refreshments
were waiting on the table between them. Apparently Fallon’s mother
was prepared for a lengthy visit. “Pour us some tea, Fallon. We
have so much to talk about.”
Most of the talking consisted of Portae,
(she’d insisted on Rain calling her that, since she couldn’t bring
herself to call Portae mother) grilling them for the story of how
they met, fell in love, and how soon they intended to produce
grandchildren.
With frequent glances at Fallon, Rain edited
and hedged, leaving out the parts that weren’t fit for company.
Eyes sparkling, Fallon supplied the bits where she’d tried to run
away, the rat. It was hard to resent him, though. He’d dressed to
impress today, and his loose trousers and gold trimmed tunic, cut
in the Chinese style, made the gold of his queued hair all the more
striking. While she wasn’t one to drool in public, she caught
herself dwelling on his beautiful green eyes more than once.
Portae smiled as she sipped her tea. “I’m so
grateful you changed her mind, Fallon. I can see you’re looking
impatient, though, so I’ll stop interrupting your honeymoon. I
can’t wait to speak to my friends! Lady Vectrex will be so jealous!
She’s been trying to get her son married off forever.”
Fallon just smiled and kissed his mother’s
cheek. “Don’t forget the party this afternoon.”
“As if I could,” Portae said fondly. “It
isn’t everyday my son is honored for serving his country. I’m
looking forward to it.”
Rain waited until the door had closed behind
them before saying, “You didn’t mention that you were being
honored.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. How about a light
lunch before we get ready? There’ll be food there, but I’m
starved.”
“How can you be hungry? You just got done
eating an entire plate of cookies at your mother’s!”
“You call that food? I need something with
meat.”
They passed too close to a pair of Haunt
guards, making Rain sneeze.
“You haven’t been taking your medicine, have
you?”
She frowned in annoyance, ignoring the guilt
his frown triggered. “I’ll take some when we get to my room.”
“Which is now my suite,” Fallon informed her.
“I had Malian transfer your clothes over there this morning. We’ll
move your tools and such once your workroom is finished.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Moving in with Fallon was weird, even though she knew that they
were married according to his customs. Not only had she not
expected to ever marry, she’d certainly never expected to end up
with someone like Fallon. While he did listen to her, his tendency
to take charge was disconcerting. She had a feeling she’d spend a
lot of time in her workshop, distracting herself from the
complications of living with someone like him.
The truth was, she hadn’t thought at all.
She’d just cruised along, too shell shocked to think anything
through. It had just been easier to let someone else do the
thinking. At the time that someone had been Fallon. Time would tell
if she’d live to regret her complacency, but honestly, she wasn’t
together enough to do anything different yet.
They didn’t make love before the party. She
told herself she hadn’t been looking forward to it, anyway.
Instead, they talked, and Fallon massaged her feet until she fell
asleep on the couch. He woke her with a kiss that almost made them
late and then hurried her into a striped sarong of olive, burgundy
and black. While not what she would have chosen, together with the
sleeveless black top, it looked far better than she expected.
“You know, these clothes keep appearing in my
closet…” she said tentatively as Fallon helped her dress her
hair.
“Do you like them?” He closed a hairclip over
the back of her hair and brushed the loose ends off her
shoulders.
Feeling her way, she said carefully, “Yes,
but I don’t need so many.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind
and breathed in her hair. “It pleases me to give
were waiting on the table between them. Apparently Fallon’s mother
was prepared for a lengthy visit. “Pour us some tea, Fallon. We
have so much to talk about.”
Most of the talking consisted of Portae,
(she’d insisted on Rain calling her that, since she couldn’t bring
herself to call Portae mother) grilling them for the story of how
they met, fell in love, and how soon they intended to produce
grandchildren.
With frequent glances at Fallon, Rain edited
and hedged, leaving out the parts that weren’t fit for company.
Eyes sparkling, Fallon supplied the bits where she’d tried to run
away, the rat. It was hard to resent him, though. He’d dressed to
impress today, and his loose trousers and gold trimmed tunic, cut
in the Chinese style, made the gold of his queued hair all the more
striking. While she wasn’t one to drool in public, she caught
herself dwelling on his beautiful green eyes more than once.
Portae smiled as she sipped her tea. “I’m so
grateful you changed her mind, Fallon. I can see you’re looking
impatient, though, so I’ll stop interrupting your honeymoon. I
can’t wait to speak to my friends! Lady Vectrex will be so jealous!
She’s been trying to get her son married off forever.”
Fallon just smiled and kissed his mother’s
cheek. “Don’t forget the party this afternoon.”
“As if I could,” Portae said fondly. “It
isn’t everyday my son is honored for serving his country. I’m
looking forward to it.”
Rain waited until the door had closed behind
them before saying, “You didn’t mention that you were being
honored.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. How about a light
lunch before we get ready? There’ll be food there, but I’m
starved.”
“How can you be hungry? You just got done
eating an entire plate of cookies at your mother’s!”
“You call that food? I need something with
meat.”
They passed too close to a pair of Haunt
guards, making Rain sneeze.
“You haven’t been taking your medicine, have
you?”
She frowned in annoyance, ignoring the guilt
his frown triggered. “I’ll take some when we get to my room.”
“Which is now my suite,” Fallon informed her.
“I had Malian transfer your clothes over there this morning. We’ll
move your tools and such once your workroom is finished.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Moving in with Fallon was weird, even though she knew that they
were married according to his customs. Not only had she not
expected to ever marry, she’d certainly never expected to end up
with someone like Fallon. While he did listen to her, his tendency
to take charge was disconcerting. She had a feeling she’d spend a
lot of time in her workshop, distracting herself from the
complications of living with someone like him.
The truth was, she hadn’t thought at all.
She’d just cruised along, too shell shocked to think anything
through. It had just been easier to let someone else do the
thinking. At the time that someone had been Fallon. Time would tell
if she’d live to regret her complacency, but honestly, she wasn’t
together enough to do anything different yet.
They didn’t make love before the party. She
told herself she hadn’t been looking forward to it, anyway.
Instead, they talked, and Fallon massaged her feet until she fell
asleep on the couch. He woke her with a kiss that almost made them
late and then hurried her into a striped sarong of olive, burgundy
and black. While not what she would have chosen, together with the
sleeveless black top, it looked far better than she expected.
“You know, these clothes keep appearing in my
closet…” she said tentatively as Fallon helped her dress her
hair.
“Do you like them?” He closed a hairclip over
the back of her hair and brushed the loose ends off her
shoulders.
Feeling her way, she said carefully, “Yes,
but I don’t need so many.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind
and breathed in her hair. “It pleases me to give
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