The Dream Catcher moved his hand across her abdomen, gliding on the silk of her dress. “Don’t send me away, Natalia, not yet.”
She liked the heat of his hand. “Let me understand. A Dream Catcher is supposed to read my fantasies and let me live them. Make them seem real.”
“Yes.” His silver eyes warmed.
“Then why are you he
re? I am supposed to see my fantasy, not you in person.”
“You know why.”
Natalia swallowed, embarrassed by her own thoughts. “Because my fantasies are about you?”
He lowered himself to the bed, never taking his hand from her waist. “When you looked at me, I saw, deep inside you, what you wanted. I was so pleased, Natalia, that you wanted me.”
“How mortifying.”
“It is wonderful. Because when I saw you, I wanted you too.” He stroked his hand through her red hair, loosening it.
“Is this a dream?” she breathed.
“In a sense.”
She felt a bite of disappointment. “So whatever happens, it won’t be real?”
“It will be real to you. You can do anything you want, and have anything you need, without fear. You can live out your wildest fantasies without coming to any harm, or anyone ever knowing.”
“Except you.”
“Except me.” He grinned, a mischievous spark entering his eyes. “And I won’t tell.”
Natalia drew a breath. She knew what she wanted, but she suddenly realized that if she let herself have it, she’d never be able to go back to her tedious existence, the narrow confines of a woman of the Bor Nargan upper classes. She’d be too aware of what she was missing.
“I’d rather wake up,” she said.
He stroked her hair, the warmth of his body covering the length of her own. “Please, stay with me.”
His voice wavered slightly, as though he feared something and tried to hide it.
“Why?”
“Because I am in pain. They beat me until I fell into unconsciousness.”
Natalia sat up again. “What?”
“Here, in your dream, I feel no pain. Let me stay.”
Anger and worry swirled together. “How dare she? I knew Delia was ill-natured, but this—”
He laid his cheek on her hair, his strong fingers finding the lacings of her gown. “I am proud that you have no fear of her.”
“I will certainly say a few things to Delia when I wake up.”
He nuzzled her. “That’s my girl. So brave.”
Natalia closed her eyes at the feeling of his warm breath, of his fingers slowly unlacing the front of her gown. “No one has ever called me that before.”
“Brave and beautiful.” He kissed her hair. “You are all that.” He spread his hand, parting the placket and finding her bare skin.