Chapter 15
Fifteen
F inn was acting strangely. At first, I worried he may have found out my intention to ask him to be my bondmate. It was supposed to be a surprise, and he was terrible at keeping things from me. But he didn’t mention anything about it. If I knew him as well as I believed I did, he would not be able to keep it to himself. He seemed as eager as I was to keep each other, and I doubted he’d be able to handle not asking about it. Which left me at a loss as to why he was acting so strangely. I returned from my hunt and found him in the field where I had found him every day since I returned to hunting. He was brushing the mane of one of the stallions, humming to himself, but after I surprised him with a kiss, he wouldn’t stop blushing and he couldn’t look me in the eye.
The strangeness of his behavior only grew when we went to get our supper. He seemed almost anxious, glancing at me when he thought I wasn’t looking and bouncing his leg when he sat beside the fighter’s fire. I wanted to ask Godr, but my brother was conveniently busy in conversation whenever I sought him out. And when he caught me looking at him and I shot him a questioning look, he pressed his lips together like he was fighting laughter. What happened while I was gone?
After our meal was finished, I brought Finn back to our tent, hoping if we spoke privately, he’d feel more comfortable. If my brother upset him for some reason, I wanted to know so I could deal with him myself.
Before I had a chance to even ask, Finn threw himself at me, using what little strength he had to pull me low enough for a kiss. And not the sweet kisses he liked to give me to show me he cared. No, this was a kiss with intention. He nipped at my lip, demanding entry, and moaned into my mouth when I tangled my tongue with his. I could never say no to his affections, and I had no interest in doing so now, but I was curious if this was the reason he was acting so strangely. If so, I was flattered.
Lifting him off his feet, I marched to the bed and laid him upon it, following him with a chuckle when he wouldn’t loosen his arms enough for me to pull away. I truly enjoyed an amorous Finn. His needy eagerness thrilled me every time.
Pulling back, I trailed kisses along his jaw, enjoying the little mewls that escaped him. “Is this why you were acting so strangely? Did you need me? Because you need only ask, kolrav. Anything you want from me is yours.”
“A-Anything?” he asked breathlessly, tipping his head to give me more room.
“Anything,” I agreed. I wanted to tell him about my intentions to reassure him, but he cut me off before I could give away the secret.
“Can I… be on top?”
He stiffened, waiting for the rejection, and let out a startled laugh when I rolled us over so he was lying on top of me. I never thought to offer because he seemed to like me on top of him. I wasn’t going to complain either way.
“Is this what you need, my Finn?”
Sitting up slowly, he bit his lip and nodded. I ran my hands up his sides, enjoying the view immensely. It would be better if he was naked. But when I tried to sit up to better strip him, he pushed me back down, a deep flush on his face.
“I want to try something,” he murmured.
My Finn was a shy little thing, and I didn’t want to discourage him from telling me what he wanted, so instead of stripping him like I wanted, I laid back and tucked my hands behind my head, giving him full access to my body.
“I’m all yours, kolrav.”
“What does that word mean?”
I shook my head, denying him this time. He would figure out my intentions if he knew the meaning of the word. He could wait a few more days.
To my great surprise, and vast amusement, he stuck his lip out in a pout. He was trying to show he was displeased with me, but sitting on my stomach looking adorable wasn’t going to work in his favor. It only made me more sure of my plan.
When I didn’t respond how he wished, he looked contemplative for a moment before a flash of determination crossed his face. I almost lamented my fate with that look. He would not go easy on me, would he?
When he pulled off his tunic, I got the answer to my question. I tried to reach for him, and he pushed my hands away with a shake of his head. He intended to torment me until I gave in. I was not entirely sure I would come out the victor in that game. Especially when he scooted backwards to pull off my tunic and his pert little ass sat on my cock.
Groaning, I gripped his hips, considering going back on my word to let him explore. I was a patient hunter, but when it came to Finn, my normal control was lacking.
“Nuh-uh,” he chided, wagging a finger at me. “No touching until you tell me. I’ve got lots of ideas too, so you should hurry up.”
“Mm. And where did you get these ideas? In one of those books you told me about?”
Finn told me how much he loved to read before coming here. I’d asked around about getting him some books to read. I would give them to him as a bonding gift.
He shook his head, and the blush came back, his shoulders going up in embarrassment. That emotion did not belong in our bed and I hastened to reassure him, cupping his cheek.
“Kolrav. What is it? Did Godr say something to you? Is that why you are so upset?” He spent the past few days with my brother. It was a reasonable assumption.
Finn shook his head rapidly. “No! No, he has been very kind. I, um… I asked him some questions. I’m not… experienced, and I wanted to know how to please you. He was kind enough to offer help.”
Had it been anyone else, I would have accepted this. Sex was nothing to be ashamed of, and if someone as inexperienced as Finn had questions, I knew plenty of people who would be happy to explain things to him. However, Godr was a shit sometimes, and I didn’t trust his counsel.
“What did he tell you, exactly?”
“Um…” The blush on his cheeks worked its way down his neck and onto his shoulders and chest. If it was difficult to discuss this with me, I imagined it was even more so with Godr. “Well, he said that many men like when the smaller man is on top, like this when we’re… you know… intimate.”
True. Though, I liked it just as much having him underneath me. I nodded along encouragingly.
“What else?”
“He said there’s prep involved, and an oil I needed to ask the healers for. I was hoping you could do that…”
Also true. Perhaps Godr was truly being helpful. “I can do that, korvash. Anything else?”
His brows furrowed a little. “Um… well, he said something else, but I wasn’t really sure about it. It sounds painful.”
I frowned. While his first few times might be uncomfortable, it would never be painful. I’d do everything I could to make sure of that. Godr knew the same, so I wasn’t sure if that was what he was referring to. “What do you mean?”
“Well… he told me about using my mouth… down there… but do you truly like to be bitten? I would think that would ruin the mood, would it not?”
There it is. I knew better than to trust my brother to be completely truthful. Biting back an exasperated sigh, since I didn't want Finn to think it had anything to do with him, I cupped the back of his head and pulled him down for a quick kiss.
“While most of what my brother told you is true, biting is definitely not part of it.”
Sitting up, Finn’s brows drew together tightly. “What? Then why would he suggest it? He said you like it and t-to bite all over.” He waved a hand at me, his flush deepening. “Especially down there.”
I could not hold in the sigh that time. “That would definitely hurt and not in a pleasurable way. Godr was lying. It is a reference to an old relationship I once had. He probably hoped to prank me by getting you to do that.”
Embarrassment made Finn scramble away from me, but it was the hurt in his eyes that worried me the most. Hurt… and anger.
“Finn?”
He stood there for a moment, stock still. Tears welled in his eyes and his teeth clenched, like his emotions were in turmoil. When I reached for him, he shook his head sharply, snatching up his tunic and darting out of the tent without a backward glance. Stunned, I lay frozen for a moment before launching out of bed to go after him. I didn't know which direction he went, but since he knew not to wander off alone, I made a guess that turned out to be correct. I was several paces behind him when he walked up to the fighter’s fire and my brother, who was drinking with his friends. And in a move that was so very unlike my Finn, he pushed Godr hard, taking him off guard enough to make him stumble.