Page 9 of Veil of Shadows

Her laughter filled me with joy as she held her stomach in the bath. I watched the water softly undulate as guffaws poured from her mouth.

“Holy shit, Dom,” she said in between her laughing fits, “you’re one of those dudes that likes to tie up his women like a hog about to be smoked, aren’t you?”

My smile was devilish as I reached for the cup beside the tub. Her laughter permeated the space around us as I dipped it into the water. With one hand gripping it, I slid my other hand into her hair. I folded my fingers around her slippery locks, tilting her head back as her laughter turned into a soft gasp. I chuckled darkly at the way she immediately succumbed to me. She tilted her head back for me, allowing her conditioner-drenched locks to pour down her back. The ends of her hair slipped into the spiced water she sat in, and I poured the water over her head as I worked my fingers along her scalp.

“Mmmm, Dom,” she murmured softly.

My cock twitched against my pants, but I kept myself at bay. I continued pouring water over her head until all of the conditioning serum was rinsed out. Her body glistened with the herbs that relaxed her, and her skin flushed with a healthy shade of pink as I massaged her scalp. She relaxed against the tub for me. She groaned softly at me stroking my fingers along her skin. And as I worked my way down her neck, she shivered softly beneath my touch.

“You’re really one of those guys, aren’t you?” she asked softly.

So, I figured now was as good of a time as any to have this conversation.

Especially if it provided her with a much-needed distraction.

4

BEXLEY

His touch was mesmerizing. The heat of the bath mixed with the heat of his hands in my hair shivered me to my core. My muscles relaxed in the concoction of things Merida tossed into the water for me earlier. I leaned my head up as he worked his hands down my neck and across my shoulders, massaging me with those dexterous hands of his. I felt the pads of his thumbs rush across my muscles. A groan escaped my lips as I let my question hang in the air between us.

I almost forgot about the question entirely.

That is, until Dom finally spoke up. “The lifestyle isn’t just about tying people up and having kinky sex, you know.”

I snickered softly. “The lifestyle?”

“Yes,” he said plainly. “For me, it’s not just a temporary role that takes place in the bedroom. It’s the kind of man I want to be.”

That furrowed my brow. “The kind of man? I’m not sure I’m following.”

I moaned softly as he worked his massaging touch down between my shoulder blades. “I struggled to find my place in the pack for a while when I was growing up. Even after I hit shifterhood and went on my first hunt, I still felt like an outcast.It was hard for me to figure out where I fit in and what I could contribute to the pack as a whole, but I found a lot of peace within the lifestyle.”

I found myself wholly intrigued. “What do you mean?”

He slid his hands back up my neck and into my hair, bending me forward in the bath softly. “For me, being part of the lifestyle defines who I am. It allows me to take care of those around me while giving myself the confidence and strength I need to get through the tougher times our pack goes through.”

“Times like now?” I asked softly.

“Yes,” he said as his touch continued to massage me, “times like now. It gives me a foundation for my mental health. It provides an atmosphere that I need to be the man, shifter, and wolf my community needs, and it gives me a moral code to abide by.”

I shake my head softly. “I… had no idea.”

“Most people don’t because they usually think of what you originally thought of. And that’s understandable. Sex is a powerful motivator for a lot of things, especially in the shifter world. But, that doesn’t mean it has to guide everything I do and every decision that I make.”

I couldn’t help but be curious. “So…”

Jesus, I didn’t even know where to start with my questions. But, Dom seemed to pick up on that because almost immediately, he removed his hands from my body and eased me back against the tub.

“Just lay back,” he urged softly.

Then, I felt him pour warm water over my chest while he spoke. “The great thing about the lifestyle is that it can be used for all sorts of things, and none of those things have to be sex.”

“They don’t?”

I chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love that part. But, there are other things as well that it gives me. Likestructure, and guidance, and the ability to rely on myself when necessary.”

I wanted to listen to him talk about it all night. “Please, tell me more.”

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