“Yeah. I should get the smell of wolves and cats off me. Credence thoroughly scent-marked me.”
Dorian nods. “I can give you one of my shirts to replace yours.”
“And shorts?” I ask hopefully. I’d rather not be half-naked around Dorian. Despite my fear, the man is potent as hell, and I don’t want to lose control of myself.
His lips twist. “I have old basketball shorts with drawstrings.”
“Okay. I need to go back to my dorm room in the morning to grab my school supplies. And pack a bag, I guess, if you really are planning on keeping me here the entire week.”
“I can accommodate that. I’ll take you there before classes—will your roommates be home?”
I nod. “Yes, they will. Speaking of, I’ve been thinking about what I should tell them. I know they’d keep quiet if I told them the truth, but I don’t want to burden them with that.” I look at the floor. “People shouldn’t be forced to carry certain secrets with them. It’s a heavy weight to bear. Instead, I could tell them something else. Maybe that I was being chased around by someone you know of or was in some sort of danger, and you offered to protect me. Since I don’t want to bring the threat to them, I’m staying in your gothic, super secure McMansion.”
Dorian ponders that for several moments. “Have a lot of secrets you’re carrying around, do you?”
I smile grimly. “Yep. And the weight is crushing on a good day, deadly on a bad one. But I can handle it—I’ve carried a lot inside for a very, very long time. Cara and Valerie are different. They’ve both been through some shit and I don’t want to add to it.”
“Huh,” Dorian says slowly. “Okay, yeah. That’s fine by me. I’ll still run it by the other guys in the morning. He disappears into the closet, then reappears with a big white shirt and huge blue shorts. He hands me the clothes. “Go shower. Take your time, feel free to use my products.”
I glance at his pockets. “Can I have my phone?”
He pulls it out and hands it to me. I turn and head to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me. I set my clothes on the granite counter between two white-basin sinks with stainless steel faucets, and turn on the glass-enclosed shower. While it warms, I investigatemy phone, trying to discern if anything’s wrong with it now that it’s bugged. I really don’t like the idea of someone tracking me or seeing everything I do on it, but I suppose it could be beneficial. Dorian won’t be as suspicious if he can see that I’m keeping my lips sealed physically and digitally.
I shoot off a text to Cara and Valerie while mulling over what I’ll tell them tomorrow. Someone followed me in the forest and I stumbled upon Dorian at the base of the mountain, who was out with his crew for a night hike because they’re fucking weirdos. He scared off whoever was chasing me. When I mentioned I didn’t want to bring trouble back home with me, he offered to let me stay with him for a while. I’ll paint a picture of him being a good guy. Hopefully, it’ll work.
I’m quick in the shower, using Dorian’s products to scrub my hair and body thoroughly. Once I’m done, I wrap myself in a towel and use some of his toothpaste on my finger to brush my teeth before getting dressed. I have to cinch the waistband of the shorts phenomenally tight for them to stay up. The shirt is like a dress, falling to my knees, but I consider the extra clothing a blessing. I’m not comfortable sleeping in Dorian’s bed, especially not after he’s made his interest and intent to sleep with me clear, but I don’t see a way around it. I also can’t deny that I was titillated when he was telling me about his kinks. I don’twantto be attracted to him, but I am, which means I’ll need to tread carefully.
When I step out of the bathroom, Dorian goes in to take his shower. I don’t bother trying to escape or leave the room; he locked the door, and I don’t want to make things worse for myself by rousing suspicion. My backpack’s set at the foot of the bed—he must’ve brought it up while I was showering. I grab my headphones from it and pop theminto my ears, turning on the forest-noises that I sometimes fall asleep to.
Dorian emerges from the bathroom, wearing only a towel wrapped around his hips. I glance up from my phone, then do a double take.
Holy.
Fucking.
Shit.
I knew he was built under his clothes, but I didn’t think he wasthisbuilt. His muscles aren’t bulky, not like Connor’s, but they areincrediblywell defined. I can see his biceps and triceps, his pectorals, and every finely-honed ridge of his six pack that borders on an eight pack. There’s a V at the bottom of his navel that disappears into the towel, and I have a sudden urge to lick the water droplets traveling down his abs.
No.Nope.Abort mission.
I pointedly glue my eyes back to my phone, frowning when Dorian chuckles as he retreats into the closet. He saw me staring at him, and finds my admiration entertaining.
He emerges wearing only a thin pair of black briefs that donothingto hide the bulge of his cock. I can’t stop myself from glancing at it, even though I know I shouldn’t, and a quick look is all it takes to tell me that the big-dick energy he’s been emanating is very much proportionate. He’shuge, and a lot of my arousal dims at the realization that he’d be very,verypainful to take. I don’t care that his focal point with women is controlling their pleasure; I have no intention of getting killed by a monster-cock, and he would probably split me in half. I barely escaped going to urgent care today for my shoulder dislocation, I sure asshitam not going to go to the hospital after getting torn up by that goddamn giant.
I take out one of my headphones, pointedly looking him in the eyes. “Can I sleep on the floor?”
“No.”
“Okay. Can you put on a shirt?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to feel you if you cuddle up to me in your sleep, or even brush against me,” he explains frankly.
“Oh.” I frown. “Why?”
