“Yes,” she whispered. “I want your seed deep inside me.”
His control snapped, and he began to thrust harder, faster, still working her clit and urging her higher. She felt him climax, felt him filling her, and then she was coming too, her channel milking him and drawing every drop of seed from him. He collapsed with a hoarse cry, finally releasing her ankles, and she immediately wrapped her arms and legs around him, pulling him even closer.
When he finally lifted his head, his face was soft, his dark golden eyes tender. “What did you think of our practice?”
“It was very nice.”
He raised a brow. “Nice?”
“Well, you know what they say,” she whispered. “Practice makes perfect.”
“Then let us practice again.”
And she sighed happily as his head descended.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Varga asked again, and Joan rolled her eyes.
“I already told you I didn’t. I’m beginning to think you’re looking for an excuse not to go.”
He shrugged. “I must admit that the idea of spending several hours in a frozen wilderness does not particularly appeal to me.”
She laughed up at him. “Too bad. You told Baralt that you would go.”
“I suspect it was the Aldarian whiskey talking.”
“Izzie said that the two of you can do some damage to a bottle. Maybe this will teach you. And anyway, he said it was a great honor.”
He muttered under his breath but went off to put on his outdoor clothing and she gave a relieved sigh. Today was a feast day and she had offered to cook the evening meal. Although no one had said as much, she took it as a trial of her cooking abilities, and she was determined to do her best. It would be easier to concentrate with Varga out of the way. The hunting party was also bringing back the main course, and the sooner they returned from the hunt, the sooner she would be able to prepare it.
She and Izzie stood at the gate in the wall surrounding Baralt’s house and waved them off. Njkall had joined them, but even the three large males looked insignificant as they strode out into the vast white plain leading away from town.
“They will be all right, won’t they?” she asked, suddenly having second thoughts about sending him away.
“They’ll be fine,” Izzie said firmly. “Baralt has always returned triumphantly from the hunt, and I’ve learned not to think about what he’s doing.”
“Does that work?”
Izzie gave her a rueful grin. “Only a little bit. But I don’t want to tie him down with my worries.” She smiled at the guard waiting to close the gates and together the two of them returned to the main house.
Joan had decided to begin by making a quick bread, and she started stirring ingredients together as soon as they returned to the kitchen.
“Tell me about this siloza they are hunting.”
Izzie giggled. “It’s something like a very large turkey—if you can imagine a turkey as tall as a human. With foot-long claws.”
She did her best not to worry about Varga being threatened by those claws and forced a smile. “Hmm. In that case, maybe I should make some stuffing.”
“Oh, I love that idea. What do you need?”
“Bread, of course, but I can use some of this. I don’t suppose you have any carrots or celery?” she joked.
“No, but Baralt’s sister uses something similar when she makes soup.” Izzie jumped up. “Why don’t I run into town and see if she has some I can borrow? Or if she can tell me where I can buy some.”
“I thought you told Baralt that you wouldn’t leave.”
“I won’t go by myself. I’ll get Rolisar to go with me—he’s the one at the gate. We’ll just lock it behind us, if that’s all right with you?”
“It’s fine with me. I don’t intend to go anywhere.” The town still made her uncomfortable. Saka had ventured in a few times, accompanied by one of Baralt’s males, but Joan’s memories of the night they arrived had given her a distaste for the port, even though Baralt had succeeded in freeing the unfortunate female. Joan would be happier once they moved to the resort and further away from town.
“We won’t be long.” Izzie gave her a happy smile. “This is going to be just like Thanksgiving.”
“I’m pretty sure that most Thanksgivings don’t include a six-foot turkey,” she said dryly.
Izzie laughed and rushed off.
A few minutes later, Saka entered the kitchen, yawning.
“No one around here seems to appreciate the luxury of sleeping late.”
“The males went hunting, and apparently it’s something you start at the crack of dawn.”
“Why? Because they want to catch their prey while they are still asleep?”
“Maybe so.” Joan laughed. “I’ve been thinking. We have a holiday on earth called Thanksgiving and I thought I would try and recreate some of those dishes. Can you make some pastry? Enough for two—no, better make that three pies?”
“You’re such a slave driver,” Saka teased, then went still. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Of course you didn’t. But maybe it’s a good thing that you can make a joke about it now.”
Saka shook her head and gave her a weak smile as she started to gather her ingredients. “I suppose so.”
Joan wondered how often the memory of their time on Drahana would come back to haunt them. Assuming we can move past it at all, she thought with a sigh as Polly wandered into the kitchen. The other woman still refused to bathe or wear clothes, but her moods seem to have evened out. She didn’t talk much, except to Njkall, but she seemed to like to listen to the others talk and didn’t scurry away as often as she used to.
Polly went and curled
