Ariel laughed her cute laugh while they sat on the porch playing poker, many of her younger cousins and in some cases aunts had come out to join in with them. The family all seemed to share the obsession with playing poker for money and for some strange reason the females were the only ones that won, Theo had lost all the money in his wallet and the cash he had pleaded off Ly.
While the day had gone on Ariel had told Paris to change forms, he had been shocked, he didn't think she would ever allow him to be in his true form when she had so much reason to be afraid of it. She had given him a sweet one shoulder shrug and said as casually as she could, "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
So Paris had spent the day laying by his mate while watching the games that went on, he was hypnotised by her, the way she moved a strand of wayward hair gracefully from her face with her slender fingers. The way she teased Theo, then look down at him with the amusement of the joke still shining in her eyes and ask him if he were alright. Paris considered himself very lucky to have her and he wanted to find a way to tell her so, but how did an animal communicate that to a human? For all the time he'd spent with human females he had rarely given their feelings and thoughts much consideration once they were out of his presence, he knew very little about what could make them really happy and make them smile. Except for sex.
But he didn't want that to be the be all and end all of his relationship with her, he wanted more then the physical, he knew he wanted her heart and her mind and without it he would forever feel like he were missing a vital part of himself.
Ramirez Fernandez had been an idiot, he had tried to destroy the thing that could bring him the most comfort in the world, the most joy. Sometimes Paris thought people were spoilt with love so they took for granted when they gained another person's heart, Ramirez had Ariel's heart fully and yet he had scorned it. What Paris would have given to be that lion. For someone like him who had only known what it was like to be disdained, respected, feared, maybe even liked when it came to Trey but never once had he been loved, what Ramirez had done was truly astounding.
Paris had transformed at sundown and they played cards into the night by the light of candles that stood in bottles, Paris arched an eye at them.
"What?" Ariel said trying to look offended, "they are bohemian, rather Parisian."
"Are the Parisian's bohemian?" Paris asked, throwing another twenty dollars on the ever growing pile, he would be flat broke by the time this game was finished but as long as he got to spend the night with her, he would have sold his soul.
"The few I met while I lived there were," Ariel smiled fondly, "they were good guys."
"Guys?"
Ariel smiled at the sudden growl in his voice. "You are very insecure, you know that?"
Paris snorted, "so you were in Paris? When?"
"Hmm, early renaissance period and then again later in the 1700's."
"Hmm, I liked the 1700's," he bit his lip as he looked at her, "I can see you there, in the fashion of that time. The belle of the ball, all the women jealous because of your beauty. I hope you didn't get caught up in the revolution."
"No, I left Paris when the trouble started and moved to Austria … I haven't been in Paris for centuries."
"Yet Paris was in you last night."
Ariel paused as her hand went to dip into the bowl of salted peanuts she couldn't contain a shout of laughter as she launched a peanut at him.
"Your so sick," she giggled, Paris continued to laugh with her until they forgot what they were actually laughing about. When they sobered with the occasional outbreak of soft chuckling Paris could not keep his stare from roaming her pretty face, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes so bright. What would it take for her to trust him?
"You liked Paris then?"
Ariel looked up from her hand and nodded., his voice was low and intimate in the night and Ariel wondered if it were her imagination but their was a unfamiliar note in his voice that made her think he was no longer speaking of the famous city.
"Would you go there again?"
Ariel's hand stilled in arranging her cards and she glanced up, his eyes were almost eating up her face, they fixed on her so intense that she could almost feel his caresses on her, hear his thoughts in her own mind. Ariel gave a slow nod.
"Could you ever love Paris?"
Ariel opened her mouth but nothing came out. What should she say? What did she want to say? Her life had spiralled blissfully out of control since he had come into it and now that it was settling she admitted to herself that in her heart of hearts she knew she hadn't been this happy since she was a child - she could only imagine her happiness with him growing. But could she love a person and not trust them? Was it possible? Most people would say yes but when you analysed it the whole point of loving someone - the way Ariel thought of love especially - was that you could share everything with them and never have a shadow of a doubt that they would betray you. She was about to say something - anything to stop the dreadful silence when a noise did it for her. The eye of the tiger ring tone sounded making Ariel jump, Paris didn't take his eyes off her but picked up his phone.
"Excuse me for a minute, its my friend Trey."
He walked a little way away so he could answer it.
"Hey lion, What's happening?" Trey's voice was shouting down the phone over a clashing roar sound in the background.
"Where are you?" Paris demanded, pinching the bridge of his nose, his mind was back with Ariel.
"Ooo, listen your Ariel's mate not mine, so quit the attitude - hold on," There was a shuffling noise down the phone as Trey were moving, Paris heard Trey's voice saying muffled 'excuse me's' and 'can I get there's'.
