The Hunter's Princess

Chapter 16

Xander woke before Serah. He blinked the sleep from his eyes. The curtains were still drawn, and the room was dimly lit by the sun that slipped through. He pulled her close to him and closed his eyes to savor the moment.

She stirred, a gentle sound leaving her lips that sent sparks through his body. Xander pressed a kiss to the area just behind her ear. He loved how soft she was.

"Good morning," he whispered. She made that sound again as she turned to face him. She put her arms around the back of his neck, nuzzling into him. The hunter held her to him and buried his face into the soft curve of her neck. He began to kiss there gently.

"I don't want to leave," Serah murmured. "But the servants will be coming soon..."

Xander groaned and looked towards the door. The last thing he needed was an astonished old maid coming in and shrieking at the sight of him and a naked girl in the same bed. He didn't need that happening again.

"Does that lock?" He asked. She nodded and let him go. Xander slipped from beneath the sheets. He crossed the room in a haze of sleep, locking the door. The hunter stretched, rubbed his eyes, and let out a yawn. He looked back to the bed to find Serah smiling at him. His eyes passed over her body. God, she was so unbelievably gorgeous. He returned the smile, beginning to retrieve his undergarments from the floor.

"Come back to bed," she requested. Xander looked over his shoulder and took her nightgown from the floor. How had he thrown it so far? Had he been so desperate for bare skin? It was a miracle that he hadn't ripped the flimsy cloth in half. He tossed it to her as he returned. She raised one dark brow.

"If they do come looking for you, it'll be far less scandalous if you're dressed," he explained. Serah pouted. "Don't look at me like that, Serah..."

"What happened to not giving a damn what anyone else thinks?" She asked, but pulled the gown over her head. Xander pressed a kiss to her lips and smiled at her. He caught her chin in his hand.

"I give a damn whether you can walk down to breakfast, and if you're naked much longer, you won't be able to," he whispered. Serah blushed and kissed his cheek. To his surprise, the girl pulled him closer to her and whispered into his ear.

"Maybe I don't want breakfast," she told him. "At least, not what they're serving."

Xander groaned and placed a hand to the back of her neck. She had so much control over him. He pulled her to him, kissing her hard apon the mouth.

"They're going to wonder why we haven't gone down to eat," he argued once they parted, fighting more against his own urges than hers. Her sweet little way of implying that she wanted his cock for her first meal made him want to rip that nightgown right back off of her. He swallowed. There was only so much risk he was willing to take. "We can't just do nothing but make love, Serah."

She gave him that damned pout again. Xander cursed quietly and kissed her once more. She smiled triumphantly beneath his lips when she heard him groan.

"We could just say that we were tired and slept in," Serah told him. He shook his head and pulled her from the sheets. The hunter slipped on a clean shirt and trousers, along with his boots.

His self control had won.

This time.

"Later," Xander promised as he tightened the laces. "Let me walk you back to your room."

She sighed, but took his arm.

The guards outside their door jolted as Serah walked out at his side. Xander breathed out in relief, grateful that they had heard nothing of the previous night's adventures, but was also aware that it would become far more difficult to sneak Serah into his room now. He placed a hand on hers.