"I want you,

I need you

But there ain't no way

I'm ever gonna love you

Now don't be sad

'Cause two out of three ain't bad " ML

"You'll think about it?" Cyréne raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Yes – that's all I'm agreeing to at this point. Now go back to being my sweet little Sweetroll."

She shot him an annoyed look and then fluttered her lashes at him. "Oh, Dragonborn," she said in a sugary sweet voice, "You're such a big, strong, handsome hero! How will I ever wrap my little mind around the marvel and wonder that is you?"

"You're not making a very good case for yourself right now."

Cyrene smirked at him and stood up. He moved to follow her but she stopped him while he was sitting on the edge of the bed and came to stand in front of him.

He looked up at her quizzically, and his pulse quickened at the look in her eyes. "Cyréne"

"Yes, Kalv?"

"Don't look at me like that."

Her eyes widened in feigned innocence. "Like what, Kalv?"

His hands moved to the ties of her robes and settled there for a moment. She watched him under her lashes, and said nothing. He swallowed and began to loosen them with painstaking slowness, waiting for her protest every moment. He kept his eyes locked on hers and felt a rush of arousal at the slow torture she was putting him through. Her belt was untied and he dropped his hands, leaving her robes parted slightly in the front. Still she said nothing. After a moment he moved to touch her and she stepped back. He closed his eyes and tried to wipe the disappointment from them.

"Undress," she said softly.

His eyes opened. "What?"

Cyréne took a breath to steady herself, and a moment to make sure she knew what she was doing. Yes, she realized, I want this. I want him and I want his love. I want this. "Undress, please . . . slowly"

He wanted to beg her not to toy with him, but instead he did as she asked. He stood and removed his clothing, slowly, until he was standing naked before her.

Cyréne watched as his body was revealed to her – broad muscled shoulders and chest flanked by massive arms, gave way to a chiseled stomach and narrow waist. Her heart fluttered in her chest as her eyes slid lower to his obvious arousal and the strong legs below. She approached him slowly and backed out of reach as he tried to touch her. A muscle in his jaw flexed, but he dropped his hands to his sides and held perfectly still as she circled around him slowly. He shivered when she ran her nails over his chest and his breath caught. He clenched his teeth and fought himself for control when she dragged her nails lower, over the defined muscles of his stomach.

Cyréne caught his wrists gently and he looked down at her. She held his gaze and guided his hands inside her robes to rest at her waist before tilting her mouth up to his for a kiss. The green of his eyes deepened with desire and he leaned down to start a slow, gentle kiss. His hands slid up to her ribcage and he delved deeper into her mouth. She was pliant in his arms. He felt his pulse kick up another notch and forced himself to keep their pace slow. Her arms snaked around his neck and he brought his hands up to cup her breasts. He groaned at the feel of them, warm, soft and round in his hands. Kalv ran the pads of his thumbs back and forth across her nipples gently, giving another groan of approval as they pebbled beneath his touch. Cyréne's sweet whimper of pleasure into his mouth, almost undid him. Her breath came faster as she shivered under his caresses. He wanted her, badly, but wasn't willing to give up the pleasure he was bringing her. One hand slipped from a breast to explore the wetness between her legs and he pulled back to look in her eyes.

"Tell me that you want this, Cyréne," he whispered.

'"I want this" she breathed softly, "and, I want. . ." She let out a soft moan of pleasure and trailed off.

"What sweetheart? What else do you want?" he said urgently.

Her gaze locked with his, stormy blue against pale green. "I want you."

His heart soared. "I'm yours, sweetheart. Just tell me what you want me to do."

"Make love to me – show me what I mean to you"

His eyes closed and he smiled. "I will sweetheart, every day if you'll let me."

He pushed the robes from her body, laid her out on the bed and removed the rest of her clothing. "I could look at you forever. I could touch you forever. I could taste you forever and never get tired of you."

He dipped his head between her legs to taste her and gave her a few soft strokes with his tongue before moving over her and rubbing himself at her entrance. Her soft gasp of pleasure was all he needed. He entered her as slowly as he could, only to find her raising her hips to meet him and sheathing him fully with a sob.

"Gods, Cyréne," he groaned, "you don't know what you do to me sweetheart." He moved slowly inside of her.

"Tell me, please" she whimpered.

"I don't have the words for how you make me feel – I never want it to end."

His mouth found hers and he took his time to explore every part of it, unrushed, unhurried and focused only on her. Cyréne's emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so loved and safe and wanted. Kalv felt her emotions transfer through their kiss and smiled against her mouth.

"I'm here, sweetheart, and I've missed you so much. Don't hold anything back from me."

She pulled him closer and pressed into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Closer"

Kalv wrapped an arm around her back and raised them into a sitting position with her straddling him. He wrapped both arms around her and held her against him, helping her move and keeping up their slow pace. "I'll save the world for you, Cyréne."

She exhaled against his neck softly. "Then, what can I do for you, hero?"

"I need you, sweetheart. Stay with me; keep me from getting lost in this darkness. I'm so afraid I'm going to lose my way, make the wrong choices, fail."

She pulled back slightly so she could meet his eyes and sent up a bright flare of mage-light with a smile. "It would be a lot easier for me to light the way if you would take me with you, but we don't have to talk about that now. I won't leave you to face this alone, Kalv – I promise."

He closed his eyes for a moment and then trailed kisses across her throat. "Are you ready for me, my sweet Cyréne?"

Her yes came out as a moan and he lowered them back onto the mattress and increased their pace.

Somewhere, in the bottom of her heart, a tiny fragment of black sorrow crashed against several equally tiny glowing embers of the love she still felt for another, and they sparked together in moment of exquisite pain. Deep inside a silent scream of wrongness rent the silence of her denial and she flinched. It was only for the briefest moment, and after it had passed, it was easy to pretend it never happened at all.