Page 56 of Hounded

It could have been him barging in on me stark naked and vulnerable, but that didn’t seem to occur to him. He studied me, searching my expression, and I worried it would betray everything.

I wanted to be held but not touched.

I needed solitude but was tired of being alone.

I needed him in ways he didn’t understand.

A quizzical look contorted Indy’s face, and he tilted his head. “You wanna talk about it?”

This happened in every lifetime. I was summoned to Hell, to Moira’s bedroom, used to meet hereveryneed, then sent scurrying home, pretending I had a safe placethough she could easily drag me out of it. All it took was a call or a twitch of her finger. I was bound and obliged to obey.

But this Indy knew nothing about my hellhound responsibilities or the sexual encounters I struggled to see as anything but infidelity. Explaining who Moira was and why I couldn’t turn down her advances made me sound weak, and I wanted Indy to believe I was strong. He might have been the only person who thought so.

He was waiting for me to speak, so I managed to string a few words together.

“Your clothes are getting wet.”

The concern on his face eased. He dropped the plastic case and towel, then tugged off his tank top and flung it over the curtain rod.

“Better?” he asked.

My jaw flexed through a hard bite. “That’s not what I meant.”

He shrugged. “I could take it all off. Level the playing field. Only seems fair.” He started on the button fly of his pants.

I turned away to collect the washrag and few bottles I’d brought with me. When I straightened, struggling to balance them while covering my genitals, Indy snatched one of the soaps from my hand.

“No way.” He brandished it. “You use 2-in-1? On that magnificent mane? Blasphemy.”

I cranked the shower off, then faced Indy head-on. His pants were undone and hung low around his hips, exposing the lace waistband of his underwear. The sight of that and the planes of his flat, hairless belly stalled me.

It washimI had wanted last night, not Moira. His hands, his mouth, his body. I could have him now, but I was too raw for thoughts of intimacy. I felt tainted, used, defiled.

My face wrenched in a scowl as I sidestepped him. “Shower’s all yours.”

With my back to him, I uncovered my manhood long enough to yank my towel off the rod and wind it around my waist. I knotted it hastily, then exited the cement stall. Indy dogged my steps, swatting the curtain aside and joining me beside the chair where I’d piled my belongings.

I tugged my shirt on over my head, then pulled my hair through the collar. The drippy locks fell against my back, wetting the fabric and sticking it to my skin. I dug for my boxers next, trying to ignore Indy standing by half-dressed and holding my bottle of shampoo/conditioner like it was a live grenade.

Wadding my boxers in my fist, I faced him. He looked so lost that I had to ask, “What are you doing here?”

His freckled cheeks pinked. “My, uh… the shower at my place isn’t working. I think it’s bad pressure?” He huffed an awkward laugh. “Add home repair to the list of things I don’t know shit about.”

I grunted, shimmying the boxers up under my towel then untying it. Jeans came next, shaken out of their fold before I stepped into them.

“Head’s probably clogged,” I muttered.

When I stooped to retrieve my discarded towel, Indy gave a little cough. “Is that something you can tell me how to fix, or…?”

“I’ll take care of it.” Pinpointing the shampoo he held,I reached for it. “May I have that now? Unless you’re gonna use it.”

Indy shook his head furiously, then handed the bottle back. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Loaded with everything I’d brought, I was ready to leave, but Indy stood between me and the exit. He made for a small obstacle, but I wasn’t willing to barrel past him a second time. Not when it was taking all my restraint not to collapse on him and beg for the comfort he could not provide.

Nibbling his lip, he swayed from side to side. “Sorry I kinda barged in there.” He jerked his thumb toward the shower. “I forget you’re shy.”

“I’m not shy.”

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