Page 35 of Dragon Valley
“Get the rest of the water to fill this up,” I snapped at them. “Hurry.”
“Yes, my lord,” they answered meekly and quickly grabbed pails before running to the outside well.
I picked up a sponge and started scrubbing at the sweat, dirt, and blood on my chest, closing my eyes and feeling thankful to be alone for once. Before coming to Dragon Valley, I would have enjoyed the attention from the girls, and sometimes did when we camped near towns. But ever since I saw Nadi performing that memorial for the dead this morning, she’d been on my mind even more than usual. She was the only person I wanted in this room with me, in this tub with me.
The thought of her naked, maybe sitting with her back to my chest like how we rode on Dusa over here, hardened me like a rock. I’d scrub her shoulders, her neck, her back, washing the day away off that beautiful sun-kissed skin. I’d put my chin on her shoulder and kiss her there, just like how I was thinking about doing it on the ride but stopped myself. She’d lean back against me and let me hold her, my arms around her waist as I kissed her neck, her shoulders, her upper back, before I’d slide my hands up her belly and caress those gorgeous—
BANG!
The door slammed open, jolting me out of my fantasy as the three innkeeper’s girls returned with their pails of water.
“We put the water over the fire so it’s nice and hot for you, my lord,” the blonde panted as she tipped the pail over the edge of the tub to slowly pour it in.”
“Um, good. Thank you.” I tried to cross my legs in hopes she wouldn’t see my cock jutting straight out like a sword, but it was too late.
“Oh, my lord,” she breathed, a pink blush rising in her cheeks. Her pouring abruptly stopped.
“Would you like me to take care of that for you?”
“No.” I caught the wrist of her hand that started reaching for me.
She froze, her breath already coming out in soft pants. “All three of us would be willing.Mostwilling, my lord.”
My cock twitched but it wasn’t her I wanted to be buried inside. Nor any of them in this room.
“… Lieutenant Caden?”
I heard my name but faintly. Relief flooded through me as my attention strained to hear the commotion in the common room of the inn.
“Nadi, I’m in here!” I called.
Only when the door pushed open and I saw the shock register on Nadi’s face did I think about the scene from her perspective. Me, naked in a tub. One girl bent over it with her wrist in my hand and the other two ready to jump in at any moment.
“Thank you, ladies. That’ll be all,” I said with an awkward clearing of my throat.
The blond blinked like a doll coming to life. “But my lord, your bath isn’t filled.”
“I can do it myself,” I barked. “Please leave. Now.”
All three of them rushed out, the last one shutting the door behind her to leave me and Nadi staring at each other from across the room.
She blinked as if coming back to life herself. “You didn’t have to make them leave,” she mumbled. “You never came and I just wondered where you were.”
“Nothing happened,” I said quickly then winced, realizing how guilty those words made me sound. “I was trying to come to you but they basically forced me in here. The mayor wanted to reward me and he threw those girls at me, and—”
Nadi held up a hand to stop me. “It’s alright. I know where you are now. I’ll look into getting my own room.”
“Let me talk to them,” I said, gripping the edges of the tub and getting my feet underneath me. “They should put you up in a suite like this one.”
“No, don’t—”
I realized my mistake too late and stood, still as hard as ever. Her face turned as red as a dragon’s flame as she looked away.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” I snapped a towel around my waist. “I’m decent now, sorry.”
“It’s okay, Caden. I don’t need a suite. Finish your bath and I’ll talk to them myself. A simple room is fine with me.”
“What? No!” I stepped out of the tub, splashing noisily as I rounded it to approach her. “You and Dusa torched those bandits and saved a woman’s life. I’m not letting them treat me like a hero without giving you the same treatment.”
