Rose paced the longhouse. Occasionally, she looked toward the doorway, straining to listen for Thayer's return. It had been more than an hour and still the centaurs hadn't returned. Now with each passing minute, she got more nervous. Thayer was going to be furious.
She lay on the cushions that made up their bed. Their bed. When did she start thinking of it as being hers, too?
The doorway lifted as Thayer entered. Rose immediately sat up, eyes wide with worry. Thayer met her gaze silently and held it for a long moment before he turned to take off his armor. Outside she could here soft voices of others returning to their homes.
Thayer's silence only made her more nervous.
"I had to do it, Thayer."
She saw his jaw tense.
"Then why did you come back?" He asked curtly.
"I'm not exactly sure." He didn't look at her, nor did he answer. His back and shoulders were stiff and his dark eyebrows were drawn together in a frown. Nothing but the crackling of the fire filled the silence. She watched him take his time unlacing his wrist guards, then lay down his weapons on hooks on the wall. "Are the slavers gone?"
"We made sure they did not move further into our lands. You must be disappointed that my brother found you before you could reach the village."
"Yes."
"And what would you have done then? Marry a human man, give birth to his children and then turn your head the other way while he ravishes his mistress?"
"Not every man is like that." Was her retort.
"I have witnessed enough to know what goes on."
"Well, obviously I'm not in my village. I'm here. So what you said isn't going to happen."
"Yes, and how unhappy you are." He said, his voice oddly devoid of emotion, so she was unable to tell if he was still angry.
The comment made her stop. She wasn't unhappy. She was...she shook her head. She wasn't sure what she was right now. She shifted under the furs. Thayer stood where he was, his back slightly to her, lost in thought.
"Go to sleep, Rose."
"A-aren't you coming to bed?" She asked in a small voice.
"I will join you later."
Almost reluctantly, she settled under the covers and closed her eyes. And waited. But a minute later, she heard the flap of the doorway lift. When she turned her head, Thayer was gone. ***
Once outside, Thayer let out a shaky breath. The relief of seeing her safely at home was a great weight off his shoulders. Callum had informed him of her safe return, but Thayer had to see her for himself. The fear he'd felt of her possibly being captured by the slavers had been overwhelming. Thoughts of her being raped, beaten, starved -- by the gods, he was grateful she was safe.
What was he going to do with her now? All centaurs had trouble with their mates in the beginning, but Rose seemed determined not to accept him. A part of him wanted to march right in there and make love to her, possess her until she was soft and warm against him, sighing his name as she was doing earlier. Just the thought made him hard.
Thayer cursed. Didn't she know she held so much power over him? Just a single thought of her aroused him.
He'll give her time, he decided. Let her adjust to this life, adjust to him. If a few days of celibacy meant gaining her affection, then so be it.
***
"Oh, this will look lovely on you." Laura said with a bright smile. The dark haired beauty and wife of Thayer's cousin, Xavier held up the silky white robe Rose was to wear for the ceremony the next evening. "With your blond hair in the moonlight, you'll simply glow."
