Free Rumplestiltskin by Jenni James Page A

screech or anything, in case we were heard, but, oh, how I wished to do just that! We were flying. I cannot believe it, but we were truly flying!”
    “Pretty glorious, is it not?” He pulled away from her happiness and pushed her gently toward the room. “If you walk inside you will see a large ledge and a hole. You may use it. There is also a towel and soap and water to wash yourself with after you are through.”
    “Oh, goodness! This is a luxury indeed. How wonderful.”
    He chuckled. “I will close the door to give you some privacy. Please hurry.”
    Aubrynn returned to him rather quickly with the biggest smile upon her face. “Do you have any idea how marvelous you are? Just how simply perfectly superb it is to know another human being like you?”
    He was leaning up against the wall. “It is because I can fly, is it not?”
    “Well…” She grinned.
    He pushed off from the wall and chuckled. “I knew it.” Holding his arm out, he waited.
    Aubrynn giggled and stepped into that waiting arm. Her hands going around his shoulders and grabbing a handful of his shirt, her face just mere inches from his.
    Rumple’s eyes explored her happy features a moment. What would it be like to wake up each morning to such pleasing looks before him? Such a contented glow and warmth about her he had rarely seen in anyone else. Tilly had come close, but she still did not have the spark that Aubrynn did. Gently, he leaned forward and tasted her lips again.
    She moaned and held on tighter to his shirt.
    For a moment he had completely forgotten where he was and that he was with the castle prisoner. But when sounds of the kitchens began to make way to his ears, he immediately pulled back. He knew several servants would pass this way shortly on their way up to the dining room. As swiftly as possible, he concentrated on the stone and lifting them up.
    “Why did you stop?” she whispered near his ear.
    Her voice triggered a series of shivers through his neck and shoulder. They hovered slightly before dipping. “Hush. You will make me lose concentration.”
    “But I liked kissing you.”
    “Shh!” He pulled them back up and they began to move forward, nearing the first of the passageways.
    She grinned and lowered her voice, turning directly to the shell of his ear. “Can you kiss me as we fly?”
    He nearly dropped them both that time. “Maiden!”
    She chuckled and tucked her head into his shoulder. “I will behave now.”
    Rumple’s silent laugh could be felt throughout his whole chest.
    Could there be a more perfect man in the world?
    Honestly?
    Aubrynn giggled and snuggled closer as they flew back to her waiting room.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    IT WAS SEVERAL MINUTES after Rumplestiltskin and Aubrynn had eaten and while they were again preparing for another long night of spinning straw into gold that Rumple surprised Aubrynn, as she was placing another pile of straw next to the spindle, by capturing up her palm and wrapping a long narrow strip of fabric around it.
    “Where did you acquire such a thing?” she asked, fascinated with how well he managed to wrap the strip around her hand and then each finger and back around her palm again.
    “I tore it from one of the blankets.” He looped the loose end and tied it off, securing it to one of the other straps around her hand. Once done, he repeated the process again with her other fingers.
    She inspected his handiwork all around and then smiled. “Thank you. I believe you may have saved me.”
    Rumple grinned and leaned crookedly upon the spindle. “So, when you are queen will I be granted knight status?”
    “If I am ever queen you will be given the grandest chamber in this house—mark my words!”
    His smile fell. Slowly his eyes took in her every feature. If things were different, it would be he who would be marrying her soon. His heart began to thump quite strangely and hollowly within his chest.
    Aubrynn took a step closer. “What? What is it?” Her cloth-covered hands