Living Arrangement

Wren did not have many clothes, and Talon had plenty of room, so it was fairly easy to combine wardrobes.

Wren looked down at the top dresser drawer to see her lacy underthings sitting next to his boxers, and she shook her head. Why was something like that so erotic to her right now?

She needed some physical release.

“Thinking about a roll in the hay?” Talon spoke just behind her, letting out a laugh as she jumped.

“What?”

“What? Do you not think about those things?” he asked, placing his hands on either side of her on the dresser, not quite touching her.

“No. I do, it’s just…”

Talon leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I think about it every night, especially when you are lying right beside me, moaning in your sleep.”

“I do not moan!”

“Oh. Yes, you do. Do you know how hard it is for me to refrain from touching you when you do that?”

“I…”

Talon gave up and covered her mouth with his own, slipping his tongue inside before she could close her mouth. She was sweet and hot, and he could still taste the tea she had drunk earlier on her tongue.

He went deeper, exploring her mouth leisurely, coaxing her into a timid response. She was unsure right now, but with the right tutoring, she would be able to inflame any man she wanted.

Though she better only be inflaming him.

He felt her sigh against his mouth and pressed against her more fully, pushing her up and closer to his hard-on.

He bit back a groan and came up for air. “Honey, you are torturing me. Please…”

Wren wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head down for another drugging kiss. This time she was the aggressor, turning the tables on Talon.

Gone was the timid response—hello to the seductress.

God almighty, the woman could kiss.

Wren pressed herself against his body, feeling a shudder go through him as she did. To enhance his pleasure, she stroked his tongue at the same time.

He was hot and hard and made her body burn where his touched hers. Her mind went blank from all emotion.

She knew the drill.

It was long moments before they pulled apart, and he buried his head in her neck, taking in deep breaths of her scent, his mind deep in the gutter and his body bursting in its confines.

Wren’s mind finally comprehended what her body was doing, and she pushed against his chest, watching as he easily fell back.

He had felt her tense and knew she would withdraw from him.

“I…I am sorry,” Wren mumbled and headed back to her room to see if there was anything else to carry.

Talon smiled and slowly followed her.

“The only thing left is the piano. I will let the director know we need it to be moved,” he said.

“No. Leave it.”

“But how will you practice?”

“I will come in here. This way, I will not disturb you when I practice.”

“No. We will move it.”

“Leave it. I do not want it moved.” Wren looked away from him.

“You are afraid.”

“Yes, I am,” Wren acknowledged.

“Fine. We will leave it for now.”

“Thank you.”

Talon shrugged his shoulders. He needed to remember patience.

She was still struggling with her emotions, and he knew she had to be the one to come to him.

“I have no say in it. It is your property. You can do with it as you please.”

He knew he should not be angry at her, but by not moving the piano, she was blatantly telling him she planned on their separating at some point and was not going to give them her all.

She was already sabotaging them.

***

“Are you finished moving her in?” Evan asked quietly when Talon collapsed on a couch in the sitting room.

“Yeah.”

“Is the piano to be moved?”

“No.”

“I see.”

“You see what?”

“She does not trust you not to leave her,” Evan commented as he continued to read his book.

“You mean she does not want to give this relationship a chance,” Talon retorted, letting his emotions out for a moment.

“No,” Evan replied calmly.

“I mean what I said. She does not trust you not to leave her. It does not mean she is not going to try. It means she has been left before and does not have the confidence to allow the possibility that you might not be like them.”

Talon soaked in Evan’s words. How the hell did he know that? He could not see it.

She should trust him. After all, she spent most of her time with him, and he had told her his feelings.

What more did she want?

~I thought he loved me.~ Her words came back to him, and he let out a groan.

Of course, she would not believe him. Damn it, he hated it when they were right.

It just made him feel even more idiotic.

“I knew you would get it eventually. I am impressed that you figured it out so soon. Enjoy yourself. Supper will be ready soon,” Evan said, leaving the room with a smile.

They had heard most of the conversation between Wren and Talon earlier and knew what was coming, so this was the least Emerald and he could do for them.

***

After supper, Wren headed to the other building to practice. She kept telling herself it was not because she was avoiding Talon, but she knew it was.

She climbed into bed well after midnight and knew she would regret it in the morning. She curled up away from Talon and slowly relaxed to his steady breathing, eventually falling asleep.

***

“You were out late last night,” Talon commented as Wren groaned and sat up.

“Sorry, I was engrossed in my practicing.”

“You do not need to apologize to me. I am the one who owes you an apology.”

“Huh?” Wren headed to the bathroom and started the shower. Talon followed close behind.

“I was out of line yesterday. I am sorry.”

“Out of line?” Wren was confused.

Did he regret having her move in with him already?

“About the piano. I should not have tried to push you to move it,” Talon explained.

“Oh, that. No big. I should not have made such a big deal about it either.”

Talon leaned against the bathroom door, watching as Wren started to fidget.

“Oh, sorry. Take your shower. I will get dressed.”

Wren kept her eyes averted from his bare chest. The man was too happy and good looking first thing in the morning.

She had never woken before him, and she wondered what he was really like when he first got up.

He had obviously just climbed out of the shower himself, and the bathroom smelled of him and his soap.

As soon as the door closed behind her, she jumped in, hoping he would not walk in.

It was not until she climbed out that she realized she had left her clothes in the bedroom. Ouch.

She had just wrapped the towel around herself when there came a knock and Talon opened the door.

“Excuse me. I need to finish getting ready.” He stepped into the bathroom, and Wren quickly stepped around him and headed to find some clothing.

Wren took her time getting dressed, but finally, she admitted defeat. She needed the bathroom or she would not be on time for work.

She hesitantly knocked on the door.

“Come on in.”

She peered around to see Talon finishing his shave.

“It is all right, you know. I will not attack you or anything. There is plenty of room for two,” he grinned at her in the mirror.

“Shut up,” Wren mumbled.

She got ready as he watched.

“Do you not have anything better to do?”

“Nope,” Talon grinned, and Wren sighed.

This was going to take a bit of time to get used to.

***

Later that morning, Talon once again escorted her to her classroom door and, placing a kiss on her cheek, headed to his own room with a smile.

Talon decided it was going to be a good day, even though he had barely slept last night with her body so close to his. He had woken sometime in the morning hours to his arms wrapped around her, and she snuggled up against him, spoon style.

He had had to use every trick in his arsenal not to take her right then and there. He had then tortured himself further by continuing to hold her close until she started to stir.

He let out a sigh. It was going to be difficult to continue this for long.

***

That night, Wren crawled into bed late again. She just did not know how to handle this arrangement with Talon.

She let out a sigh as her head hit the pillow.

“You can come to bed earlier, you know. I know you do not usually stay up this late.”

Wren started as Talon’s arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his warmth.

He let out a sigh and snuggled down, getting comfortable.

Wren struggled against his arms, fear overtaking her. What was he doing?

“I do not know why you are avoiding me, but I promised I would not do anything to you, and I keep my promises.”

“What do you call this?”

Wren stilled at his words, her body tense, but Talon did no more than hold her close.

“I did not say I would not hold you. At least give me this much.”

He fell silent, and Wren waited. For what? She did not know.

She lay there listening to his breathing deepen and his body relax.

~How did he fall asleep like that?~ She did not think she could do it that easily. Yet his warmth and the comforting weight of his arm over her waist made her feel emotions she did not want to analyze.

Instead, she closed her eyes. Soon she was sound asleep.