Page 16 of Tempting Her Grumpy Protector
“We were encouraged to prove a claim to stop the others women from trying to place a Claim on me. It wasn’t?—”
“Enough!” the guide flung up both hands. “The Chief will decide. Come.”
They were marched to the back of the long hall, where Chief Lowhung lounged on a carved wooden throne, bare-chested and bedecked with beads. His enormous lower lip jutted and his third eye bulged in displeasure when he saw them.
“What’s this I hear?” he demanded. “You are not mates—yet you wear the markings of mates? Do you mock our customs?”
“Oh, no, your Chiefliness. That was certainly not our intention—” Sunny began, but Greer spoke over her.
“It was necessary,” he said, firmly. “Your women?—”
“My women know better than to take what belongs to another. If they thought you were unmated, then you are unmated. No markings!” Chief Lowhung slammed a hand on the arm of his chair. “This is an insult.”
“We didn’t mean—” Sunny tried again, but the Chief wasn’t listening.
“If you are not true mates, then the pigments must be removed at once!”
He snapped his fingers and barked an order. Several attendants scurried away and returned moments later with the largest tub Greer had ever seen—big enough to hold two full-grown Kindred.
And it was filled to the brim with icy water. Greer knew it was cold because some of it sloshed out and hit the side of his leg.
“You will remove your coverings,” the Chief declared, “And wash each other clean—thoroughly—while I watch to ensure the insult is undone.”
Sunny made a squeaking noise beside Greer and from the corner of his eye, he saw how she was twisting her fingers together nervously.
Greer’s gut tightened. Stripping naked and putting his hands all over his Ward while that pompous asshole looked on? Absolutely fucking not—except… refusing would insult the Chief further. And insulting him again might be dangerous for both of them.
He’d gotten Sunny out of a lot of difficult situations…but he didn’t think he could get her out of this one.
He clenched his fists.
“Little one,” he murmured to Sunny, “I don’t think we have a choice. We’re going to have to do this.”
Her eyes were wide and pink was creeping up her cheeks, but she gave a small, tight nod.
The attendants waited expectantly.
With a low growl, Greer untied the leaf kilt and let it fall. Then he kicked off his boots—he wasn’t about to get them all wet. Then he stepped into the tub.
The cold water lapped against Greer’s knees and he was glad it wasn’t high enough to reach his balls. Despite the jungle heat around them, the water was icy.
Sunny slipped off her skirt and shoes and followed him in, her movements hesitant, the flush still on her cheeks. The chill hit her softer skin and she gave a little gasp, her arms crossing over her breasts instinctively. It was much higher on her—almost up to the tender V between her legs.
Greer told himself to look away. To keep his eyes on her face. To remember what he was—her Protector, nothing more. They had already gone too far tonight—much further than was allowed by protocol.
But the melted gold paint streaking her generous curves made her impossible to ignore. He couldn’t help running his eyes over her naked body.
“Remove it,” the Chief ordered from his lounging seat, his voice smug.
Greer reached for a clean cloth hung on the side of the tub, but one of the attendants snatched it away, shaking his head.
“With your hands. Always with the hands,” he murmured.
Sunny’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard as she looked up at Greer.
“I…I guess we should get it over with,” she whispered.
Greer nodded.
