The Brush Tiger of Derven Ch. 15-17

When she feels the pillows shift beside her, she thinks it must be Rick, trying to draw her out to apologize. She refuses to open her eyes, keeping them clenched tight. Her breath is suddenly taken away when she feels Rick's lips firmly planted on hers. Heart racing and body on fire she throws away all rational thoughts, melting against the kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck, holding him down tightly against her. Overcome with her emotions, she stifles a moan with his mouth, desperately wanting more.

He pulls away from her, rising quickly to leave the pit. Pausing with his back to her, she can see his shoulders heave almost angrily. He turns ever so slightly when he speaks to her, "You are too good for me, Mora," his head drops so she can no longer see his face. Before she has a chance to respond, he says, "Good morning, Mora," so breathlessly she wants to get up and run after him but he quickly leaves and snuffs the lights.

She lies frozen, entirely confused at what just happened. With a glimmer of hope alive in her heart, her mind struggles to bring her back down out of the clouds. Her body, tired from lack of sleep the night before, the night of dancing and the aching for Rick, calls her into sleep. She fights it, trying to figure out what Rick's actions meant. Just as she decides to rise, crawl into his bed and force him to continue where they left off, the veil of sleep slips over her and her eyes fall shut.