Page 73 of Woods of the Raven

“You have murder on your mind?” I asked, closing my eyes and letting my head tip back, surrendering myself to him.

“You talk a lot. Do you know that?”

“The other night, before Argos found us, I wanted to be closer, but that wasn’t what you wanted. You didn’t want me.”

“For a smart man, you can be really stupid,” he murmured. “I always want you, but that was crazy. And then the cat was there, which was almost surreal, and…nothing made sense. It felt like my world flipped upside down.”

I opened my eyes and searched his face. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I just needed to get my bearings, but, Xan, I swear, I want us to be a thing. Don’t doubt that.”

I sighed deep and long. “I want that too.”

“Then let me take care of you.”

So I did.

He was so gentle as he used my wooden comb and my conditioner, then scrubbed me from head to toe, missing nothing. When I was done, he had me get out as he washed himself. I stood there watching him, saw how rough he was with himself in contrast to how tender he’d been with me.

Once he was out, he dried us both, but before he could move away, I put my hands on him, stilling his motion. His eyes were soft as he watched me grab oil from my sink, pour some into my hands, and run them all over him. He didn’t ask what I was doing, just trusted, and once I had it everywhere, on his face, his neck, back, chest, arms, legs, I pointed to the bed. By the time he lifted the covers, the oil had absorbed into his skin, and I liked seeing his surprise at that. His slow, lazy smile made me shiver.

“How? What is this? More magic?”

“Just good ingredients,” I teased him, thinking of all the things that went into my grandmother’s oil. “And I’m going to start taking care of you from right now. Every part.”

“Okay,” he said, grinning at me. “I accept.”

He watched as I stood by the fire and coated myself in the same oil, as I always did. “It’s very sexy when it’s going on you.”

I grunted. “Well, you’re beautiful, and all I want to do is touch you,” I confessed.

“And you’re gold all over,” he husked, his voice rough and ragged. “And all I want is you under me.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “Good. Let’s do that now. I have a different kind of oil for—”

“Get in bed,” he directed me.

As I hung things up and turned off the lights, he crawled naked into my bed. I followed quickly, the only light in the room coming from the fire.

“Do we have to put out the fire in the hearth?”

“No, the house will watch the hearth.”

“Is the house watching us?” he whispered playfully.

“Yes,” I replied honestly.

“Hopefully it doesn’t shock easily,” he murmured, reaching for me. “I mean, you know, for when we get it on.”

“And when will that be?”

“When you’re not going to pass out on me,” he whispered playfully.

I was chuckling as I snuggled in tightly against his chest, loving the feel of his warm skin on mine.

“I dreamed about this,” he whispered.

I wanted to say, Don’t ever leave me, but I swallowed down the words. “Please stay.”