Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Morning light slipped through a gap in the curtains, painting a warm stripe across my face. I scrunched my nose, trying to escape it without fully waking up. Something solid and warm shifted beside me, and the events of last night came flooding back.
Rion. Me. Us.
I opened my eyes to find myself nestled against his massive chest, his arm draped protectively around my waist. His breathing was deep and even, his face relaxed in sleep in a way I’d never seen before. The perpetual furrow between his brows had smoothed out, making him look younger, less guarded.
I allowed myself a moment to simply look at him.
The morning light caught in his fur, highlighting subtle variations in color I hadn’t noticed before—rich brown darkening to almost black in places, with hints of gold where the sun touched it.
His horns gleamed, polished and perfect, curving elegantly from his forehead.
I resisted the urge to reach out and touch them, not wanting to wake him just yet.
My body felt pleasantly sore, a delicious reminder of our night together. I blushed at the memory of how many times we’d made love, how he’d touched me with those large, careful hands as if I were something precious.
And maybe to him, I am.
The thought sent a flutter through my chest that had nothing to do with physical desire and everything to do with the tangle of emotions I wasn’t quite ready to name.
Rion stirred, his arm tightening around me briefly before he opened his eyes. For a second, surprise flickered across his face, as if he couldn’t quite believe I was still there. Then his expression softened into something that made my heart skip.
“Good morning,” he rumbled, his voice even deeper than usual with sleep.
“Morning,” I replied, suddenly shy despite our intimacy the night before. I became acutely aware of my bedhead and morning breath.
He seemed to sense my self-consciousness. One large hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. “You’re beautiful in the morning light.”
The sincerity in his voice melted my insecurities. I leaned forward and kissed him softly. “So are you.”
A low chuckle vibrated through his chest. “I don’t think anyone’s called me beautiful before.”
“Then they weren’t looking properly.” I traced the line of his jaw, feeling the soft fur beneath my fingertips. “What time is it?”
He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. “Just after seven.”
I groaned. “I have to be at work by nine.” The library felt like it existed in another dimension entirely, far removed from this peaceful bubble we’d created.
“Plenty of time,” he said, pulling me closer. His hand slid down my bare back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. “Unless you want to skip breakfast.”
My stomach chose that moment to growl audibly, making us both laugh.
“I’ll take that as a no,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead before reluctantly releasing me. “Shower first?”
I nodded, suddenly aware of how sticky we both were from our night’s activities. “That would be good.”
He rolled out of bed with surprising grace for someone his size, unself-conscious in his nakedness. I couldn’t help but admire the play of muscles beneath his fur-covered skin as he walked towards what I assumed was the bathroom door.
“Coming?” he asked, glancing back at me with a raised eyebrow.
My cheeks heated at the double meaning. “Yes, just—” I gestured vaguely at my own nakedness, still not quite as comfortable as he was.
His expression softened with understanding. He grabbed a robe from a hook on the wall and brought it to me. The garment was clearly his—dark blue silk that would have reached his knees but fell to my ankles.
“Thank you,” I said, slipping it on. It engulfed me completely, the sleeves dangling well past my hands. Rion’s scent surrounded me—cedar and something uniquely him.
He led me to the bathroom, another marvel of his architectural genius. The space was enormous, with a shower big enough for four regular-sized people—or one minotaur and a human with room to spare. Natural stone tiles lined the walls and floor, and a skylight let in the morning sun.
Rion turned on the water, adjusting the temperature before stepping aside to let me in first. The spray was perfect, hot but not scalding. I tilted my face up into it, letting it wash away the lingering sleepiness.
He joined me a moment later, his large body making the spacious shower suddenly feel much more intimate. Water cascaded over his broad shoulders, darkening his fur to a deep chocolate. Droplets clung to his horns like tiny diamonds.
“Here,” he said, reaching for a bottle of shampoo. “Let me.”
I turned my back to him, and his large hands began working the shampoo through my hair with surprising gentleness. His fingers massaged my scalp, drawing an involuntary moan from me.
“Feel good?” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Mmm, don’t stop,” I murmured, leaning back against his chest.