"Anyway, enough about my exciting life. How's things going with the female?" Trey said a little breathlessly a few minutes later.
"Her name is Ariel," Paris snapped testily and sighed, "and there going … good, I guess."
"You guess? Shit she must be the ice maiden you said she was if she can pass up you. Not trying to boost your ego but most gals do drop their drawers for you without you asking."
Paris ran his tongue along the edge of his teeth, fighting off an abrupt surge of anger.
"Yeah, well I was wrong about her," Paris snapped back, "she's not some mindless bimbo that's impressed by a flash bike and some money."
"Unlucky for you then."
"Do you have anything useful to say?"
"Yeah I do actually. But I'll say it to you in person, see ya tomorrow, amigo."
"What! I thought you said you had to stay in Seattle for a while?"
"Yeah but you know I've got my little gift …" Paris could almost see Trey raising his eyebrows knowingly and Paris smirked.
"Ok but don't turn up on the doorstep, we'll come for you, you get me?"
"Loud and clear, mon capitaine!"
"Are you high?"
Trey laughed and hung up, Paris looked at the phone for a second before shaking his head and returning to Ariel, who was busy packing the cards away.
"If you want to keep playing, I'm game," Paris said coming up behind her, he debated whether or not to slide his arms around her waist, before he could make up his mind she turned to him, her sweet smile blinding.
"I would like to but its dawn now," she hesitated, "and as much as I wan to watch the sun rise with you, I need to go somewhere tomorrow."
"Can I come?" Paris asked, putting on his most innocent, wide eyed school boy look, he saw with pleasure that she might not go for a pretty face alone; but he could still make her melt.
"You don't even know where I'm going, you'll be bored."
"I don't care as long as I'm with you."
Ariel gave a sad sort of laugh, "don't say things like that."
"Why not?"
She shrugged.
"Because it makes you realise how much you might actually like me?"
Ariel paused before walking into the house and stretched out a hand to cup his cheek, "I already like you."
Paris held her hand and let her lead him upstairs.
In her en suite bathroom Ariel brushed her teeth and hair and slipped into her nightie, she had put it on automatically but now she wasn't so sure. It was 100% pure white cotton, perfect for the suffocating warm nights she had to endure, it was a modernised version of a Victorian nightgown, rather plain in a nice way and virginal looking but instead of floor length it grazed mid thigh when she stood still. Also the bust had three buttons but as Ariel had forever had them undone the cotton had loosened and they no longer stayed done up.
Ariel stepped out of the bathroom and moved swiftly towards the bed, only when she had dived in and tucked the light sheet around her did she realise that Paris wasn't in it, he was standing, looking rather lost by the door.
"Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked cautiously, she really wanted him to hurry up or she'd lose her nerve and send him from the room without a choice.
"No, I think I'll sleep outside."
"Why?"
Paris took a deep breath. "I never intended to sleep in your bed, Ariel. I just wanted to know if you'd let me."
"You were testing me?"
"Yes."
She wanted to say something about deception and lying but she couldn't quite muster the energy, he had been testing her just as much as she had him, and why not? He had a lot to lose and things couldn't have been very easy or him the last few days, living in a Arcadian household. Ariel didn't realise she had pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, she lay her chin on her knees while she thought. She did this a lot. The sight she offered Paris was one that stung his heart, he thought he had hurt her.
"I didn't mean to upset you -" he began but Ariel was getting out the bed and walking round it. She came into plain view in that simple yet utterly sexy nightdress and Paris felt his jaw hit the carpet, she stopped in front of him.
"You didn't, Paris," she said softly, then gathering her nerve she pulled him forward towards the bed with her. "You don't have to rest here if you don't want to, but your welcome to share my bed with me."
"You would let me lay beside you while you slept?"
She nodded and climbed into the bed, Paris gulped as the intense emotions swarmed his chest, he flashed down to a pair of white boxer shorts and climbed in beside her. The lights went off on their own, the windows were opened to let whatever breeze there was in, in the dark they stared at each other and Paris knew that this was a pivotal moment.
"Goodnight, beautiful Ariel," he whispered in Greek, then in English, then he kissed he lightly on the cheek before closing his eyes. This way he surrendered to her.
"Goodnight."
Ariel woke from a series of hazy rather erotic dreams about Paris at about eleven o clock, woke was probably the wrong word, it was a time when you knew you weren't asleep but you didn't want to get up either.
At least you are awake, a joyful voice that celebrated life shouted in her mind. Ariel turned her head to see Paris asleep, the sheet lay over his hips while the gorgeous expanse of his chest was open for her to look at, his long golden body -
"Your awake," she muttered and Paris opened one eye and grinned.
"I wondered how long it would take you to stop mooning over me and realise Katagaria can't hold human form in sleep."
