Shield's Lady

with the medic. I’m the one who had to make the appointment with the dressmaker so you’d have something to wear during these last few months. And I’m the one who has to make certain you don’t work too hard .”
    “It’s all right, Gryph, you’re doing an excellent job on all accounts. You are very good at handling responsibility. You thrive on it, in fact.” The lizard perched on her shoulder showed its teeth to Gryph in a taunting grin.
    Gryph ignored Lucky. An understandable reaction as the lizard invariably sided with Sariana. Instead, he slung Sariana’s cloak into a chair and walked across the chamber to plant both hands on the circular desk. “None of your sass, lady. It’s lunchtime and you’re supposed to stop work for the day. I’m taking you out to a meal.”
    Sariana surrendered to the inevitable and stood up. Her rounded stomach was elegantly draped in the folds of a yellow velvet business dress. At least, Gryph had told her it was a business gown. Sariana still had her doubts. The lace trimmings at the collar and on the cuffs of the gown were subdued by western standards, but still seemed quite decorative to Sariana’s eyes, especially for an office setting.
    But she could hardly complain. When the dressmaker had arrived for the fittings of the maternity gowns, Sariana had been too busy to take much time for making decisions about clothing. As a result, Gryph had ended up making most of the decisions. Sariana’s new wardrobe was a great deal more colorful than her old one.
    Gryph took her arm as she came out from behind the desk. His eyes strayed possessively over her pregnant figure. “How are you feeling?” he demanded tenderly as he wrapped her carefully in her winter cloak. Lucky scrambled to find a pocket. They left Sariana’s office and headed toward the front door of the villa they had recently purchased.
    “Just fine.”
    “How about your breasts? Still tender?”
    Sariana blushed and glanced around quickly to see if any of the household attendants had overheard. “For the sake of the Ship, Gryph, keep your voice down.”
    He paid no attention. “I was worried after what happened last night. You should have told me they were tender.”
    She glared at him. “I enjoyed what happened last night. Now stop worrying about it.”
    “I hurt you.”
    “No you didn’t.”
    Gryph rounded on her, his voice rising in volume. “Ha! Don’t try to tell me I didn’t hurt you when I kissed your breasts last night. I was there, remember? I felt it.”
    “You wouldn’t have felt it if I’d had some warning,” Sariana muttered. “You took me by surprise, that’s all.” It was the truth. She hadn’t been prepared for the unexpected discomfort of her swollen breasts and had therefore been unable to stop herself from projecting it to Gryph along with everything else she was feeling at the time. Then she hid a small grin as she remembered the exquisitely tender lovemaking of the night.
    She had been deliciously aroused, thoroughly involved in the emotional, mental and physical exchange of passion. Gryph had been trying very hard to be very gentle as he always was of late. When he had lowered his head to kiss her breasts, he had intended only the lightest of caresses.
    But Sariana’s taut, full breasts had proven almost unbearably sensitive. Gryph had lightly set his teeth around one tight nipple and Sariana had nearly gone through the roof.
    And, of course, because they were intimately, passionately linked at the time, she had nearly taken Gryph with her.
    Gryph’s startled reaction had been much greater than her own as the sweet pain had translated itself into his mind. He’d yelped and leaped off the bed, sending it into a wide swing. Then he’d started making plans to call a medic in the middle of the night. Sariana had been laughing so hard she had nearly fallen out of the swinging bed. Gryph had not seen the humor in the situation.
    When he’d finally climbed back into bed, his body still heavy with his arousal, he had made her pay for the earlier incident. He’d grinned wickedly and sprawled on his back, arms folded behind his head.
    “We won’t take any chances this time,” he’d stated in a low, sexy voice. “You can do all the work. I’ll just lie back and enjoy it.”
    Sariana had obliged with a willing, loving heart. Within minutes the lightstorm that always flared between them had reignited itself. Together they had hunted wild, flaming prisma, chasing