Page 29 of Can't Get No Satyrfaction

“Bront likes them,” he said defensively, and his dog shot him a disgusted look as her smile widened.

“I’m sure he does. Why don’t you put them in some water and come and join me?”

Her smile was an all too appealing combination of innocence and desire. He turned away as he fought for control, shoving the flowers into the first vessel he found before slowly pivoting back around.

She was still watching him, looking impossibly small in the massive tub—designed for someone his size—yet her presence seemed to fill the room.

Water droplets traced paths down across her collar bone, disappearing beneath the surface, and his mouth went dry. Every instinct screamed at him to flee before he did something unforgivable. But his hooves remained rooted to the spot, caught in the spell of bare skin and inviting smile.

She was testing him. She had to be, after he’d warned her about what he wanted. Yet the heat in her gaze seemed genuine—seemed to mirror the fire burning through his own blood. His heart slammed against his ribs as he stared at her, throat tight. The steam carried her scent to him—sweet and warm and maddening. His nails bit into his palms, the pain barely registering through the haze of want clouding his mind.

Walk away. Leave now.But his hooves stayed planted on the wooden floor, betraying him.

“Sylvie…” The warning growl in his voice sounded weak even to his own ears. She wasn’t afraid of him—hadn’t been since that first moment in the woods. Instead, she tilted her head, exposing more of the delicious curve of her neck to his hungry gaze.

“You said I had to stay put.” Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, lips curving into a smile that sent heat racing through his blood. “I’m just doing what you told me.”

A sound rumbled from his chest—half warning, half pure need. The beast in him wanted to close the distance between them, to taste the water droplets sliding down her throat. To claim. To possess.

His control splintered. One step forward. Then another. The floorboards creaked beneath his hooves as he approached the tub. She watched him come, those eyes darkening with something that looked like victory.

Just this one more time, a dangerous voice whispered in his mind.Just one more taste…

CHAPTER 15

Sylvie’s breath caught as Thorn’s fingers moved to his belt. It was the only piece of clothing he wore, but that made the fact that he was removing it feel even more significant. The leather whispered against metal, each clink sending sparks down her spine. Her pulse thundered in her ears as he dropped it to the floor and stepped closer, steam wreathing his powerful frame like mist around a mountain. The enormous copper tub suddenly seemed much too small

That luminous green gaze locked onto her face, dark with something that made her stomach flip. Then uncertainty flickered across his face—a crack in the stoic mask he wore so well—and the vulnerability in his expression made her heart ache.

“There’s plenty of room,” she murmured, shifting to make space. Fortunately, there was an underwater bench to sit on or the water would have been above her head. Even seated the water lapped at her collarbone as she patted the surface invitingly. “I don’t bite.” A playful smile tugged at her lips. “Unless you want me to.”

His jaw clenched, muscles rippling beneath bronzed skin. He stood rigidly beside the tub, as if warring with himself. Steam curled around his horns, making him look like something out of a dream—wild and dangerous and beautiful.

Despite her playful tone, her heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn’t believe she’d been bold enough to invite him to join her, but watching him struggle with the decision, she didn’t regret it. Not when his gaze kept dropping to where water met skin, not when she could see the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“You shouldn’t tempt me,” he growled, but there was a roughness to his voice that sent shivers through her.

“Maybe I want to.” The words slipped out before she could catch them, soft and honest in the humid air between them.

His eyes darkened further, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of green remained. The look sent heat coursing through her that had nothing to do with the water’s temperature.

He finally moved, water sloshing against the copper walls as he lowered himself into the tub next to her. His movements were careful, controlled—like he was handling something that might shatter. Steam rose between them, carrying the wild musky scent that clung to his skin.

The tub was large, but not large enough to keep them from touching. His thigh brushed against hers beneath the water, sending sparks of electricity through her body. She stayed perfectly still, afraid that if she moved too quickly, he’d bolt like a startled deer.

Warm water lapped at the sides of the tub, the gentle sound filling the charged silence between them. His chest rose and fell in measured breaths, as if he was trying to maintain hiscomposure. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating from his skin despite the warmth of the water.

She waited patiently, her heart fluttering against her ribs. She wanted to reach for him, to smooth away the crease between his brows, but something in his rigid posture made her pause.Let him come to me.

When his arm finally slid around her waist, she nestled against him with a contented sigh. The hard planes of his chest were familiar now—bringing her the same comfort she’d found when she’d woken in his embrace. She rested her cheek against him, letting the steady thud of his heartbeat wash over her. His pulse was slower than hers, a deep, grounding rhythm that made her feel safe despite everything.

Her fingers traced the raised edges of a scar that ran along his bicep. The mark was old, silvered with time, but still vivid against his bronze skin. Water droplets clung to the uneven surface, catching the firelight. More scars crossed his chest and shoulders—a map of battles fought and won.

“Why do you act like you hate humans?” she whispered, following another scar with her fingertip.

His whole body went rigid.

“It’s not an act.”

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