Page 11 of His Fierce Fugitive

“May I wash your hair?”

Normally, I’d only allow a man to wash my hair if he was my hair stylist. But nothing about where I am or who I’m with isnormal.

I duck down under the water and come up, running my hands through my tangled nest of knots. “You may.”

He begins massaging the moss onto the top of my head. "Your hair..." His tone is soft, almost reverent. "It flows like spun gold." He works the lather into my locks with slow, deliberate motions. His fingers are strong yet gentle, and I can feel the hardened spots unraveling under his palms.

A soft moan escapes my lips, and I sink deeper into the water, closing my eyes as his hands knead my scalp, sending shivers down my back.

A knot of longing forms in my belly.

Okay, that’s enough of that. I pull away. “Thank you.”

His eyes are that dark, dark green again, but he merely nods. “Of course.”

We get more moss and wash ourselves until we’re as clean as possible. It's blissful as the water laps at my skin, washing away the dirt and sweat of the last few days.

Finally, I emerge from the water, stepping through some foliage to reach for my clothes.

But suddenly I notice the vines have wrapped around my ankles.

Then they tug me down.

“Tak!” I yell, as the plant pulls me lower, then starts snaking around my wrists. I struggle, kicking and fighting, panicking, as Tak kneels down and grabs my arm.

"Don’t fight it, Iris. This plant has a unique method of attracting insects to pollinate it. It uses other animals as bait. The Strangle Vine, as we call it, reacts to tension. Relax your muscles, and it will release you."

Strangle Vine?“What? How am I supposed to relax when it wants to use me to lure in those gigantic insects?” I try to do as he says, but it's easier said than done, especially with my heart racing.

Tak's hands rest gently on my shoulders, and I realize I’m still naked and his dark eyes are roving over me as slowly as possible. I should be scolding him. Yelling at him to help me, not eye-fuck me. But dammit, all it’s doing is turning me on.

He kneads my shoulder and inhales, his eyes closing briefly. My entire body flushes with heat. Can he smell my arousal?

"I promise I won't let anything hurt you," he says, his eyes so dark.

“Then get me out of this thing,” I whisper.

“Do you trust me?” he asks, lifting my chin to look at him.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?” he says slower this time. “I need you to say it.”

This is getting weird, but the hunger in his eyes won’t let me do anything but nod.

“Say it, Iris. Please.”

“I trust you, Tak,” I finally say, as he leans in, his lips brushing mine in a soft, tentative kiss. My body buzzes with electricity, and I respond, kissing him back as the vines hold my wrists up and apart.

His kiss deepens, and unlike before when I kissed him, his tongue strokes over mine. I moan, the suede-like texture so strange and exciting. I think of how it might feel on other parts of my body as his hands begin to roam. Pleasure sparks ateach point where he touches, my nerves coming alive under his exploring fingers.

His mouth moves down my neck, tongue trailing over my collar bone, its path hot and wet. His cheek rubs against my breasts, and my breath catches. And when he sucks my nipple into his mouth I arch into him, a desperate noise emerging from my throat.

“You’re so beautiful,” he groans, when his fingers slip between my legs, finding the soaked evidence of my desire.

I shudder.

"Let me take care of you. I can show you how you deserve to be treated," he whispers against my belly, as his fingers slide against my wet folds, making me tremble.

---