The gown clung to her body, dazzling white, patterned with gems, slashed boldly from throat to waist revealing Laniq's shapely breasts as much as it concealed them, revealing and concealing in a breathless rhythm as she moved about. The skirt also was slit on one side to mid-thigh.
"I'm going to call Chenkov and have dinner with him," Laniq had said. "Find out what's going on."
For answer, Tedor took her in his arms and kissed her. It was one of those things, a sudden impulse which he regretted in the first split second. Regret turned to delight. Laniq seemed surprised, tried to pull away, but all at once her lips melted under his, her arms were flung about his neck, her body thrust against him.
"Laniq," he had murmured. "Laniq, I—"
"Shh!" And they were kissing again.
"Laniq—it's crazy, wild, impossible. We hardly know each other, we.... I came into time looking for you wanting to kill you!"
"We have been through all of civilization together. I know you for five thousand years. Umm-mm, don't stop, Tedor."
And he hadn't, not for a long time. She burned like fire and she cooled like a clear mountain lake on a hot summer day and Tedor had whispered in the dark, "I love you, Laniq."
"Tedor! I love you. Tell me again."
"I love you."