Chapter 7
*********
Dorothy was dreaming...
She was padding barefoot in the hallway, wearing the cinnamon dress. She had to hurry to her room and change, before Roger saw her...
Flinging open her bedroom door, she was mildly annoyed but not surprised to see a golden tiger lounging on her bed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping inside, forgetting to shut the door behind her.
(You know why. You sent for me,) was the answer.
"No, I didn't. You're not a shapeshifter," she retorted.
(No, I'm a metaphor,) the tiger said, rolling lazily on the bed.
"You shouldn't be in here."
(Come here.) The tiger batted a golden tufted ear at her.
Unable to resist the explicitness of the command, she crawled onto the bed on her knees. He was like a beacon of heat and light beside her, his heartbeat a distant thunder.
"I have to go," she said, not moving.
(Stay with me. Don't go.) His paw was featherlight on her thigh. He rolled gracefully to lap at her cheek, her lips.
She tried to turn away. "No. You shouldn't kiss me like this," she protested weakly.
(You're mine now. Stay?) he purred in her ear.
"No..." She sank weakly down to cuddle in his fur, his tongue a broad caress...
"No, no!"
Dorothy sat up, flinging poor Perot from her chest. it had been his tiny tongue that woke her.
I'm a metaphor, he'd said.
Dorothy cuddled the kitten, who happily cooperated with more kisses, and sniffled.
~~~~~
Roger caressed the red hair, brushing a kiss across her cheek. "Poppet, aren't you feeling well?"
She sighed, shrugged. "I think I'm going to call it an early night. I love you, Roger," she said almost absently.
He pulled her into his arms, feeling her body beneath the silken bathrobe she was wearing. He held her tight, as if he'd memorize the way she felt against him.
"Just remember I love you," she murmured as she let him go.
He was puzzled, but let it go, holding her for one last kiss.
Dorothy watched him go, taking in every line of his body. Then she turned to walk in the opposite direction, untying the bathrobe. Beneath it was the cinnamon dress.
*********
Dorothy was dreaming...
She was padding barefoot in the hallway, wearing the cinnamon dress. She had to hurry to her room and change, before Roger saw her...
Flinging open her bedroom door, she was mildly annoyed but not surprised to see a golden tiger lounging on her bed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping inside, forgetting to shut the door behind her.
(You know why. You sent for me,) was the answer.
"No, I didn't. You're not a shapeshifter," she retorted.
(No, I'm a metaphor,) the tiger said, rolling lazily on the bed.
"You shouldn't be in here."
(Come here.) The tiger batted a golden tufted ear at her.
Unable to resist the explicitness of the command, she crawled onto the bed on her knees. He was like a beacon of heat and light beside her, his heartbeat a distant thunder.
"I have to go," she said, not moving.
(Stay with me. Don't go.) His paw was featherlight on her thigh. He rolled gracefully to lap at her cheek, her lips.
She tried to turn away. "No. You shouldn't kiss me like this," she protested weakly.
(You're mine now. Stay?) he purred in her ear.
"No..." She sank weakly down to cuddle in his fur, his tongue a broad caress...
"No, no!"
Dorothy sat up, flinging poor Perot from her chest. it had been his tiny tongue that woke her.
I'm a metaphor, he'd said.
Dorothy cuddled the kitten, who happily cooperated with more kisses, and sniffled.
~~~~~
Roger caressed the red hair, brushing a kiss across her cheek. "Poppet, aren't you feeling well?"
She sighed, shrugged. "I think I'm going to call it an early night. I love you, Roger," she said almost absently.
He pulled her into his arms, feeling her body beneath the silken bathrobe she was wearing. He held her tight, as if he'd memorize the way she felt against him.
"Just remember I love you," she murmured as she let him go.
He was puzzled, but let it go, holding her for one last kiss.
Dorothy watched him go, taking in every line of his body. Then she turned to walk in the opposite direction, untying the bathrobe. Beneath it was the cinnamon dress.