Chapter 19 #2
Now he just wanted to give things to her, rewarding her for enlivening him when no one else had managed to in decades. She stirred humour, desire, and playfulness. And she argued with him in a way that made him feel challenged and enthralled, rather than it grating on his nerves.
She was submissive when it was wise, but utterly irksome when it would entertain him – even if she never realised that’s what she’d been doing, or had intended.
Carwyn turned from him and slipped her foot from her slipper. She hiked up the skirt of her dress and dipped a toe in, only for her excitement to wane.
She pouted. “It’s cold.”
He stepped closer and placed a large paw in the shallow pool. With a small incantation, he made heat radiate from his very body, such magic second nature to a creature that could breathe fire. He brought it to a temperature that allowed him to feel the tingle of bare warmth on his scales.
Then he gestured with his snout. “Test it.”
She dipped her toes back in and her gaze glimmered at him. “Hotter.”
He did as commanded until it felt lukewarm against him. This time, it was adequate, as she smiled and stepped back. She pulled on the laces at the front of her green dress.
“Time for you to leave.”
Mirth crinkled his eyes. “I think not.”
Partway drawing the material down her shoulders to reveal a white dress beneath it, she halted. “Excuse me?”
“You think I would leave a witch alone in my most precious alcove?” he stated, unsure if he did well to hide his mischief. It wasn’t his most precious one, and he had no issue with her being alone inside it. “What if she steals something?”
Her joy deflated into a cute little glare. “You would know.”
“Some of this is poisonous.” He gestured around at the greenery. “Although nothing that touches the water. You could brush up against one of them and you don’t have scales to protect you as I do.”
“Then I won’t touch any of the plants.”
“Either I remain, or neither of us does.”
“I will not bathe naked in front of you.”
“Why?” he asked warmly, tilting his head. “Nudity is not uncommon for dragonkind.”
“Because I’m not of dragonkind, and I care if a male anything sees my tits!”
Pity. That was exactly what he wanted to see.
“Then bathe with your undercoverings on.”
She stamped a foot. “It’s not the same!”
“Female, for once, I want to see you marvel at a gift I am giving you.” He darted his head down until they were closer to eye level. “So get in the fucking water.”
She stumbled back at his nearness, clamping the loosened green material to her chest. Her glare deepened, her onyx eyes glinting in the low firelight. He found them radiant. Dark and glittering like the night sky, like how his scales glimmered in the sunlight.
“Pervert,” she bit out.
“Alas, I am a male. I cannot help my nature.” He placed his hand over his chest sincerely.
“I was joking!”
He didn’t deny his statement. His humour deepened with every second she stood there, not trembling but remaining unsure, wary.
He could lie and feign that he felt nothing for her to assuage her, but he didn’t want to.
He’d rather she be unsure of his intentions, his desires, his wants, than think he didn’t want her. He didn’t want to deter her.
He’d already fucked up once and had given her the impression he’d find mating with her abhorrent – which, at the time, he had. But as he’d stated many times, hearts could change, and his had apparently done just that. And rather quickly too.
I want to know if the arousal I scented earlier was for me, or for any male. He was fine keeping things as they were, but he was curious to see how deep this could go. He’d like her to react to him more, so he could decide what he wanted to do. If he wanted to pursue it or leave it be.
Tilting his head in thought, he wondered how he could test the waters with her.
The idea of bedding a human was foreign to him, a witch even more far-fetched. But he’d come to accept it, even if he didn’t understand it, or why it was growing on him by the second.
However, he was indeed selfish. He’d like a peek first so he could keep it in his memories, which would be his reward for bringing her here. To a sacred place for him, one that he’d rarely shown anyone.
Her lips pursed at him before her gaze flicked to the water longingly. Such a look could turn a weak male inside out if it was aimed at him. Then she turned away from him, chin lifted, and shoved the material down her body.
Kier grinned at her back. Not too shy, duly noted. He’d been itching to know that.
She wasn’t some blushing virgin who couldn’t stand to go for a semi-clothed dip because she was in the presence of him. Such a creature would bore him to tears.
Her backside wiggled side to side as she pushed the garment over the last of her generous curves, and he became acutely aware that she had no idea such an action could stir a male.
The idea of her round rear shifting against his groin in that same teasing motion made him stifle a groan until he bared his fangs on one side.
She stepped out of the material, then kicked off her remaining slipper with an irritated flare.
As soon as she spun around, she was already storming towards the water.
Kier retreated to give her space, backing into the flora so he didn’t crowd her, and let her proceed without obstruction. The pool was shallower on one side, sloping to the deeper end, and she stepped into it until the white material floated on the water’s surface.
He gained a warped peek at a smooth, light-brown leg, then the other, before she waded deeper while pushing her underdress below the surface to cover herself.
The moment the water came to her navel, she sunk down to sit, and a soft moan escaped her at the heat that surrounded her.
She shivered in delight and leaned back against the wall of the pool.
His eyes crinkled at her as he sat, bringing his tail to the side around his left leg so it didn’t squash anything. Her clothing has gone see-through. He’d wanted to see it hug her curves, to truly show him the shape of her, but he hadn’t expected to get a better view.
She had yet to submerge her chest, but the lapping of the disturbed water had brushed against the underside of her breasts, highlighting them as it delicately clung.
“Enjoying the water?”
She turned her face away from him. “It’s worth the trade of having a lecherous gazer.”