Page 10 of The Goblin's Mine

He’s not naked; he has on the goblin equivalent of boxer briefs. The goblin style of dress is sort of more ornate than what humans generally wear, but his underwear seem normal enough. I try not to stare, but it’s hard not to notice the bulk he’s packing. And he’s not even hard.

I swallow and make a quick retreat. “Good night!” I call as I throw myself under the covers of his bed, which is a platform that has, once again, been carved from the rock. The mattress and bedding are soft and comfortable though. His bed that smells like him, like pine and weirdly, fresh snow. A delicious, masculine scent that’s everywhere.

Dammit.

I’m so worked up, I’ll never fall asleep.

After my bath, Kill loaned me a sort of cloak thing to wear, so that I wouldn’t have to put my dirty clothes back on. But it’s too billowy to sleep in, so I stand back up and shrug it off. Should I feel weird sleeping nude in a strange goblin’s bed? One hundred percent. But do I? Nope.

I decide not to examine that too closely.

Instead, I slide a hand under the covers and graze it over my chest. My nipples are both taut, which is no surprise. I give each one a pinch, and my breath comes out in a hiss. I immediately sink my teeth into my lip. Kill is right in the other room. Icannotmake any noise.

I consider dragging this out, but that’s ridiculous. I’ve been turned on ever since Kill yanked off his shirt, and it’s time to do something about it. I pop a finger in my mouth to keep myself quiet. With my other hand, I coast down my body, over my belly, and in between my thighs. I slip a finger between my folds and nearly cry out.

I’m soaked. I drag the finger up to my clit, which is swollen and beating in time to my pulse. I give it a firm press and shudder as pleasure careens through me.

Good lord. This won’t take long at all.

I draw my fingers down again, teasing my entrance and getting them good and wet. Then I swirl them against my clit, playing with the pace and pressure. My eyes flutter closed and images of Killian—especially that sexy-as-hell V-shape along his hips—flood my mind.

A tiny whimper escapes my lips and I suck my finger harder. I can’t let him hear me. Except…the thought of him hearing me, of wandering in here and seeing what I’m doing…it makes me even hotter. Even wetter.

I circle my clit again and feel it swell against my fingertips as my hips buck. Shit. I make an upside-down V with my fingersand slide them over the swollen nub, gently applying pressure to both sides.

It throbs, and there’s a tingling sensation in my belly. The pressure is perfect. Enough to make me feel good, but notquiteenough to send me over. As much as I need to come, I don’t want this to be over. It feels too good.

Just then, I hear Kill make a noise. A kind of…grunt. It could be a sleep thing, like maybe he has a kink in his neck or something. Or maybe he’s doing what I’m doing. Or maybe he’s about to get up and come in here…

I jolt at the thought, my hand inadvertently tensing against my clit. With a gasp, I tip over the edge, coming long and hard. I shudder and bite my finger to quiet my moans; my hips flex a few times as my orgasm crashes through me in a hot rush. I’m quivering and too warm, and I’m possibly wetter than I’ve ever been. Good god. I can’t believe how intense that was, considering I’m alone.

I almost always come hard during sex, but solo? It’s usually quick and easy, just enough to ease the tension. But this one blew my socks off.

I pant my way through my come-down, almost tempted to go for round two. But I’m exhausted. So instead, I sigh, roll to my side, and pass right out.

NATALIE

Killian makessure we’re up bright and early. Well, figuratively. It’s definitely early. Not so much bright, considering where we are. He leaves me to dress and returns a few minutes later with some sort of porridge for breakfast.

When I grab my knife out of my pack, I expect him to object, but instead, he nods with approval. We meet up with the others in a corridor, he introduces me, and then we’re off.

Killian said we were scouting west of his clan’s settlement, and I have to trust him on that. I’m not great at sussing out cardinal directions even when I can see the sun. Underground? Impossible.

We trudge along for what feels like an hour before a noise gets my attention. There’s nothing here, though. Aside from our torches, things seem dark and still, and at first, I’m not sure I actually heard anything. Maybe my imagination is getting the better of me.

I pause, tilting my head, and I hear it again. The subtle sound of a pebble rolling along rock. Killian sees me freeze and stops with me.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure,” I say. “Maybe nothing. But I thought I heard a rock falling.”

It seems like a minimal threat, at best, but Kill goes on alert and gathers the others close. “Stay watchful,” he tells them. “There could be a nest nearby.”

The hairs on my arms stand up as I strain my senses. I’m searching all around and listening for the faintest trace of noise. I’m even sniffing the air, in case the hobgoblins have some sort of identifiable odor.

We’re all standing up taller, moving more slowly, all sense of ease and camaraderie gone. Hypervigilant. All six of us are prepared, so there’s no way any enemies can surprise us.

You’d think.

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