"I was not mooning over you!"
"Oh so you were just staring at me planning some sort of hideous crime?"
"What like killing you in your sleep?" Ariel said flippantly and Paris gave her a unamused look, she just shrugged.
"That's not funny," he grumbled, "I was thinking more along the lines of braiding my hair and painting my nails."
"Or tying you up?"
"God doesn't love me that much," Paris said, then closed his eyes and shuddered as if imagining it, Ariel moved the pillow out from under her head and whacked him around the head with it, he laughed at her and propped himself up on his elbow so they could talk. Ariel almost sighed, how nice it was …
"So are we late for your meeting today for whatever it is?" Paris asked nuzzling her shoulder with his lips, Ariel hissed and shook her head.
"Nope, its not 'til two, why?"
Paris turned his head to look at the dressing table where a silver tray, identical to the one he'd brought her yesterday morning - damn, it felt like a lifetime ago!
"Breakfast," he announced and Ariel went to spring out of the bed, she was always hungry in the morning, but Paris held her back down in the bed.
"Do I not get a token of thanks for my thoughtfulness?"
Ariel narrowed her eyes at him, "such as?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Ariel made out to sigh in exasperation but tilted her head up willingly to receive, but Paris did not start there. In fact he took his time choosing where he wanted to kiss … when he decided Ariel gave a purr, the soft and warm flesh of her thigh. Paris laughed darkly and ran his hand further up her legs pushing away the flimsy material of her nightgown, her skin smelt darkly seductive, the very soap she used must be laced with endorphins because it made Paris so hard he thought he might come there and then, it literally made his head spin. Or maybe this was the heat produced between mates.
Her skin was pleasantly warmed by a night under the duvet snuggled next to his fur, he trailed his kisses up her inner thigh and when he reached the top he skimmed over her core and to the other thigh to repeat the actions. Ariel gasped, half with disappointment and half with ecstasy, he was playing her body like an instrument, finely tuned and agile fingers, one more caress and she would be making music. Paris slowed his kisses, until in a breathy voice she begged him, he laughed and came to the honeyed curls in the centre of her thighs and gave one long, teasing lick. Ariel's hands fisted in the sheets a moment before they moved to his hair and shoulders, nothing pleased him more then to feel her nails rake his shoulders and her fingers twist in his hair. He lapped longer, deeper, driving her to the brink then pulling back, he didn't need her tell him to know that she had never experienced such an act as this before, Ramirez was a selfish man, Paris would have said they would good odds to assume he was a selfish lover also.
Paris slowly slid his finger inside her, one first then two while he watched her head roll back and forth on the pillow.
"I would awake so every morning," he whispered under his breath before dipping his head back down to torment her again. Ariel screamed out as a release ripped through her that had her sobbing, it was raw and heated and so sublime.
When Ariel's body melded back together again she turned her head to look up at a very smug Paris, he was on his side staring down at her with his head leaning on his hand. Purring with contentment Ariel rolled over so she could rub herself against his naked front, pushing at him they moved together until she was straddling his waist. Breakfast could go cold for all she cared, Paris seemed to be of the same mind because his hands gripped her hips firmly so he could lower them on to his body, his eyes were ablaze, almost swirling like lava from some volcanic eruption. Just as their bodies were about to meet Ly's voice sounded through the door.
"Ariel? A guy called Jack Moses phoned, he said can he bump your meeting up to twelve, I told him go ahead! That okay?"
No, Ariel wanted to scream, it was almost twelve now. Ariel buried her face in the pillow Paris's head lay on and screamed, her muffled voice made Paris laugh though the ache in his groin was a killer.
"There's always tonight, baby," he consoled her, rubbing a hand down her back, it was meant to be soothing but only added to her sexual frustration, it had her arching her back in pleasure.
"There better be tonight," she grumbled and Paris laughed with delight.
"That okay!!"
"Yes, Ly! Not much I can do about it now since you told him yeah!"
Ly muttered something indistinct and no doubt insulting from behind the door and stamped off, she stared down at Paris and her lips twitched.
"Cold shower?"
"Guess so .. Don't think it will help though," Paris added looking down at himself, Ariel laughed and got off him, she looked at the clock and groaned. Paris popped her on the ass and pushed her to the bathroom and trailed through the door with her.
Jack Moses was a lawyer, short, round, balding and serious, he sat behind the desk his eyes occasionally glancing towards Paris then away again, while Ariel explained her plans. Paris scented deep mistrust from Mr. Moses towards him, he also smelt how much Mr. Moses cared for Ariel, he considered her a great friend. What made Paris even more sullen was how much Ariel liked him, it was easy to see in the way she smiled and joked with him, the casual hug they had shared when he held the door open for her.
