Page 34 of Eldritch
He held the spoon midway to his mouth and frowned, then lowered it back to his bowl. “Were you spying on me?”
“It’s hardly spying when the door is ajar.”
“It was hardly an invitation, either,” he countered in a sharp tone.
“I heard something and simply wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“What did you see?”
Nibbling on my lip was all I could do to calm my nerves. “You were…undressed. On the chair.” I had to look away when the visuals of the scorpion sprang to mind again for fear he’d see the distress in my eyes. “And I’m perfectly okay with whatever it is men need to do, but is it necessary to make a spectacle out of it? What with the flames and your scorpion. If Aleysia does wake up, a sight like that will frighten her out of her wits and still her heart. And then all of this will have been for nothing.”
His brows lowered, and he tapped his spoon on the edge of the bowl. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that in such proximity. My apologies.” The way he spoke the words, his voice thick with remorse, left me questioning if I’d been too harsh.
“Why the scorpion? That’s your prod…prodo …”
“Prodozja.” He shrugged and spooned another bite into his mouth. “I’ve always had a connection with them.”
“How so?” I asked, intrigued.
“My mother was stung by a scorpion while pregnant with me. Thought she was going to lose the pregnancy, as ill as she got.”
“So, you have scorpion venom in your blood?”
“I suppose I do.”
I didn’t know why that fascinated me all the more. My gaze fell on one of the veins sticking out from his neck, and a strange exhilaration moved through me. Catching myself, I turned my attention toward the hearth fire. “It is difficult, you know. Keeping distance from you.” Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the bulge of his bicep, as he sat stroking a hand across his jaw. “With you being an exceptionally built man walking around without shirts and trousers.”
The sudden turn of his gaze sent a flush of warmth to my cheeks. “Are you telling me the sight of my flesh is, in fact, stirring your desires?”
Brows raised, I huffed and flipped through pages of my book. “Clearly, it’s intentional, the way you find it so amusing.”
“I’ve not had intentions since you insisted that we remain apart. But now that I’m aware of the effect, it’ll be difficult to remain clothed.”
The comment yanked my attention to him. “You are not walking about without proper clothes with my sister no more than a room away.”
The corner of his lips curved into a fiendishly handsome smirk that irritated me. “Then, answer the question. I want to hear you say it.”
A surge of heat prickled my cheeks. “I’m sure it’s obvious.”
“No, I want to see those words pass your lips.”
A smile pulled at my lips, but I bit back the urge. “And if I refuse?”
He leaned back in the chair, his face smug. “Then, I refuse to train you.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “You’d endanger me for your silly games.”
“You’re not presently in danger.”
Gods, the man was relentless.
His brow lifted with an expectant expression.
“Fine. Fine! Yes, you’re stirring my desires. Happy now?”
“Very.” He spooned another bite, taking a moment to lick the utensil clean, the sight of it sending a twitch to my thighs. “You’re blushing again.”
“It’s the hearth,” I said coldly. “And my frustration. I’m warm.”
