A soft mewling interrupted our reunion. I pulled away from Rune and frowned, listening for it. There it was again. Rune smiled and backed out into the corridor. He returned with a wooden box in his hands.

“If this is too soon, I can find him another home.” Rune held the box out to me.

Another mewling cry came as I peered over the top of the box. In a nest of blankets, a midnight kitten rolled around, trying to find his footing. He stopped when he saw me and hurried to the edge of the box, placing his paws on the side so he could peer up at me with huge, emerald eyes.

“He has your eyes,” I pointed out with a smile.

“And he’s black.” Rune nodded. “A true witch’s cat.”

I reached in and carefully picked up the kitten. As I held him up to my face he placed one paw to my cheek. We stared at each other steadily, trying to decide if we’d be a good fit. Then he leaned forward and licked my nose. I’d been chosen. I had passed the kitten test. I laughed, lowering him to nestle against my chest.

“All right then.” I stroked the kitten’s soft fur. “You can stay. But what shall I name you?”

I carried him over to my bed and put him down in the rumpled blankets. He jaunted over the fluffy mountains while Rune came to stand beside us. His hand went to my hair, pushing it back at my temple, and it just felt right. It felt as if he’d done so numerous times before. I suppose he had.

I looked over to Rune. “I remembered the island.”

“And our wedding?”

I nodded.

“And after our wedding?”

I nodded and blushed.

“We don’t have to.”

I stood and rushed into his arms, into his kiss. He caught me automatically, then strengthened his embrace and set his mouth more firmly to mine.

Oh, I remembered now.

The way his hands felt on me. The way his tongue seemed to sear my skin. A flash of his naked body above me had me shaking. Rune steadied me and eased back to look in my eyes.

“We can wait, Seraphine,” he whispered.

“Till when?” I asked.

“When you’re ready.”

I turned, scooped up the rambling kitten, and placed him on the floor. He scampered off to play with the curtains.

“I’m ready.”

Rune’s gaze heated then lowered, taking in my whole body. I had only a sleeping shift on: a single layer of cloth. But Rune began to remove his own garments first. I started to lift the hem of my shift, but he stopped me.

“Let me begin, angel,” he said. “You can get accustomed to seeing my body in reality. If you take that off now, I won’t give you the chance to look at me.”

“All right.” My voice was just the barest breath.

His belt was already on the floor—a new toy for the kitten to chew on, along with his boots. Then his tunic fell over the little, black furball, and the kitten let out an offended whine. But I was too busy taking in the curves of Rune’s chest: muscles, which belonged on a warrior, not a witch. His shoulders were wide and strong, his waist was trim. Biceps bulged and forearms tensed as his hands reached for the ties of his pants. I held my breath as he undid the cord and then slowly pushed the fabric down. It slid past his slim hips to pile around his feet.

And there he was. My husband. Rune. A man as magical as his name. I remembered that sleek shaft, rising up proudly. I remembered the feel of it in my hands and in my body. It looked the same as it had in my dreams. All of him did. But I still took my time appreciating the view, making a new memory.

“Seraphine?” Rune reached for me. “Have you seen enough?”

“Not just yet,” I teased. “Maybe if you turn about.” I twirled my finger in a circle.

Rune chuckled but held his arms out and did as I asked. Ask a man to preen, and he would. They just couldn’t help themselves. In this instance, I was grateful for it because Rune’s backside was nearly as magnificent as his front.

I stopped him before he made a full circle by pressing my body into his. The breath hissed out between his teeth as his hands slammed down around mine, holding them to his waist.

“Angel mine,” he whispered, “if you don’t let me see you soon, you shall consign me to hell.”

“If you must.” I chuckled and let go.

Rune turned instantly, grabbing my shift as he set his mouth to mine. He tore himself away from me briefly, just to toss my shift aside, then went right back to kissing me. His hands roamed my body, igniting my skin like a forest fire—an inferno blazing in his wake. I was trembling within minutes, and he lifted me to set me down upon my bed. Rune crept over me, his eyes as hot as his hands, his knees dividing my own. I let him come closer than any other man had been. Then I grabbed him by the hips and brought him home.

“Seraphine,” Rune groaned my name as he slipped inside me.

I felt only a brief flash of pain before the pleasure consumed me. His hips fit against mine perfectly; he filled me perfectly. There was nothing about us that seemed awkward together. Flashes of our first time, inside our dream world, replayed in my mind, and our two interludes merged into one. Body and mind, together at last.

“There were things you did,” I whispered in his ear. “Are those only possible in a dream?”

“Things like this?” Rune asked as a languorous rubbing started over a very intimate spot of mine.

I gasped, my hips bucking into his automatically, and Rune smiled against my neck. His mouth opened on my skin and nibbled gently. Pleasure crested for me, and I screamed as Rune pressed his lips to my throat, luxuriating in the vibrations of my ecstasy.

“Or like this?” Rune purred as a wet sucking sensation surrounded my nipples.

“Dear gods!” I cried as he slid into me faster.

“Or this?”

Inside me, deep inside—where he had just teased me with his shaft—a pressure began as if a finger pushed gently there. Over and over, a steady rhythm of just pushing and releasing in one place. Oh, but that place was divine. Shivers spread out from it into my thighs, and my legs began to shake. Making love to a magical man was more pleasure than I was prepared for.

I screamed again, but this time, I screamed his name.