"So you see, Jack, Aiyanna is technically my niece and since I have custody of her and its likely to be permanent, I want some things signed into her name. I know you can do that for me."
Paris watched Jack's eyes grow wide and he shook his head. "Don't you think your being rather rash, Ariel?"
"No, not at all. Aiyanna needs security, she has that with me. And in the event that I should die she would continue to have it."
"I must advise you as your lawyer and your friend to reconsider this decision. Your giving a large sum of money and property away to an orphan. She is not your blood nor is she really your responsibility by marriage since the unfortunate demise of your husband."
Paris snorted and Ariel's lips twitched, if only Jack knew, Jack's eyes moved from Ariel and settled on Paris who arched a brow.
"And who, sir, are you, that you are privileged to sit in on these proceedings?"
"Jack -" Ariel's voice was heavy with warning, but Paris laid his hand over hers.
"Its alright, Ariel. Mr. Moses here is looking out for your best interests -" Moses nodded but did not smile. "I'm Aiyanna's case worker."
Ariel nearly choked as she tried not to laugh, it was as if he'd announced that he was a woman in drag. Paris could not look less like a social worker if he tried in his black leathers and worn biker jacket. They both saw Jack's eyes narrow, he was insulted they would think he could believe such nonsense and Ariel admitted she would be too. She saw Jack's eyes rest on their hands.
"Among other things," Jack observed with a nasty smile.
"That Mr. Moses is none of your business and you'll kindly not mention that again. As Ariel's lawyer however I trust you'll have the papers drawn up by next week?"
Paris gave a slight mental push and Jack Moses conceded but even under the influence of magic it was grudging.
The rest of the day was spent in peace together back on the ranch, Paris wandered after Ariel in his lion form. When dusk rolled in Paris flashed into his human form making Ly jump, she growled at him.
"Don't do that!"
Paris grinned. "Sorry, where's Ariel gone?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"'Cause I'll pee in your wardrobe if you don't," he said distractedly sniffing at something Faraa had left on the side to cool.
"That's not necessary," Ariel's happy laugh came from the doorway, Paris straightened and when she was close enough pulled her into his arms, she came willingly, even eagerly. Paris took a breath in her hair.
"You look edible tonight, my little lioness."
Ariel arched a cynical brow, she was wearing old fitted jeans and a loose check shirt, the sleeves were rolled up and the tails knotted under her breasts, she hardly looked fit for entertaining.
"I'm not little," she grumbled.
"Ah, but you agree your mine!" Paris sounded so happy that Ariel didn't have the heart to say anything against it. She had thought a lot about their impending D-Day, the likelihood of her mating with him seemed to have increased, in everyone else's mind that is. Even though she liked Paris a great deal, found him caring and funny and lovely to be around the truth was she wasn't dead set on any conclusion. The one consolation she did have was that if they mated and he changed she could always take a leaf out of Ramirez's book and kill him. Could she do it? Definitely. They had a little over two weeks left to go, they liked each other but didn't really know each other. Well, she grudgingly admitted that they had shared intimate parts with each other … could she really ever love him or learn to love him? It seemed so unfair that humans got to meet the person they loved and didn't have a deadline looming over them, damn it three weeks wasn't that long! How could she decide if she wanted to be someone's mate in that amount of time?
Paris tugged her out the door and on to the front porch, in front was parked his Harley, he grinned and pulled her down the steps.
"I can't ride on that thing!" Ariel said before she could stop herself.
Paris turned on her with a practiced look of shock and disappointment, when in fact he was fighting not to laugh, he learnt over his few days with her that if you baited her enough she would yield.
"Your afraid?"
"No."
"I won't go fast if that's what your scared of?"
"I'm not afraid!"
"You sure?"
"Yes!"
"Prove it," he offered her the spare helmet, he knew Ariel figured out that he baited her but he'd already jabbed at her pride, she couldn't let him win. Amazingly enough he loved that about her. Ariel put the helmet on and once Paris was on the bike she sidled on behind him, her arms came round his waist and for a moment he just sat there savouring, the feel of her body pressed so intimately to his, holding him like she wanted him.
"What are you doing?" her voice was sharp and he grinned.
"Just feeling you touch me for a while."
"Oh, I'll touch you alright, right where it hurts!"
"Kinky. I can do that."
He heard her laugh. "You know you might think your funny, Mr. …"
Her voice stopped so abruptly that Paris stiffened, "what's wrong?"
"I just thought," she whispered, "I don't even know your last name."
"All you have to do is ask, Ariel. Nothing I am is a secret from you."
Paris felt her arms tighten and she dragged herself closer to his back, she lay her head on his shoulder, Paris shuddered, "My name is Paris Sebastienne."
He revved the engine and sped off towards the bar to meet Trey.