Recalling the image of his dick out by the river, she could only imagine how it would feel, hard and ready as she licked every inch of him. She squeezed her legs tight around him.
The falter in his step shook her out of her dream and back to the frigid air. Back to her frozen reality and the fact that she wouldn't say no to him if he asked to kiss her again. She wouldn't say no if he wanted her. She forced down a swallow. Marci didn't know if she should hate herself or not.
"It might be cold, but look at the beauty of that little town," Evelyn's voice was calm and soothing. "Don't you let him send you back to that inn tonight."
Marci tried to protest. "Ch-chick-"
Evelyn patted her shoulder from behind. "Never you mind. I'll ring Annie on her way to check on me. We'll take care of your chicken tonight. Let this man take care of you."
They slowed down as the wind broke around the smattering of houses. Feeling in her face was still subjective. The absence of the bitter bite of cold, welcome.
Caleb stopped in front of a house as a small, frail-looking man ran out.
"Evelyn, my love."
She chuckled and slipped off of Caleb. "He's a bit of a nervous old-man." She smiled up at Marci and waved as the man wrapped her up in his arms.
Caleb's head bayed left before they took off back towards the direction of the Inn.
She didn't want to go back there. She didn't want to go back to not sleeping. She needed just one good night's rest. What she wanted was for someone to be waiting there for her, like Ed waited for Evelyn.
Evelyn's absence left her feeling exposed. Wrapping her coat tight she crouched close to Caleb's neck.
She laid her cheek against his fur and closed her eyes.
His lumbering came to a stop, and she opened her eyes. Caleb lowered himself so Marci could lower herself to the ground. The ice in her legs protested the movement, but she did it.
The bear walked to the and pawed at the knob. Marci reached for it and pushed it open.
Should she go in?
"Are you going to shif-"
"You okay?" he asked.
Marci turned to see the shape of him in the dark alley; only a bit of light from a nearby porch illuminating his naked body. So, so many muscles.
"I. Yes. Well maybe. My face hurts, and the heat from your hallway is singeing my skin off, but at least it's warm."
"Sure. Right. Let's go in then. My apartment is upstairs over the store; sadly I never bothered to replace the light bulb in the hall here. I can see, but you might struggle for a minute. Watch out for the stairs."
"Alright then. Lead the way - I need to get my boots off first though," she said.
Her feet hurt as she used the toe of one boot to get off the other.
"Here. Take my hand. So you don't trip."
His fingers grazed hers, and she jumped.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you," Caleb said.
She let him wrap his warm hand around hers. The heat of his skin made her whole body heat in response.
Everything ached as she thawed. A tingle of magic wrapped around her hand and spiraled along her arm.
Her heart screamed that she'd found what she'd been looking for, but her brain yelled back that it was just some spell. Her magic couldn't lie though. It wouldn't lie to her. She could find anything; she'd proven it.
The darkness of the hall lessened as they climbed the stairs and light filtered through the doorway.
"You sure you're okay?"
She didn't know. Was she? The softness to his voice warmed her soul as he continued to lead her.
She liked the way her hand fit within his and the way he'd held Evelyn like a fragile child. Maybe she'd wanted to be angry at him and hate him because falling for him was too ridiculous, but any man that risked everything for a small, frail woman couldn't be bad.
"Caleb?"
He paused at the top of the stairs, moonlight seeping into the apartment.
"Yes?"
She reached the top stair and stood next to him. How could she ask why he'd kissed her that first day? She knew why she had. She hadn't been able to say no. She wouldn't be able to say no now - if she'd thought he'd wanted her.
How could she ask how he was able to turn it off? The attraction, the soul-deep yearning that said he was why she'd come. Spell or no spell, her magic couldn't and wouldn't lie. He was what she needed to find, even if it might not have been what she'd thought she was looking for.
"Why did you - or well, why haven't you tried to kiss me since ..." she didn't know how to finish.
He took a step closer, and she breathed in. The scent of him would never get old. One breath, two. He wasn't going to answer.
His voice low, he finally spoke: "Let me ask you what was going through your mind out in the forest?"
"When? I was cold. So not much."
He bent down and whispered the words. "No. When you squeezed your thighs around my back?"
"Ohh," she said.
He didn't move.
"Tell me. Do you still think you're here because of some spell?"
She'd thought long and hard about this, and no. She really didn't.
"I don't think so."
Without thought, she raised her other hand to his chest. The bare skin smooth, hot, hard. His chest solid. "No. My magic wouldn't lie to me. I'm meant to be here."
Before she could say anything else, his mouth was on hers, as he backed her against the door jamb. Her lips ached as he took control. More, she needed
