CHAPTER 68 This is More Important Than Scones!

CHAPTER 68

This is More Important Than Scones!

Brownie

As much as she’d said the bimbleberry mead was for Rufus … Brownie had wanted liquid courage to help her ask the important questions . Especially since the absolute shock that dawned on Rufus’ face was not inspiring. She tripped over her tongue as she added, “Or not! You don’t have to—”

“Yes.”

“What?”

Golden eyes locked onto hers, serious and intense. “Yes, you can pet me. I consent. Let’s do it right now.”

“Wait—”

Rufus stood up and almost knocked over his chair. “We need to leave.”

“What about the mead, and your scone?” Brownie laughed but stood up as well.

“Leave them. This is more important than scones!” Rufus offered his hand, and she took it. Instead of linking it into his arms politely like he normally did, Rufus slid his fingers between hers and gripped her hand gently. The soft fur and rough beanies were an interesting feeling that she immediately loved.

Rufus all but dragged her from the restaurant. He couldn’t actually drag her, she had a skill for that, but she let him pull her along.

He didn’t get very far, stopping in the middle of the quiet evening street and turning back to her. “Where are we going?”

“Is that your fourth question?” she teased. “We can just go back to my room at the inn.”

“Is that your fifth?” he countered. It was actually her sixth, but she might have lost count. He waved in the general direction of where they were staying for the night. “You want to pet me in your room? ”

Brownie imagined herself lying in bed cuddling a giant golden wolf dog. It was very appealing. Then the image of waking up in Rufus’s arms took its place, and she noted that it was equally appealing. Heat burned her cheeks, but there was a gleam in her eye as she asked, “Why, have you never been in a woman’s room before?”

Rufus choked on air. “I have … but I’ve never been to your room before. And I’d never go to a woman’s room if either of us had been drinking. Where’s the consent in that?”

She laughed. “We aren’t … you know. This is just petting!”

“Petting should still involve consent!” he declared.

“So I’m not allowed to pet you because you had bimbleberry mead?” Brownie frowned.

“No. Forget I said anything,” Rufus hurriedly rejected the idea. “I’ve been wanting this for too long to give up now.”

“But—”

“No buts.” Rufus lifted her hand to his heart. “Unless you don’t want to pet me anymore?”

“I do. I’m just worried about consent now.”

Rufus had had two full glasses.

“I’ve got it!” Rufus pulled out a high-grade antidote. One he’d packed at their stop over at that Black Fortress. He popped the cork with a thumb and downed the bottle. He rubbed his lips.

“Now I’m stone-cold sober,” Rufus declared, storing the now empty bottle. “Or I will be by the time we get to your room.”

“You just wasted so much gold!”

“It wasn’t a waste, and I’d do it again.” The beastman smiled.

“Just so you know,” Brownie said, having completely lost count but still wanting to continue, “I get two more questions, and you have four.”

“Why are we playing this game?” Rufus asked as they started walking again.

“I’ve been wondering so many things,” Brownie admitted. “Do you like me as much as I like you? Is it wrong to pick up a commander general while he’s on a quest? What do you look like in all of your forms?”

“I thought I’d already answered that; I like you much more. More than I care to admit, actually. Yet. Also, that was more than two questions,” he pointed out. The inn was in sight.

Brownie squeezed his hand. “Does that mean you won’t answer them?”

“It means”—Rufus squeezed her hand back—“that it’s my turn.”

She waited. They were almost at the front door. She waited still. They were inside the inn. She was almost done waiting when Rufus stopped them in the empty hallway outside their rooms.

He let go of her hand and took a step back, opening his mouth to ask, “Meow?”

They both looked down as Slake wound his way through Rufus’s legs .

“You are really good at that,” Brownie told the grimalcat.

Slake’s tail flicked once, but he ignored her statement. “I’m going out tonight to meet a friend. Don’t wait up.”

The grimalcat sauntered down the hallway and out of sight. The pair shared a look.

“You were saying?” Brownie crossed her arms.

“Will you go to the Summer Masquerade with me?” Rufus asked, his voice strangely quiet.

“And I already answered.” Brownie raised an eyebrow, wondering if Rufus was more drunk than he seemed. “Of course I’ll go with you to the Summer Masquerade.”

Rufus sighed. “Thank the gods. You didn’t actually say yes! You implied! And … I was worried you might have changed your mind.”

“Well, I haven’t. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Then what about after?”

“What about after?”

“Never mind, that’s all of our questions, I think.”

“It is not, you still have … one?” Brownie sighed. “Alright, I admit I’ve lost count.”

Rufus opened her bedroom door and asked, “Are you ready?”

There was a moment where she hesitated, but then her face broke out into a huge smile. “I was born ready.”

She marched into the room, Rufus following behind her. There was a shock of awareness that ran through her as he closed the door and she heard the faint click of the lock, but it was from excitement.

Rufus nodded at her once before he fell forward, landing as a giant golden beast that resembled a golden wolf-dog. He was huge, coming up to Brownie’s elbow. He walked up to her and rubbed his head against her hand as she crouched down to give his ears a scratch. That sent his tail thumping violently.

“Rufus,” she spoke, her voice only slightly sweeter than normal. Brownie was resisting the urge to go full adorable on the commander general, and she was proud of her restraint. “You’re the best.”

He happily splayed out on the floor as she rubbed his tummy and chest and back and head. She played with his left ear that was slightly floppier than the right, and she squished his beanie paws and toes at length. By the end of it, her willpower had started to wane, and she was giggling and lavishing the golden beast with unrestrained love and affection.

Eventually, Rufus fell asleep on the carpet in front of the hearth. His breath was deep and steady. Brownie thought about climbing into bed, but rejected the idea. Instead, she pulled down the blanket and got comfortable leaning against the giant wolf. As a half giantess herself, she wasn’t used to leaning on people. But Rufus didn’t seem to mind it while he was awake, so she didn’t let it worry her now. If she recalled correctly, he was nearing level sixty, and could probably lift her one-handed.

As she was drifting off to sleep, she thought about their conversation over the evening. He was so fluffy, so considerate, but so hesitant.

“I hope your other secret isn’t going to ruin this, Rufus,” Brownie whispered into the quiet night. “Because I think I’m falling in love with you.”