Page 48 of I Married Amreth

“Indeed. I have ten,” I said in a factual manner before studying her features. “Does it bother you?”

To my relief, she shook her head without hesitation.

“Not at all. It’s actually kind of hot,” she added, looking a bit embarrassed. “Any others?”

“On my tongue,” I replied.

She nodded, her face taking on a mischievous expression. “I know. I felt that one.”

That made me chuckle, but it also made me want to kiss her deeply again. Chasing that wandering thought right out of my mind, I allowed my gaze to freely—and somewhat greedily—roam over the perfection that was her body.

“A few of them would look extremely hot on you as well,” I mused aloud.

To my shock, Ciara immediately stiffened, a frown creasing her brow as she shook her head.

“That’s going to be a hard pass for me,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Considering her previous comment about finding them hot on me, that response took me aback.

“Why?” I asked carefully.

“While I genuinely appreciate and admire body modification on others—at least when it’s well done—I personally do not want any on myself. My pierced lobes for earrings are as far as I go. I don’t have anything against it, but I like my physical appearance the way it is,” she said in a gentle, almost cautious fashion.

“I understand,” I said softly.

She shifted on her feet, looking a little uneasy. “Does that upset you?”

My brow shot up in surprise. “Upset me? Not at all. A little disappointed, maybe. And even that feels like too strong a word.I love the aesthetics of piercings as it is an intrinsic part of my culture, but not an essential one. At the end of the day, it is your body. No one gets to dictate what you do with it. So long as you are happy, that’s all that matters.”

“But will that make me less attractive to you?” she insisted.

“Ciara, your physical appearance is not your main appeal. The light of your soul is. And yours mesmerizes me. Nothing can ever supersede that. You are beautiful just the way you are. And that will not change, even in sixty years, when we’re both all wrinkled, and I have a wine belly.”

She burst out laughing. “You mean a beer belly?”

“Yeah, that,” I said in an amused tone. “Or whatever humans call that pregnant-looking stomach your males get in their later years.”

Still chuckling, my mate stared at my flat stomach with a wistful expression. “My grandfather has a rather impressive one that my granny calls his crystal ball. Whenever he asks her something silly, she starts rubbing it and peers into it as if to find the answer within before responding with something totally ridiculous.”

It was my turn to burst out laughing as I tried to visualize the scene. “That will be us in a few years, I guess.”

She grinned and shook her head. “Doubtful. I’ve seen older Obosians. You all remain obnoxiously fit through your twilight years… not that I’m complaining. But let’s get you under the water.”

I nodded and swiftly twisted my own long hair into a bun so that it wouldn’t get wet while she went to turn on the faucet. I wasn’t spending hours trying to let it dry naturally right before bed.

We stepped under the water to wet ourselves. My eyes immediately zeroed in on the way the water trickled down her skin. The most irrational envy surged through me, wishing it wasmy hands and my tongue gliding over her like that. I wanted to lick each bead that lingered on the dark silk that I ached to explore.

As there was a single bar of soap, we took turns using it, working up a lather before exchanging it. Watching her rub the soap on her body, especially on her breasts and between her thighs had me rock hard in seconds. Although she pretended not to see it, I didn’t miss the smug smirk that discreetly quirked the corner of her mouth.

But two could play that game.

Biding my time, I gestured with my chin at her back.

“Want help?” I offered.

“Yes, please,” she replied, a strange light burning in her grayish-brown eyes.

She turned around, and my eyes zeroed in on the plump curves of her behind. Tharmok take me! It should be illegal for anything to be so damn enticing. I couldn’t decide if I was aching more to grab her cheeks with both hands or drop to my knees and take a bite. Her behind demanded to be bitten.

---