*This story of accidentally published on my daughter's account, so I'm republishing it here for those who would like to read it possibly for the first time.

Maris Kettering didn't care if the light up ahead on the trail was a nice, warm cottage or a rundown, seedy tavern; they were stopping to get out of this godforsaken rain. She'd been soaked for more than an hour and would kill just about anyone for a set of dry clothes and a hot, steamy bath.

Twenty more minutes of trudging through the rain granted them their reprieve at what looked to be a very nice inn. The door was open and inside lively music flowed out into the night. "Come in out of the wet if you like," came a sing-song voice that belonged to a short, barrel-chested man with a mop of blond hair.

"We appreciate your hospitality."

"That's what we're here for," the man smiled. "Name's Stu Jackson, and this here's my wife Effie."

Maris looked around the inn, her body and mind on alert. After a quick perusal she sighed and approached the reception area. "I'm in need of three rooms if you have them available."

"That we do," Effie smiled brightly. She was a plump woman, dressed in a pretty, homemade dress with an apron over the front. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, but wisps of red curls clung to her face and neck. "Ever since the King's decree, we don't get many visitors. It's nice to have someone to look after."

"How'd you manage to end up on the King's Road at such an hour?"

"Official business," Maris said, "Unfortunately I can't divulge exactly what our mission is, but I can pay you handsomely for allowing us the use of your inn for a night or two."

"We'll charge our regular rate. No one on official business for the king is going to get scalped simply because they can afford to pay."

"We appreciate that ma'am." Maris grinned at Speck. He was massive, despite the insinuation of his name. At six foot-seven inches, he towered over everyone else in their small group. Maris was also tall, for a woman. She stood an easy five-ten and attributed her height to the long bones in her legs and an evenly matched torso.

Maris paid for the three rooms, handing keys to Speck and Drake, who'd be sharing a room with his partner, Reo. "Get clean, get dry and then sleep. We'll wait out this rain, but we'll leave as soon as we see the sun again."

"Yes, ma'am," Speck said, grinning as he met her gaze.

She waited until they entered their rooms, before turning to her own. The click of the lock had never sounded so good, and she sighed as she toed off her boots and felt her feet sink into the plush carpet just past the entryway. Done in butter yellow, the carpet offered a reprieve to her sore feet. But it was the pull of a light from the bathroom that tugged at Maris. She wasted no time stripping off her soaked clothes and all but whimpering when she saw the huge clawfoot tub filled to the brim with steaming water. They'd even put those little flower bombs to fragrance the water. She sank down into the water, not a care in the world that water splashed over the sides in waves. Every muscle in her body lengthened, sighed and relaxed as the heat penetrated all her aches and pains.

Maris toweled off and was more than a little surprised to see a silky nightgown waiting on the massive bed for her. She grinned as she slipped it on and felt it pool around her legs. "You look stunning." Maris whipped around, even more aghast at the man standing in her bedroom.

"How are you here?"

"Does that really matter, when you look like that?" he grinned.

"Of course it matters!" Maris said, instinctively covering her nearly bare breasts. "You can't just be here."

"Why not?" he smiled and Maris felt her insides curl. "You've always wanted an interlude like this, have you not?"

"I..."

"Now, we can finally have that time, and no one has to be the wiser."

Alarm bells started to ring even as Finn drew nearer. Maris felt her body tingle straight down to her toes when Finn's body stepped into her aura. "Do you know how many nights I've dreamed of you, Maris?" She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"This isn't right," she breathed, even as her body betrayed her.

"I know you want me. You've wanted me for a long time," he grinned and Maris fought to open her sleepy eyes. His lips tasted exactly like she'd imagined when he took her mouth. Skilled in magic, she knew none that could compare to the way Finn made her feel. Was this love? Was this what it felt like to touch true, innate magic that needed no well beyond that of the wielder?

"Wait," Maris said, putting a hand against Finn's solid chest and pushing. She pulled back until she could see the deep green of his eyes. "You knew I wanted you?"

"Of course I knew," he grinned. "I have an enigmatic personality, you're not the first to be interested and I highly doubt you'll be the last."

Maris felt as if someone had splashed her with cold water. And for a moment Maris toweled off and was more than a little surprised to see a silky nightgown waiting on the massive bed for her. She grinned as she slipped it on and felt it pool around her legs. "You look stunning." Maris whipped around, even more aghast at the man standing in her bedroom.

"How are you here?"

"Does that really matter, when you look like that?" he grinned.

"Of course it matters!" Maris said, instinctively covering her nearly bare breasts. "You can't just be here."

"Why not?" he smiled and Maris felt her insides curl. "You've always wanted an interlude like this, have you not?"

"I..."

"Now, we can finally have that time, and no one has to be the wiser."

Alarm bells started to ring even as Finn drew nearer. Maris felt her body tingle straight down to her toes when Finn's body stepped into her aura. "Do you know how many nights I've dreamed of you, Maris?" She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"This isn't right," she breathed, even as her body betrayed her.

"I know you want me. You've wanted me for a long time," he grinned and Maris fought to open her sleepy eyes. His lips tasted exactly like she'd imagined when he took her mouth. Skilled in magic, she knew none that could compare to the way Finn made her feel. Was this love? Was this what it felt like to touch true, innate magic that needed no well of power beyond that of the wielder?

"But, wait-" Maris pressed her hands against Finn's chest and pushed until she could see the dark green of her eyes. "You knew I liked you, decided to ignore that fact, but now expect me to just 'be appreciative that we can have time together."

"Well there are plenty of women who'd take your place. I even know a couple of men who wouldn't mind being where you are right now."

"That's fine then," Maris said, anger starting to simmer under her skin.

"Come on, Mar-" he said, "We can finally have this time and no one has to be the wiser." Maris turned and felt like an idiot.

"You've said that three times in the last ten minutes."

"So?" Finn said, grinning. "Don't you want to know what it is to be touched by a man? To have a man want you? Afterall, it can't be easy to snag one when you walk around in breeches, barking orders at the men under your command all day."

Maris bit her cheek, willing her eyes not to betray how she really felt. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened clear, serious eyes to see this Finn for what he was. "I'm not interested in anything you have to offer," she said. "Clearly you're only here on some random click of desire I once thought I felt for you."

Maris watched as Finn wavered like smoke before finally disappearing. She felt lighter, as if the air had changed right before her eyes. She poured herself a stiff two fingers of bourbon and then dressed in dry clothes that didn't scream desire and headed for her door.