He straddled her middle with his knees. "Isn't that where we're supposed to be?" he asked. "Like strangers?" He bent down to kiss her on the mouth. "Better?"

"I don't kiss strangers." She laughed again, more softly. "I'm just not quite sure what to do." She stretched her fingers toward him, as much as she could. "I'm not used to not being able to play back."

He let her hands go. "Then play back," he answered. "You're not my prisoner. Can you show me what you want?"

Niabheara grabbed his hands back and play-tussled with him. "I wasn't asking you to stop," she said, "I was just saying I wasn't used to it."

He grinned and pinned her again, sliding one hand back between her thighs. "Well, in that case," he started, as he began kissing down her middle. "I suppose I'll have t-- oof," he finished, as Omauduan chose that moment to plant himself across their legs.

Niabheara sat straight up, her wrists coming out of Marcello's hands as if they were greased. "Omauduan! Dammit! Down!" She pointed to the floor.

The wolf whimpered, his ears turning downward.

She pointed more emphatically at the floor. "Do-o-wn . . . "

Omauduan reluctantly scrambled to the floor. Niabheara flopped down again, smashing a pillow over her face. "That's it. I quit. We practice tying one another to the bedposts after breakfast."

Marcello laughed, and then groaned. "Very well," he agreed. "I don't mind being tied up, you can try it on me. Ah, we have to see Fiona off, don't we?"

"We do, and some of the other guests are leaving today as well, and I need to talk to Mother to see if she will allow me to arrest Bonet or if that's something she has to do." She reached for her dress.

Marcello groaned. "So this is why married people never get to have sex?" he asked. "Too many things to take care of, arrests to order, whatnot?"

She patted his knee. "We'll make up for it after the guests are gone." She sighed deeply, dress in her hands, looking miserably at the floor. "Believe me, love, I do not know why I should e'en leave this room. Everything I could want is already here."