His chuckle rumbled through me. “Demanding in the morning, aren’t you?”
I turned to face him, rising on tiptoe to kiss the underside of his jaw. “You bring it out in me.”
His eyes darkened at that, hands sliding down to my waist. For a moment, I thought we might get distracted from the actual purpose of the shower. But with visible restraint, he reached for another bottle.
“Conditioner next,” he said, his voice slightly strained.
I smiled, enjoying the effect I had on him. “Then I’ll do you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do me?”
“Wash your fur,” I clarified, though the blush creeping up my neck betrayed my awareness of the innuendo.
He turned me again, applying conditioner with the same care he’d used for the shampoo. When it was my turn, I poured a generous amount of his special fur shampoo into my hands and worked it into his chest. The texture was fascinating—soft yet coarse, becoming silky as the soap lathered.
“Is this specially formulated?” I asked, genuinely curious.
He nodded. “Regular shampoo dries it out. This has lanolin and some other ingredients that help maintain the natural oils.”
I continued washing him, fascinated by the differences and similarities between us.
His body was a landscape I was just beginning to explore, familiar in some ways, thrillingly alien in others.
By the time I reached his cock, it was already hard again, and he made a low sound when my fingers brushed against it.
“Careful,” he rumbled. “We’ll never get to breakfast.”
“Maybe I have something else in mind,” I whispered as I went down on my knees in front of him. I loved the way he looked at me in that moment. A mixture of shock and pure lust.
I wrapped my lips around him, relishing the taste of clean water and musk. His hands came to rest on my shoulders, not pushing, just holding on as I took him deeper. The water continued to cascade over us, creating a cocoon of steam and intimacy.
“Clara,” he gasped when I hollowed my cheeks. “That feels…”
I smiled around him, enjoying the power I had over this magnificent creature. One of his hands moved to my hair, guiding me gently as I found a rhythm that made him tense and shudder.
Too soon for my liking, he pulled back. “Not yet,” he said, his voice strained. “I want to be inside you again.”
He helped me to my feet and pressed me against the shower wall, claiming my mouth in a deep, passionate kiss before swinging me around and placing my hands on the wall. His strong hands moved over my hips, then spread my legs wide as he entered me from behind.
I moaned as he filled me completely, stretching me in the most delicious way. He started moving, and I gasped at the feeling of him so deep inside. Each thrust sent sparks of pleasure through me, and soon I was moving my hips to meet him, desperate for more.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as he reached around to stroke my clit. “I can’t believe you’re real.”
His words sent me over the edge, and I cried out as another orgasm washed over me. He followed with a deep, guttural groan, and I felt the warmth of his release inside me.
We stood there for a long moment, water streaming over our bodies as we caught our breath. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight against him.
“I think we’re clean now,” I said when my breathing returned to normal. “Or at least the soap has been completely washed away.”
He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that vibrated through my entire body. “I think we need another shower after that.”
I laughed. “I’m going to be late for work.”
“I’ll make you something quick,” he promised as he turned off the water, wrapping a thick towel around his waist before he dressed and hurried off to the kitchen.
Once he’d left, I took a moment to collect myself.
This all felt so… domestic. Normal, even, despite the extraordinary circumstances.
I was having breakfast with my minotaur boyfriend after spending the night making love in his labyrinthine home.
Boyfriend. Is that what he is now?
The label seemed simultaneously too juvenile and not significant enough for what was developing between us. I pushed the thought aside for later consideration and finished getting ready. My hair was drying into its usual wavy mess, but fortunately I’d brought toiletries and a change of clothes.
I followed the scent of cooking food through the twisting hallways, getting lost only once before finding my way to the kitchen. Rion stood at the stove, his back to me, flipping what looked like the perfect golden-brown pancake.
“That smells amazing,” I said, hopping up onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island.
He glanced over his shoulder with a smile. “Family recipe. There’s coffee in the pot if you want some.”
I poured myself a cup, adding a splash of cream from a small pitcher on the counter. “You think of everything.”
“I try.” He transferred the pancake to a growing stack on a plate, then poured more batter into the pan. “Did you sleep well?”