We should do it more often, Conall agreed.
For a long, slow afternoon, he grazed with the gazelle, enjoying the sun that beat on his dark coat and the peaceful, sweet air.
Evening fell, and the sun sank quickly into the sea. Conall marveled at how beautiful it could look, even without being able to see reds. The purples and blues of the twilight that followed were more intense than ever, and the lights of the resort behind them were enchanting.
He settled onto his knees, prepared to wait out the mild night, if that’s what it took, and to his joy, the gazelle came and curled against his side.
They drowsed that way for a while, then, abruptly, the din of the evening rushed back. The form at his side gave a little sigh and shifted into Gizelle.
Conall kept his elk’s form a little longer, enjoying the warmth of her on his hide and the new sounds of the insects and the breeze. Then he shifted, and held her close against him as they sat together in the darkness. She trembled against him.
“I will come back,” he promised. “I will always come back.”
“I know,” Gizelle whispered. If he hadn’t been hearing through her own ears, he might not have heard it at all. “I know you will, it just scares me so much that you might not.”
I would bring him back to you, Conall’s elk assured her directly. He would have no choice.
“I wouldn’t,” Conall confirmed. “He’s a terrible bully and his is the only voice I can hear without you.”
Chapter 45
Gizelle wasn’t sure if she was trembling or shivering. The night air was cool to her human skin, and Conall’s arms were warm. When he kissed her, she forgot to be cold, and his fingers on her bare skin heated up much more than they should be able to.
There was just enough light from the strings of Christmas bulbs above the bench to see each other with. His shoulders were so broad and full of interesting planes, and his cheek was so fascinatingly covered with stubble.
There wasn’t enough light to see the blue of his eyes, but they were bright for her.
“How can you look at me that way?” she asked in wonder.
“Which way?” Conall asked, drinking her in.
“Like I’m... beautiful.”
“Because you’re beautiful,” Conall said without hesitation.
“But I’m so skinny and pale and knobby,” Gizelle said in despair. She wanted curves, and comfortable skin, like Magnolia.
“You are perfect,” Conall insisted. “And you have clearly not been exposed to many fashion magazines. Let me show you.”
He put a finger on her cheek. “Women wear makeup to give them cheekbones half this beautiful.” He kissed them solemnly, one and then the other.
“A swan wishes it had a neck so perfect,” he said, kissing down her neck.
“Lydia’s a swan,” Gizelle giggled breathlessly.
His mouth found her collarbone, and his hands explored lower. “Your breasts are my ideal in shape and they fill up a hand just like they should,” he told her, cupping one and using a finger to define the profile of the other. Gizelle had to hiss her breath in as he passed her nipple. It was hard as a pebble, and she knew it wasn’t only from the chill that she’d already forgotten about.
Then he laid her back in the grass and kissed them, sucking and nibbling his way down to her belly. “There is an industry of health clubs that make millions from women who dream of a belly so flat and fit.”
And after that, he didn’t say anything, only worshiped her body with his mouth until she was pulling at his shoulders and wordlessly begging him to take her.
“I didn’t bring a condom,” he said, denying her whimpered request for the hard cock that was brushing her thighs. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have satisfaction.”
Then he dipped his head and licked into her eager folds and Gizelle arched up in shock and delight. His tongue was agile and impossible and unexpectedly intimate as it explored her, and Gizelle had to grab fistfuls of grass and cry out as he suckled at her until pleasure washed over her.
For a long moment afterwards, she could only lie and pant as he kissed her back to calm.
“But what about you?” she asked, when she had breath again. His cock was hard and thick between them as he lay beside her.