I smiled to myself. Even if it was only the sex talking, he’d made me feel special nonetheless, so I clung to that sense of belonging like a lifeline, hoping it might sustain me in the lonely days to come.
Chapter eight
Hiero
As Skylar studied meover his steaming cup of hibiscus tea, twitchy as a sinner on Sunday, it was painfully obvious that both of us were struggling to make morning-after small talk. It probably didn’t help that we’d slept very little the night before. I’d kept my promise and made him come three times during our lovemaking, until we’d both passed out from exhaustion. I’d woken late in the morning to find his pale body stretched across my bed sheets, ass streaked with my spend and thighs bruised from where I’d manhandled him the night before.
Pretty as a picture.
I’d thought about rolling him over and sucking him off to wring one more orgasm from him, but his expression upon waking looked startled and somewhat disoriented, which made me question if he’d been drunk on more than lust the night before.
We showered separately. Skylar had repossessed his silk robe from the bedroom floor while I wore loose trousers. I made us both tea with honey, wearing a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time, waiting for my handsome fae to emerge from the bathroom. When he did, he approached me with the timidity of a church mouse, causing me to have doubts of my own. Was he regretting his decision to bed me last night? To call me his Daddy? I sincerely hoped not.
As for me, there were several things I wanted to say, ranging from,when can we do that againtomove in with me.But I wasn’t sure how my advances would be received, so I studied him from across the table and concentrated on not saying the wrong thing.
“So, what do you have going on for today?” I asked, trying to sound casual about it when I was anything but. Our bodies had known each other intimately under the cloak of darkness, but in the bald light of morning, it seemed we were strangers again.
He ran one hand over his hair, which was still braided, though mussed with damp wisps sticking out here and there. I found it adorable but didn’t say so, not wanting to come on too strong.
“I might take a stroll around town. Collect some of the flowers I saw blooming on the mountainside,” he said absently. I liked the picture he painted, my beautiful fae boy getting lost in a patch of wildflowers.
“You want company?” I asked, hoping I’d struck the right balance between interested and nonchalant.
“Oh no, that’s okay. I’m sure you’re busy here. Besides, I don’t mind being alone.”
I nodded, not sure if that was an outright rejection, or if he was refusing me simply to be polite. “I’ll probably need to do some laundry,” I said with a teasing grin.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, looking alarmed.
I squeezed his hand. “I’d do laundry three times a day if it meant having you in my bed.”
“Oh, okay then,” he said but still wore a sheepish expression, which made me question if I was being too forward with him. He seemed to enjoy it enough last night?
“So, how long do you plan on being in town?” I asked, trying out a different tack.
He swallowed and stared at me with a grave expression. “I won’t be a problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“I only meant that…” His gaze flitted away. “I won’t be a bother to you. At the bar or elsewhere. No one has to know. I understand what this was.”
That was news to me because I was still trying to wrap my head around it. “What was it?” I asked carefully.
“You know, a fae and a minotaur walk into a bar. There’s a wet t-shirt contest and they decide to make a night of it.” He gave a weak, if not bitter, chuckle.
I nodded. Clearly, he’d meant for this to be a one-and-done sort of deal. Well, I was used to that, wasn’t I? At least he was being honest. There didn’t need to be any hard feelings between us.
“I had fun,” I said, and it must have been the wrong thing to say, because he jumped out of his chair faster than a frog on a stinging nettle and started searching the room.
“You’re right. I should be going. It seems I misplaced my underthings.” He gripped his silk robe tighter.
“I’m not trying to rush you out the door.” I stood slowly, a steady counterbalance to his agitation. What had I done to spook him?
“I’ve taken up too much of your time already. I’ll just…” He glanced again at his skimpy clothing.
“Would you like to borrow something of mine?” I offered. That was one way to possibly see him again.
“Yes, that would be very kind of you.”
