Mabon pauses with his hands on the waistband of his jeans. “Why?”
“Because we are not going to have sex.”
“But I’m horny.” He pouts.
I inhale sharply through my nose, hold it and then release it slowly.
“I’m sorry for that, I really am. But we have to stop doing this.”
Mabon’s jaw goes slack. His eyes grow enormous. His face pales.
“I’ll still do your hair!” I explain hurriedly. “Every morning. Whenever you want. You don’t have to sleep with me.”
“But I want to!” he whines.
Pale winter sunlight is streaming through the open blinds and lighting up the messy strands of hair that are floating around his sloppy braid. It looks like a halo. He looks like an angel. But I know he is not. If anything, he is the exact opposite.
“We are not doing this anymore,” I say firmly.
He thinks he needs to. It was only this morning he was falling apart and confessing he rocked my world in exchange for a braid.
Even if he is over that, and trusts I’m going to do his hair without him having to pay with his body, he likes to use me. He always has. Add in the fact we are on the run and should be keeping our wits about us, not going at it like rabbits at every opportunity, and that is a whole plethora of reasons not to do this.
Mabon stares at me. The absolute horror and dismay in his eyes is making my heart twist painfully. I’m sorry that he isn’t getting what he wants, I truly am. But as well as all the other reasons, I simply cannot do this to myself anymore. Every time I sleep with him, I fall a little further. My feelings for him dig a little deeper. I’m not cut out for casual sex, I’m really not.
Taking him back to the palace and walking away, is already going to be the hardest thing I’m ever going to have to do. A few more doses of Mabon and I won’t be able to do it at all.
Saying no and calling an end to things is for the best. For everyone’s sake.
Mabon yanks his jeans and underwear down. He steps out of them and glares at me with his hands on his hips. His socks are still on and it should look silly, but naked Mabon is far too much a force of beauty for mere socks to ruin the effect.
He flicks his hair over his shoulder with a toss of his head. “You like having sex with me. You groan beautifully and cum really hard.”
Anything I might say is stuck in my throat. His words, while mortifying, are absolutely true.
“And I’m looking human for you. You should like me more!”
My eyebrows rise. Human Mabon is gorgeous, but his true form is what steals my breath away.
Mabon sees something in my expression that makes him frown.
“How do you want me to look? Tell me!”
I stare at him.
“Like this?” he asks.
I swear I don’t even blink. My eyes don’t close for even a second. But suddenly I’m looking at Amanda. Red curls and full naked breasts.
“Hell no!” I gasp as I stagger backwards.
Amanda steps towards me.
“Mabon! Stop that! Amanda is my friend and she is asexual. This is offensive!”
This time, I do blink. And then huff in relief when I find Mabon in his fey form. His true beauty hits me like a slap and forms a crack in my resolve.
“I don’t care what you look like! I’m not sleeping with you!” I snap.
