance "Aliens, Smith and Jones" received an Honourable Mention in the Best Gay Sci–Fi/Fantasy category of the Rainbow Awards 2012.
Blaine can be found at:
http://blainedarden.com
http://twitter.com/BlaineDArden
http://www.facebook.com/BlaineDArden
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5043444.Blaine_D_Arden
email: [email protected]
Also by Blaine D. Arden
Aliens, Smith and Jones
Anthologies
Carved in Flesh
Legal Briefs (charity anthology)
Sweethearts and Seduction
Project Fierce Chicago (charity anthology)
Bedtime Stories
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Freebies
Color Me
The Storyteller
Slippery When Wet
An Invitation to Love
Coming in 2015
The Forester: a Triad in Three Acts
The Fifth Son Page 8