Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“We stay together.” Admitting that I’m worried about her feels too vulnerable. I’m not even sure how I feel about that worry. Maeve is no pushover, and she’s got that spine of steel, but she’s soft right down to her center. If she wasn’t, that bastard of a sailor never would have had a chance to take advantage; she would have seen him coming a mile away. People will look at her and see a mark. I won’t let it happen.
She glares at where I hold her wrist, but I don’t drop my grip. Finally, she sighs. “You’re being intentionally difficult and I don’t understand why.”
“It’s basic survival skills, baby. We stick together and watch each other’s backs.” I can’t help the hint of flirtation that weaves its way into my words. While I don’t normally hold myself back from taking what I want—and I sure as fuck want Maeve—there’s too many factors in play to be so careless with this woman. Her skin. My jewels. Our timeline. The last shouldn’t make a difference, and yet it is something that I’m considering all the same.
“Whatever you say.” She jerks her wrist out of my grip and walks over to the bed but seems to think better of sitting on the clean sheets a moment before she sits down. “Take your bath, Lizzie. I promised you one, and frankly, you stink.”
“Surprised you can smell me over your own rankness.”
“Yes, yes, I’m aware.” She waves a hand in my direction as she moves to the small window that looks out on the purple trees. Just seeing them makes my nose start itching, so I turn away.
I should let her take the tub first. It would be the kind thing to do, but I’m not fucking kind, and if I don’t get clean right this second, I might start screaming. Or I might truly set fire to those fucking trees. I sneeze again. “Damn it.”
“Lizzie.”
“I’m going, I’m going.”
I’ll need to eat soon, too. It’s been long enough since I bit Maeve that hunger is a hollow pit inside me and creates a fine tremor in my hands. I had initially planned on finding someone in the village to feed from, but as I pull my shirt over my head and hear Maeve’s sharp inhale . . .
The only person I’ll be feeding on is this adorable little selkie.
I’m willing to go hungry for a little while—until she comes to me. In the meantime, there’s no reason not to hedge my bets a little, to press my fingers to the scale in my favor. I peel off my pants and do away with my undergarments. I glance at Maeve out of the corner of my eye to find her pale skin has turned a deep crimson.
Oh yes, she’s watching.
I almost forget about the show I’m putting on as I slip into the hot water. I don’t mean to let out a little moan of pure pleasure, but there’s nothing like a hot bath after a hard journey. I dip under the water and scrub my fingers through my hair. The salt water feels like it’s crusted on my skin and into the strands, and I forget all about seduction as I grab the soap and begin to scrub it from my skin.
As I lift my hands to my hair, Maeve’s voice sounds from behind me. “Let me.”
I was so distracted, I hadn’t noticed her moving closer. That should concern me, but concern feels very far away as I hand her the soap and she sets to work washing my hair. Her touch is light yet firm, and if I didn’t know better, I would think that she’s merely doing a favor for a friend.
I do know better, though. My power is in the blood, and I can practically feel her racing heart against my palm, can sense the blood gathering as her desire grows, can hear her quickened breathing that she tries to suppress as she massages my scalp.
Patience is the only virtue I acknowledge, and it’s the only thing keeping me from pulling her into the tub with me to see what we can do about this mutual attraction. If Maeve was anyone else . . . But she’s not anyone else. She’ll come to me on her own, and when she does, this wanting will be worth the reward of having her in my bed.
Even so, desire is a slow pulse inside me. Neither of us rushes, and Maeve certainly takes her time ensuring that every inch of my scalp and hair is clean. True to the innkeeper’s promise, whatever spell the tub contains keeps the water crystal clear and at a perfect temperature. I could stay in here for hours, but as much as I’m enjoying a return of creature comforts, I fully intend to reciprocate the favor Maeve bestowed on me.