Page 18 of Taken By the Barbarian King

I reluctantly let go of her hand to climb the narrow stairs, but when I reach the top, I reach back to help her for the last few steps.

"Because touching anyone but your mate during the interlude is considered offensive."

"Oh. Oops." She tiptoes with me to the door at the end, and I put my palm on the panel. The door opens to my quarters. "Is there a way to apologize? Can I make it up to her?"

I stop and look at her as the door closes behind us.

"What?" she asks.

I shake my head and run my hand over the side of her face.

"Nothing. You're just… such a strange creature."

Recognizing her words from earlier she grins and pouts her lips.

"I guess we both are."

I nod.

"So? Is there a way to make up for it?"

"Huh?"

"For insulting Fiotrix."

I chuckle and lead us toward my bathroom.

"As long as you don't marry her in two days, I think we'll be fine."

Lottie tilts her head to the side and stares at me for a second then her eyes light up.

"Oh. Shoot. So she thought I was coming on to her?"

I shrug.

"Or she knows you're an Earthling and you don't know our customs but was still shocked by your touch."

Lottie nods.

"Ok. Ok. Good. Now where is the..."

I open the bathroom door and Lottie's jaw drops.

"This is bigger than my fucking apartment."

"This is a very basic bathing chamber compared to what we have on Aysgoth," I tell her.

She laughs and shakes her head. "Your people are strange."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because. You lock people in a room for five days with no napkins, no water, no soap, and yet your bathrooms are like palaces. Make it make sense."

"Our hygiene and body care are important parts of our routine. However, we don't engage in it daily."

"But from the looks of it, when you do, you go to town!" Lottie runs to the bathtub and starts pressing buttons.

"You want to go to town?" I ask her but she just shakes her head and tells me to ignore her.

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