In a Brave New World (Brave New World Book 5)

Chapter 7

Karim

I laced my fingers with hers on our way to the cave entrance. The guards would be shocked – again - at the yet another violation of public behavior protocol on my part, but tonight I didn't care. I knew holding hands was a gesture Jasmine would like, so I would hold her delicate hand in mine all the way to our home if that would put a satisfied smile on her beautiful face.

"Oh, no!" She stopped so abruptly as we were entering the cave that she nearly lost her balance, compromised by the baby bump. Good thing I had her hand in mine.

"What is it, my flower?"

"Weren't we supposed to meet with Deidre and Ris tonight? For some final battle planning and dinner?"

I shook my head. "No more planning left to do. As for dinner, it will be later tonight. We have time, my flower."

She smiled shyly. "How much time?"

I wanted to say that however much time we had, it wouldn't be enough for all the things I wanted to do with her tonight, but instead I told her, "Depends on how late Deidre will be."

"She and Ris have been delayed? Did they send a message over the gargoyle courier?"

A small smile escaped me. "Nai. They will be late because this is Deidre we're talking about."

"Oh..." She giggled. "I can't argue with that."

Certainly not. Deidre was the most unreliable person that I always relied on. When it came to the important things, she was always in the right place at the right time, and tonight's arrival for a shared dinner wasn't such a case. Besides, she always took a bath after returning home from the surface. And with her braid partner with her, a bath would take a while.

Especially since Deidre had recently told me that she could bathe with Ris only here, because up on his homecloud the tub they owned wasn't big enough for both of them. Tisvali, on his part, had kindly informed me that Ris was big in every respect, so the gargoyle not fitting in a tub was no surprise.

I loved my closest friends, they were practically family, but sometimes Deidre and Tisvali went too far in what they shared. Gargoyle sizes and joint baths were not things I was interested in hearing details about.

I was, however, interested in joining my flower in the bathing chamber. So when Jasmine pulled me in that direction once we entered our home, alone at last, I let her lead the way.

I was used to being in charge with everyone, but with her I was happy to relinquish control. Not always, since I was too dominant by nature, but often. And it was always worth it because Jasmine was quite creative during our moss interactions. Particularly now, when in our passion we had to ensure we didn't hurt the little one.

Trying not to think of tonight as our last night together in case Nature took me tomorrow, I entered the bathing chamber after Jasmine. Our lips met the second the door vines closed behind us.

"Oh..." she exclaimed on a sigh, turning in my arms until her back and lower body were pressed fully against me, something we couldn't do when facing each other due to the baby bump. "I missed you, Karim."

I pushed her curls aside to expose the side of her neck, my mouth eager to taste her skin where I knew she was very sensitive. "I missed you, too, temptress." I placed a hand over her rounded belly while the other cupped a full breast through the thin fabric of her dress. "Every part of you."

A shudder of anticipation went through her as I slid her dress off with ease. I loved it when she trembled under my touch like that, as eager to be one with me as I was to be joined with her. With the pregnancy progressing, my flower was even more responsive than usual, and she dragged me to the moss more often, too. While some elves would undoubtedly complain, I couldn't be more pleased. I could never get enough of Jasmine.