Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
That was the last thing I needed.
But I couldn’t deny her such a simple request, could I?
I stripped off my shirt, slid down my pants, but kept on my underwear as I stepped into the giant bathtub with her. Reaching, I pulled her between my legs to settle against my chest.
She settled instantly, her eyes sliding shut. Likely to try to hide the fact that she was crying. But from over her shoulder, there was no missing them as they slid down her cheeks.
I wrapped my arms around her—one across her upper chest, the other around her waist, holding her tight.
I wasn’t a soft man.
I didn’t have words of comfort.
I didn’t know how to handle tears, never having been allowed to shed any myself.
But I could be there. I could hold her. I could let her know she wasn’t alone.
It wasn’t long before her silent sobs rocked her body, making the water lap up over the sides of the tub. “He… he was going to…”
“Shh.”
“I burned him with the iron… there,” she choked out between sobs.
“That’s my girl.”
“But then he… he was going to…”
“I know, baby. I know.”
There were no more words then, just tears and soft cries that seemed to create little cracks in my heart.
Eventually, though, the sobs eased and the tears ceased.
“Can you lift your hand for me?” I asked, wanting to know how much healing the water could do for her.
When her hand lifted, water cascaded down from a small red wound around her wrist.
“If it stays in longer, will it keep healing?”
“I think so.”
“Okay. So we will stay a while longer.”
I reached out, grabbing a cleaning sponge, wetting it, then carefully blotting at the cuts and scratches on her face. Sure enough, little by little, they faded until they were almost invisible.
“Wow. That’s a handy power.”
“It’s not really my power. It’s the lake’s.”
“But you’re of the lake, so it’s yours too.”
“I guess.”
I knew I should have dropped the sponge then. Let the moment linger how it was meant to—soft, sweet.
But I traced it down her arm, cleaning another barely-there scratch. Then slid over the top of her chest.
Was it my fault that her breath caught and her breasts rose out of the water, just begging to be touched?
I slid the sponge over one, then the other, feeling the way she trembled at the touch.
“Jet?” she whispered, her voice going all soft and breathy like it did when she was turned on.
After the traumatic day she had, who would blame me for giving her a little comfort?
I abandoned the sponge, letting my hand graze over her breast instead, loving the way she sucked in her breath then arched up into the touch.
“I can stop if you want.”
“No, don’t stop.”
That was what I was dying to hear.
I closed my hands over her, squeezing, then releasing to circle her nipples until they were pinched and straining.
“Jet, can you…”
“Can I what? Tell me what you want.”
She couldn’t find the words, though, so she reached up to grab my wrist, pulling my hand down over her belly and between her thighs.
It was all soft sighs and gentle rocks of her hips as I teased her clit for a long couple of minutes before slipping my fingers inside her, fucking her with them until she was panting and moaning, then coming around my fingers.
“Anytime you want me to fuck you with my fingers,” I said, lips near her temple, “just ask.”
“Or your tongue?” she asked.
“Or my tongue.”
Or my cock, I added silently. But we weren’t there yet. I should probably never cross that line. But it seemed we were getting closer and closer to it every day.
There was a knock at the hallway door then, making me sigh as I climbed out from behind Serin.
“It’s time to regroup,” I told her. “We have to talk about everything that happened. Are you okay with that?” I asked, reaching to help her out of the tub. “You don’t have to go into details about what he was about to do. Everyone will fill in the blanks.”
“Okay.”
I dried her off after myself then went to grab us clothes.
Once we were both dressed and Serin was sitting on the bed, holding a glass of water, I opened the door to let in Vishen and Nira.
They’d both changed into dry clothes, and Vishen’s hands were wrapped in clean rags. Judging by the scent coming off of him, there was some sort of salve on the burns on his hands.
“How are your hands?” I asked.
“They’ll heal.”
“Don’t let him bullshit you,” Nira said. “They’re bad enough that they’re probably going to peel for days before they heal.”
“Shit.”
“It was me or you,” Vishen said. “I’d rather it be me. I can hide it more easily.”
“How’s your head?” Serin asked, looking at Nira.
“It hurts like a bitch. But you listen to me,” she said, her voice going deadly serious. “If we are being attacked and you can use your powers to save one of us, you save yourself, not me. Do you understand me?”