Gareth’s body was pressed closed to hers and she could feel something warm pressing against her belly. His hand, she supposed. For a moment, she lay there, not quite awake, and she had to admit, a bit dazed by the unexpected pleasure and comfort his closeness brought her. Then she realized that this was no way to start a marriage of convenience. She did not want Gareth thinking that he could just casually pull her close like this. One thing could too easily lead to another, so she reached down to take his hand and move it, when her fingers encountered hair, too much hair for a human hand, and she gave a little shriek as memories of childhood stories of maidens married to beasts came flooding back. Her cry awakened Gareth, and as full consciousness returned to her, she realized it was indeed a beast, “That beastly cat,” she muttered, as she struggled to dislodge Mott from his comfortable position curled up against her stomach. Gareth, who awoke to find himself lying close to his wife, one hand on her hip, removed it quickly and rolled over onto his back, only to see that in the arousal of early morning, the sheets were beginning to lift.
