Page 92 of The Witch and His Crow

‘Thank you.’ Was that really all I could say? How could this man whittle me down to such a numb, wordless beast? ‘Would…you like me to…’

‘Yes, I would like that,’ Arwyn replied before I could even finish. He peered down at me as rivers of water cascaded off the tip of his nose. His eyelashes had clumped together, thickand dark. Up close I could make out the coarse hairs across his chest. There was a crown of them around his perked, burgundy nipples, set upon a chest of well-defined muscle.

Everything about him was a distraction. A welcome one. And clearly, I was simply repaying the same favour.

Romy would’ve taken enjoyment from hearing about this.

Ignoring the sinking feeling at the thought of her, I threw myself into Arwyn and his offer of a diversion. I allowed my shyness to slip away like the water down the drain, giving way to the man I was before the Witch Trials.The one who could walk into a bar and leave with a stranger at his side. That was all Arwyn was—a stranger to play pretend with. Someone I likely wouldn’t speak with again when this was over… if we survived. He was not my past or future.

He was the present, and I grasped it by the slick reins and took control.

‘Yes,’ I repeated, taking my time to drink him in. ‘Not even a please with that? Where are your manners?’

‘I think I dropped them back there…’ Arwyn tipped his head towards the piles of his clothes. ‘I would go and find them, but then that would mean leaving you.’

I looked up through my lashes, knowing exactly what my lustrous expression would result in. ‘You’re right. I wouldn’t want that.’

His lips twitched, mouth parting to flash the promise of his tongue. Arwyn lifted a hand and ran it over the side of my face. His fingers reached into my hair, nails brushing over my scalp. I leaned into it, enjoying his touch, his proximity, the silent danger of passing the boundary line which was set between strangers. Then he did the one thing I couldn’t allow. He leaned in, lowering his mouth towards mine.

I placed a hand on his chest and dropped my face. ‘Don’t.’

‘Sorry, Hector. Have I misread this?’ His smile dropped with disappointment.

I shook my head, taking a moment to contain myself. ‘No, it’s just I don’t want to kiss you.’ I almost went into a tirade about why kissing was not something I was open to do. Kissing was never even an option I entertained.

I bit my tongue.

‘Oh,’ Arwyn recoiled, taking one too many steps back.

I reached for him in a rush, as though he was a kite being torn away from me in violent winds. ‘I said I don’t want to kiss you. I didn’t say I don’t want to touch you.’

‘Touch me?’ Arwyn’s eyes brightened. ‘Are you sure this is what you want?’

I glanced down, taking note of my erection. ‘I think you know the answer to that, Arwyn. Doyouwant this?’

‘What isthisexactly, Hector?’

I toyed with the question, wondering how honest I should be. ‘A distraction from my thoughts.’

‘I appreciate your open honesty when it comes to using me.’ If Arwyn hadn’t grinned as he said it, I would’ve thought he was offended. ‘But since we aren’t mincing words, why don’t you tell me how you want me to help with that endeavour?’

My hand was still on his chest, palm slick with water and anticipation. I trailed it down. Down and down, until the defined bumps of muscle stopped at his hips.

‘I want you to fill…’ I paused purposefully as Arwyn’s thick brow peaked. ‘My mind.’

Arwyn took my spare hand from his hip and lowered it to anothermuscleI’d yet to pay attention to. He guided my fingers around his cock, gasping slightly as I took it in hand. ‘Oh, I’llfillsomething, Hector. Not only your mind. That’s one promise I can make.’

‘If we do this,’ I said, swiftly moving my wrist back and forth. Hekate really did a number crafting Arwyn. My fingers could barely touch around his girth. ‘If we really do this, just know that nothing changes between us when we leave this room.’

Something clouded Arwyn’s bright eyes. Was it disappointment? Or mutual understanding? How different were the two emotions really?

‘I hear you, loud and clear.’

‘Good,’ I nodded, continuing to stroke his length. ‘I’m glad.’

‘Before we start, you should know the answer to a question you asked me days ago,’ he began. I felt my heart sink, but not from dread.

‘Spit it out.’

---