Page 49 of Vows of Sacrifice

“If you return home in one piece, it means that it’s the state of your opponents that is worrying.”

Dovah gave a masculine laugh. Very manly. I wondered if he was trying to seduce me.

“I confess. So?”

“So, I’m curious. You’ve got me terribly curious. About you.”

“Terribly?” he repeated, approaching surreptitiously.

I nodded and let him do so, but I remained on my guard.

“Yes, you are. And you’re a little scary, too.”

“Ah, that . . .”

“I notice that you do not deny it.”

“It’s hard to argue with that.”

“And you’re getting awfully close to me.”

“That, too, is hard to refute.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m terribly attracted to you.”

With that, he disappeared under the water.

“Dovah!” I cried.

I scanned the surface, but there was not the slightest clue as to his position. Suddenly, I felt his hands grab me by the waist and lift me out of the water. My eyes widened in surprise and panic.

“What are you doing?!”

He smiles again.

“Can’t you tell? I thought it was clear: I’m catching you.”

“Can you let go of me now?”

He pretended to think.

“I don’t know.”

But Dovah finally let me go with great delicacy, slowly lowering and sliding me against him. Upon reflection, there was something indecent about feeling his naked body through the thin, soaked fabric of my dress. In fact, it was as if we were both devoid of clothes . . .

I jumped back.

“I think I’ve refreshed myself enough. Shall we go back to our room?”

Dovah studied me silently for a long time. He looked like a powerful predator gauging the quality of his prey.

“Do I scare you that much?” he finally asks.

I opted for frankness. I sincerely wanted honesty to be the basis of our relationship as a married couple.

“In more ways than one, in fact. There’s something elusive about you that seems dangerous. Until I really know what it is, it’ll be difficult for me to feel completely comfortable in your presence. And then, you know, I’m not used to being, uh, so intimate with a man.”

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