Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Sixty Three

A/N -- Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Warning: Strong language

Green eyes blinked open the next morning. It was twenty minutes until sunrise, but that was usual for Kayde Vorantis. He was a man of routine. He'd wake up right before dawn, get up immediately to drink a glass of water, meditate for an hour with the window open to watch the daybreak, bathe if he hadn't the night before, and then pull on his robes and brush his hair until all the snarls were gone. By that time, everyone else was usually just waking up.

There was a problem this morning. The get up immediately was the problem -it was a problem because Iris had her head laying on his arm, pinning him to the spot. Theoretically, he could move it out from under her head and begin his day. But he couldn't bring himself to disturb her. She looked so peaceful fast asleep. Her lips were even curved slightly upward -which assured Kayde that her dreams were being kind to her.

He smiled a little in turn as he looked over her. Her curls were strewn behind her in an inky pool, and the morning sun nearly made her snowy skin glow. She was bare to the waist due to the exposition from her blanket -a sight that served as a reminder of the night before. Kayde reached out his other hand to lightly brush the small scar on the flesh of her abdomen. It was where she'd been shot with an arrow in Morthrior, if Kayde remembered correctly.

Iris stirred slightly at the delicate touch of his fingers, but did not wake. He withdrew quickly. When she resettled, he dared pull her blanket over her nakedness. She curled into the warmth and Kayde closed his eyes again. A minute later, hers opened barely... just enough to see him with his head back on the pillow.

"Are you already awake?" she said softly.

"Mhm," Kayde murmured. "But that doesn't mean you have to be. Sleep, love. I'll stay with you."

Iris laid a hand on his chest. "How awake would you say you are right now?" she asked, voice barely audible.

Kayde's eyes flicked open. "I'm always up early," came the answer.

Iris shut her eyes and offered a lop-sided smile. "Okay, now how much would you say that you love me... approximately? Say, if you had to judge on a scale of one to cooking breakfast?"

"Hmm," Kayde toyed. "Six."

Iris swatted him with the back of her hand. "I'll..." she dozed off for a second before mumbling the rest of her sentence. "...give you like... three kisses. Or something."

"Mm. No good. Has to at least be four," Kayde clucked his tongue.

Iris grinned lazily. "You drive a hard bargain." She opened one eye. "Deal. But you have to come get my necklace off the floor. I dropped it under the inn table last night."

"Agreed." He got up. "Nice doing business with you."

Iris listened as he walked over and started shuffling around to look under the inn table. She opened her eyes for a minute to watch him. He looked so disheveled, though it was almost charming. He wore a set of comfortable pants, and his hair was wild and loose over his torso. "Check more to your left," she instructed, though from the corner of her eye, she could clearly see her iris pendant hanging from her bedpost. He turned anyway.

"I don't think it's down here, girl."

"I know it isn't," she said.

It was too late. The moment was right. Whap! came the thunderous sound of an ass slap well placed. Iris's hand tingled from it, so she knew it was a good one. Kayde almost hissed in surprise, and whirled around immediately. By the time he faced her, she was already laughing. He snorted at her amusement and rubbed the now stinging spot on his flank.