The honorable part of me should’ve sent her away right then. That was what a kinder male would’ve done.
Instead, I placed her arrow on my cabinet carefully and told her, “Very well,thissie. If you will not leave, then you can begin your duties asreialukkirithis night.”
“And what will you have me do?” she asked, curiosity warring with wariness in her gaze.
If she knew what analukkirireally was, she never would’ve accepted the bargain I’d offered her.
“You will wash me. And then you will apply my oils afterwards,” I told her, the thought of her hands gliding over my body making my voice darken.
I heard her swallow.
I couldn’t help but step closer, couldn’t help but run my fingers through her soft, black hair.
“A goodalukkiriwould bathe with me,” I murmured.
Her eyes went wide and then accusation entered her gaze. “Your bargain was an attempt to get me in your bed, wasn’t it?”
“You were already in my bed,” I pointed out to her.
“You know what I mean. You wanted sex.Alukkiri…they are lovers, aren’t they? During the cold season?”
Despite my darkened mood, despite my overwhelming need, I wanted to laugh.
“More often than not,” I rasped, my hands going to my pelt. “Lysi.”
She made a sound in the back of her throat, a small, surprised one, and watched as I began to undress.
“How many have you had?” she asked next, her voice soft. I heard something strange in her tone and looked at her closely.
“Alukkiri?”
“Yes.”
I finished undressing, turning towards the bath. “None.”
“What?”
“Did the thought make you jealous,rei thissie?” I rasped, stepping into the bathing tub, the warm water wrapping around my body. I relaxed, leaning my head back.
“I don’t know,” she said, her tone bewildered, drawing closer to the bath. “I suppose I felt something like discomfort at the thought.”
I shook my head, unable to stop the affection rising in my chest at her innocent and refreshingly honest words. “You are supposed to play coy,kalles. You are supposed to deny my words and make me wonder if you truly care for me at all.”
“That seems like a lot of work for something you already know the answer to,” she informed me, frowning. “Is that what a Dakkari female would’ve done?”
“Lysi. Undoubtedly.”
She jumped into her next question. “Why have you never taken analukkiribefore? I thought you said it was your luxury to choose one asVorakkar. And I am certain that many females would have been willing.”
“You are certain?” I asked.
“Yes, don’t you remember the female who delivered your meal?”
“I do.”
“You could’ve chosen her,” she pointed out before her lips pressed together, as if, belatedly, she realized the idea upset her.
“I wanted you,” I rasped when she kneeled next to the bathing tub.
