Getting Some Sleep Take 2.

[Tera Destre]

Once outside the door of the Inn Gavilean put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry for what Hanzo said. That was uncalled for."

Bewildered Des glanced up to him. "I don't know what is going on anymore. It is like I've lost touch with reality all of a sudden."

He looked down on her and smiled, "I don't think it's you Des. I think it's the world around us. Did anything strange happen in the Outback tonight?"

The cowgirl shook her head slowly. "No. It was just a regular night. A very small crowd. I was teasing and flirting with everyone like I always do and we was all having a good time. But if he is saying it maybe everybody is thinking it."

"Des, people are not saying anything. They all love you. Hanzo was just being his typical wise guy self. Think nothing of it." He looked at her with his cobalt blue eyes that smiled.

"I'm thinking part of his problem is he is jealous. He is also probably still mad cause I beat him in the Arena. I just don't like it that he said that about you. I don't care what him and other people want to say about me. I don't want them saying and thinking bad things about you." She tugged lightly on his cloak with an affectionate smile.

They walked a different way to her apartment. It was a long way around that had a wooden bridge over the river. The bridge had a lantern on both sides and they were now at the middle. When she tugged on his cloak he stopped and turned to her and gazed into her eyes, lit only by the dim light of the oil street lamp. "Dearest Des...." He didn't know how to express his feelings in any appropriate way. They had grown far too strong for that. "People have been saying and thinking bad things about me for years. It's all jealousy and I pay no attention to it." He played with the ends of her hair, "But I sure do appreciate you caring. I can't tell you how deeply that has touched me."

She was captured by the look in his eyes. What she saw there stole her breath and sent her heart racing beneath her breast. Facing him there in the darkness and listening to his words all she could think of was what it would be like to kiss him and be kissed by him. Her gaze dropped from his to rest on his lips as the tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her own. Her voice was low and husky when she spoke, "If you don't stop me I am going to kiss you. Right here. Right now. Just the way that I want to."

He had thought of this moment for as long as he had known her. His voice was soft, carrying the gentle air of the Elven, "Des, I so want to kiss you. So, let's do it like this." He took his two fingers and kissed them and then placed the fingers against her soft lips. He watched as the touched her lips. "Now...you do the same to me, Des."

Fascinated by this change in the plans that she had for passionately kissing him until they were both breathless she tilted her head to the side with a little inquisitive smile and kissed the fingers he touched to her lips then placed two of her fingers to his lips to see what would happen next. "Okay Luv. Is it magic?" She had always been fascinated by magic and longed to have some of her own and it was there in her voice as she asked the question.

He kissed her fingers and smiled, "It is for me, Des." Then he released just a little magic to make her fingers tingle.

She gasped as her fingers tingled and immediately placed them to her own lips with a radiant smile then threw her arms around him in tight hug. "Oh my goodness! It really is magic with you!!"

He held her tightly and kiss her cheek. "I think it's really a magic with us, Des." He closed his eyes and just absorbed the moment. "Can we sleep tonight like we did last night? Would that be alright?"

"Mmhhmm. I would really like that Luv if you don't mind too much. I slept so very well last night. You are very comfy ya know." Des snuggled in his embrace savoring the rich textures of his clothing and the scents that were uniquely Gavilean as one hand stroked his long dark hair and the other rested at his mid-back.

[Tera Destre]

There were too things that Gavilean was always careful about - one was his hair, and the other was smelling good. At this moment, he was very happy that he never neglected either. He stood with her for a very long time, stroking her hair and back and whispering sweet things to her. Finally he thought it was time to get her home and rested, "We should go now, Des, before I fall asleep right here with you."

The petite woman had carefully listened to every word and whispered sweetly and softly back to him. Lifting her head she smiled and chuckled softly to him. "I'd rather we didn't fall into the river and get all wet so I agree, lets go home, Gav."

The walk back to her apartment was a dream for Gavilean. He cherished every precious minute with her because he knew that in just over a week, he would never see her this way again. He would have to try to go on without her and watch from a distance as she and Jean had their lives together.

They arrived in the apartment fifteen minutes later, fed the cat, and cleaned up for sleeping . Gavilean removed his boot and socks and made the couch. This night he removed his poet's shirt and hoped she wouldn't mind. He slipped under the covers and looked to Des. "Are you ready, beautiful woman? You are going to sleep so well tonight that you won't have time to count sheep."

Des laughed with delight as dressed in her husband's shirt, and nothing else, she bounded onto the couch beside him in flurry of excess material and flashing tanned skin before she grabbed up all the folds of the shirt and tucked them decorously around her and curled up on her side facing away from him. She flashed him a grin over her shoulder as she lifted her head in an imperious demand for his arm to be placed beneath it as well as lifted her other arm for his arm to be placed over her waist. "Now do I look ready to you?"


He laughed, wondering if he should really answer that. "Yes, dear, you look very ready." He put one strong, naked arm beneath her head, and the other went around her waist and he snuggled close. The light suddenly shut off. His face was against her hair and he closed his eyes. A soft sigh came from him. "I'll always protect you, Des. Whenever you need me, I'll be here for you."

She sighed softly as tensed muscles relaxed aided by his nearness along with his warmth. "Sleep sweetly Luv. I'm here with you." She felt so safe with him in every way it was hard to imagine at time when he wouldn't be with her now because it was starting to feel a lot like he had always been with her. Things were becoming second nature now like the way she automatically smoothed his hair as she closed her eyes and let sleep take her for the night.