8. IN WHICH FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW USHERS IN A MAGICAL MORNING

Chapter eight

W hen Cora woke, she was deliciously warm. Living in a mountain meant warmth that she didn’t actively work for rarely happened. If she woke up in the morning and it was warm, it was because she’d gotten up to stoke the fire. As such, waking up with Asterion curled around her was deliciously decadent. His arms wrapped around her from behind, tucking her close so that her entire back was touching him in some way. One furry leg was thrown over her own, and the rest of his heat permeated the blankets. As far as she could tell, he was still asleep, his warm breaths ruffling her hair in an even cadence.

She closed her eyes, deciding to fall back to sleep for a bit longer, when the sounds of children laughing filtered through her window. Their cries of joy drew her out of bed in a flash as she remembered the magic of the previous night’s snow.

She ran to the window, throwing open the sash. A puff of snow flew off of her window frame and sprinkled to the ground below. It was no longer falling, but a thick layer covered the entire city. Several children played below her window, in front of the library. Snowballs flew through the air and occasionally hit their marks, though several children were building snowmen.

Cora felt Asterion before she heard him. His arms slipped around her, and he settled his head atop hers.

“They beat us to the snow,” he said.

“I think you are right, but I was apparently quite content to keep sleeping.”

He grunted a response that didn’t entirely sound like words.

Cora raised a brow and turned in his arms. “Are you not a morning person? ”

“No, I am not, so come back to bed.” He picked her up and walked back toward to lay her down.

“Asterion!” she giggled. “The window is still open!”

Pulling the covers over them, Asterion wrapped her tightly. “I am not sure what you think we are going to do right now, but I intend on sleeping.”

“Really? I doubt that.”

“Do you dare question my honor? You think I would lie about such a serious topic?” He had put on a snotty voice that sounded shockingly like the city’s head councilor.

“Not exactly, I just assumed that you wanted to play again…”

“I do, but I have fantasized too often about waking up grinding my cock into your ass to miss the opportunity now.”

“That is a compelling point. I will do my best to fall asleep then.”

“If not, just wake me up.” Asterion tucked her head under his chin and was snoring within moments. Cora reached out to her mountain, checking in as she hadn’t done in days.

The mountain sent back calm contentment, which mirrored her own, and somehow included the sentiment that having snow inside was fun, though it was confused as to how it happened.

“Magic,” she whispered. “One magical minotaur set on creating a fantasy.”

“Just for you,” Asterion mumbled. “Always for you.”