A Brother's Price

if my wives allow it.”
    “That, unfortunately, is the nature of marriage and not an evil that can be banished by law. The husband has to go live with his wives.”
    “I suppose it’s because a man’s little sisters will grow up and become women with a husband to fill their thoughts, run their house, and raise their children. In his wives’ home, a man’s wives and children will always need him.”
    “You are wise beyond your years.” Her eyes sung his praises.
    He suddenly realized that he was wasting this moment alone with her, maybe the last he would have. Perhaps it wouldn’t be wise of him to kiss her, but he had been wanting to since she left the farm. He stepped closer to her, leaning awkwardly forward, torn between wanting to close his eyes and knowing that he’d probably miss her mouth if he did shut them.
    For a moment he thought he was horribly wrong in trying to kiss her, because the slight smile on her face faded. But then she was pulling him close, her lips pressed to his in unmistakable desire.
    I love you! I love you ! But he was afraid to speak the words aloud, because if she didn’t crush him down with some cruel remark, he knew that his feelings would grow. Even now he found great comfort in her returning his kisses as if she was as starved for his touch as he was for hers. When the edge of their mutual hunger was dulled to bearable, they stood, foreheads gently touching, his arms about her neck, her hands on his hips, holding him to her. She would exhale, and he would inhale her warm breath, feeling at one with her.
    He finally whispered much safer words that those that shouted in his heart. “I’ve missed you. I’ve dreamed of you.”
    “And I, you,” Ren breathed.
    Lest his empty mouth fill up with the dangerous words, he trailed kisses down the tan, graceful curve of her neck, desire filling him, blotting out common sense. The memory of her breasts, replayed almost every night since that night in the kitchen, lured him downward. Her fingers moved in front of his advance, opening the line of attack. He moved his lips across skin silken as flower petals. Ren arched her back, making a small sound of pleasure. His right hand found the buttons of her trousers, worried them open, and slid down her fiat stomach.
    His universe became her; she filled all his senses and thoughts. The murmur of falling water, the birdsong, and the drone of bees faded till he heard only her breath, her soft sighs. She guided his mouth to hers, demanding his lips, and they breathed as one. And when she finally clung to him, shuddering, it was as if they were a single being, filling all of reality. They stood entwined—mouth to mouth, heart to heart, hip to hip.
    “I envy my ancestors,” Ren murmured against his lips. “I think I would give anything to be able to just take what I wanted.”
    “Does that include me?”
    Ren laughed softly. “At the moment, you’re the only thing I want—your sisters, my sisters, my mothers, the whole queendom be damned.”
    Jerin jerked away from her with a hiss and a curse. “My sisters! Oh, gods, if they caught us, they’d kill me!”
    “They would kill me.” Ren hurriedly refastened her trousers. “And Cullen’s sisters would kill Lylia if they knew what she did.”
    “Lylia?” Jerin glanced around for the others. “What did she do?”
    Ren laughed, buttoning her shirt. “She used Cullen to distract your sisters, to get you alone, the little minx.”
    Jerin winced, remembering Lylia’s sweet stolen kisses. How many men had the young princess lured out and kissed before him? “They do this often?”
    Ren grinned, cupping his chin with a warm hand and running a callused thumb along his cheek. “No. which is quite encouraging in all regards.” She glanced down the path as sounds of the others reached them. “Here they come.”
    Cullen wore a crown of flowers, and looked extremely tousled, and pleased. Eldest had a slightly smug expression, which made Jerin wonder what exactly had taken place before—and perhaps even after—Lylia had caught up with them. The young princess grinned at her older sister, as if well satisfied with the whole affair.
    “The dressing gong will sound soon,” Ren said, making a show of pulling out her pocket watch and checking the time. “We should retire to get decent.”
    Clearly, it was ambush.
    Lylia and Odelia lazed in Ren’s study, idly bouncing a ball between them, as if they had nothing better to do. Odelia, on the