“It was nice to meet the woman who can bring the mighty Týr to his knees. I look forward to seeing you again, Astrid.”
I shivered. That was a new and unusual sensation. His voice also didn’t sound right. Clearly wolf, which distorted the words.
“Damned mutt,” Týr muttered.
I smiled at him. “I like him.”
Týr blinked slowly and then laughed. “You are something else.”
I held my head high. I’ll take that compliment.
I scooped to grab my basket, but Týr snatched it with lightning-fast reflexes.
I huffed. “Týr, you said I could have it back.”
He grinned. “And I allowed you to carry the basket. Now I’m taking it again.”
I rolled my eyes. He was going to be stubborn. But a part of me couldn’t help but like it.
We moved onto two more locations for me to gather at before making it to the stream. There were a few things I needed to gather, but found myself distracted.
Týr had tied his hair up to keep it out of the way, and he was now in the process of removing his tunic. I did not look away, too interested in seeing a piece of the man that lay beneath.
I was rewarded with a spectacular view of his muscular back and broad shoulders, littered with scars. He also had a tattoo of Yggdrasil on his back, along with the protection and strength runic tattoos banding his arms. How does a being who can heal so fast obtain this many scars?
“I can feel your eyes on me, Astrid,” Týr said, not looking back at me as he waded into the knee-deep water.
I bit my lower lip, still ogling him. “And?”
He glanced back this time, the spear poised to strike. The visual in front of me sent my heart skittering and heat pooling in my belly. “Are you comparing me to another god you recently saw?”
“I can’t see enough of you to properly compare,” I said.
He glanced down at himself and then focused on the water. “Maybe I should have removed my trousers.”
The heat building in my body flooded through me. Between public baths and three near-marriages, I was no stranger to a man’s body. But Fenrir’s body had not been anything of the likes I’d ever seen before, and I didn’t take a lot of time to appreciate all his assets. However, if Týr did the same—the heat inside me intensified.
I didn’t think I could trust myself if he decided to do that. I’d either be unable to keep my eyes on him, or I’d make a bigger fool of myself by attempting to touch him—if being exposed to such a sight didn’t send me to a blissful early death.
I picked a few riverside herbs, and Týr speared several fish. He walked back to shore with them in hand, and the frontal view of him… Freyja, help me.
I stared at the sight before me, my breaths heaving a little. The strong ache to reach out and trace each scar and dip and peak of his muscles nearly overcame me. What would it feel like to be under him, right here and now? To have him inside me and making me writhe in pleasure.
“Is this enough for you?” Týr asked.
“No,” I said too quickly and with too much heaviness in my voice. I swallowed and gave myself a mental slap. “No, I need a few more fish.”
Týr wore a wicked grin, but didn’t make a comment about my pathetic state. He stored the fish in their designated basket and reentered the stream.
When Týr was about to strike the last fish I needed, something rustled in the woods behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and every instinct I had screamed to run.
I whirled around to find an enormous bear lumbering out of the woods toward me. It sniffed the air and then huffed and snarled before picking up its pace. I shrieked and flung my hands up. Magic welled up inside me, tingling along my limbs, and exploded out, pushing the bear back.
Water splashed behind me and Týr launched out of the water, dropping the spear with skewered fish and summoning an axe out of nothing. He slammed into the bear with his full weight, and before I knew it, the bear crashed to the ground, unmoving.
With heavy breaths, Týr turned back to me. Blood splattered his skin, but he otherwise seemed unharmed. “Are you all right, Astrid?”
I nodded, my heart slowly returning to normal. “I’m fine. You’re the one who got within range of that beast. Are you all right?”
