Kel stared at him, taking in every detail. Suddenly, she knew. She didn't
know whether it was something in his eyes, or a feeling she had, she just
knew.
"Do you love me?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Neal's wide mouth trembled as he took a deep breath.
"More than words" he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
Kel took a step towards him, and was swept up in a tight embrace. Her arms went around his neck; his went around her waist. She kissed him, thrilling as heat raced from their lips to blanket Kel in an intense heat. Neal pulled away reluctantly.
"I take it the feeling's mutual?" he asked, eyes shining.
Kel pulled him in closer, and kissed him again and again. She had kissed before obviously, but it was nothing compared to the thundering in her heart now. Finally, their lungs protested the lack of air, and they parted.
"Well," Neal began "that was certainly interesting".
"When did this happen?" Kel asked, still a little breathless.
Neal thought back to the day he realized his feelings.
___________________________________
It was warm, and the Yamani ladies were outside, playing with some kind of fan. He remembered seeing a girl there who was not Yamani. He had watched her, dipping and tossing the scarlet fan, and laughing with the ladies. She looked so happy, lithe and graceful. He had stepped into the circle, and asked the girl if he could play. He had caught the fan, but only just, and then he almost dropped it when he saw who the mystery girl was.
Kel laughed.
"That day with the shusken?"
Neal smiled at her.
"What about you Lady Knight?"
It was Kel's turn to take a deep breath. Then she told him.
"Neal, ever since I was twelve, I mean, with Cleon it was… I never stopped…"
Neal touched a finger to her lips.
"Cleon… I thought I was too late, so I never said anything" he whispered
Kel just looked up at him, hazel eyes brimming with love. Neal couldn't stand it anymore, so he kissed her again. He couldn't believe his luck. He had expected many things to happen when he told her, but he hadn't let himself think of this possibility. Then Neal stopped thinking, and surrendered to the sweetness of this moment, alone with Kel. His love, his companion in arms and his best friend.
"Do you love me?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Neal's wide mouth trembled as he took a deep breath.
"More than words" he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
Kel took a step towards him, and was swept up in a tight embrace. Her arms went around his neck; his went around her waist. She kissed him, thrilling as heat raced from their lips to blanket Kel in an intense heat. Neal pulled away reluctantly.
"I take it the feeling's mutual?" he asked, eyes shining.
Kel pulled him in closer, and kissed him again and again. She had kissed before obviously, but it was nothing compared to the thundering in her heart now. Finally, their lungs protested the lack of air, and they parted.
"Well," Neal began "that was certainly interesting".
"When did this happen?" Kel asked, still a little breathless.
Neal thought back to the day he realized his feelings.
___________________________________
It was warm, and the Yamani ladies were outside, playing with some kind of fan. He remembered seeing a girl there who was not Yamani. He had watched her, dipping and tossing the scarlet fan, and laughing with the ladies. She looked so happy, lithe and graceful. He had stepped into the circle, and asked the girl if he could play. He had caught the fan, but only just, and then he almost dropped it when he saw who the mystery girl was.
Kel laughed.
"That day with the shusken?"
Neal smiled at her.
"What about you Lady Knight?"
It was Kel's turn to take a deep breath. Then she told him.
"Neal, ever since I was twelve, I mean, with Cleon it was… I never stopped…"
Neal touched a finger to her lips.
"Cleon… I thought I was too late, so I never said anything" he whispered
Kel just looked up at him, hazel eyes brimming with love. Neal couldn't stand it anymore, so he kissed her again. He couldn't believe his luck. He had expected many things to happen when he told her, but he hadn't let himself think of this possibility. Then Neal stopped thinking, and surrendered to the sweetness of this moment, alone with Kel. His love, his companion in arms and his best friend.