Page 138 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
He blinked. He blinked again. “I am.”
Melissa folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin.“And how does awolfaddress himself to the one he admires?”
Jiminy eased closer. “I’d probably find any and every excuseto be near you, to talk with you, to run with you. And if you wanted it, Iwould pursue you, with the intention of bringing you into my den.”
“I’m already in your den.”
“Well ….” He gestured vaguely at the room. “Bringing inis used euphemistically to refer to … to ….”
He trailed off when she withdrew the dagger hidden in asheath at the small of her back. Startled and silent, he watched her retrieveanother blade from the holster in her new boots. When she placed both on thetable, his eyes widened.
Another blade at her hip. The fourth in a clever pocket ather thigh.
She laid them beside the others.
Jiminy whispered, “What are you doing?”
Melissa didn’t answer as she slid the final blade from herarmguard. He probably knew what she was doing better than she did herself. Buther father had assured her that any wolf—even a practicing wolf who was reaverby birth—would find meaning in the shedding of weapons. And barriers.
Turning her wrist, she unbuckled the armguard with its trioof wardstones.
Next, her ear cuffs. She absolutely hated that her handswere shaking.
By the time the ankle chain lay on the table, she wasbarefoot and very much afraid that she was glaring.
Jiminy didn’t seem to mind. He slowly straightened, taking amore dominant posture.
She didn’t back down, but neither did she contradict him.And when she judged him thoroughly fixed on her every breath, she subtlyshifted, adopting a receptive attitude.
And he smiled.
Her biological father officially rocked.
“Did you know,” said Jiminy, “that there’s a whole languageto kisses?”
“Anyone who’s been following Kimiko Miyabe’s courtship knowsthat the placement of a kiss can have special meaning.”
He nodded once. “Where is important. How is important. Thereare nuances that anyone can correctly interpret, given the chance.”
Melissa saw no reason not to be direct. “Are you offering methat chance?”
“I’m asking for a chance.”
She lifted her empty hands and said the words he needed tohear. “I trust you.”
At his sides, Jiminy curled his hands into fists. “May Itouch you?”
“I’m not armed.”
His smile was rueful. “And I’mstillno match.”
Melissa may have smirked.
“This is how a Nightspangle wolf pursues his bondmate.”Jiminy brought his hands under hers in a supportive hold. “Instead of claiming withkisses, we cross boundaries. Touch is the first.”
“How many boundaries are there?”
Jiminy hummed. “I suppose we could count them up as we goalong.”
